To Stick-Build or Panelize? Panelization can ease management burdens by Joseph Carusone and sometimes save money For years, most builders have relied to some extent on premanufactured building components. Who doesn't use prehung doors or manufactured trusses? What builders assemble and glaze their own windows? Until recently, only large production builders found it economical to have the entire shell built in a factory. But that is changing. Over the past few years, we have seen a surge in demand for panelized housing components in the Northeast. A shrinking skilled-labor pool and a more competitive marketplace are making various types of prefab building more appealing to smaller builders. The options range from preassembled wall sections, customized to any design, to complete modular buildings delivered to the