MMC categories and PMV, explained.
Where SIPs and timber frame sit — and why funders care.
A shared language for funders, insurers and planners.
The MMC Definition Framework gives government, funders, warranty providers and lenders one way to describe how much of a home is built away from site. If you bid for Homes England-funded schemes, the category of your structure route — and its Pre-Manufactured Value — is part of your funding case.
Plain English, no jargon.
Category 1: volumetric — 3D modules built in a factory. Category 2: panelised — 2D panels manufactured offsite and assembled on site. This is where SIPs and timber frame sit. Category 3: pre-manufactured components — pods, roof cassettes. Category 4: additive manufacturing. Category 5: pre-manufactured sub-assemblies. Categories 6–7: site-process improvements — labour-saving products and lean processes.
The number funded schemes are scored on.
PMV measures the share of a home's gross construction cost delivered through pre-manufacturing. Panelised timber routes move real value into the factory: a closed-panel system with factory-fitted insulation, membranes and service zones scores materially higher than an open-panel route insulated on site. On funded schemes with PMV thresholds, that difference can decide the bid — we calculate and evidence scheme-specific PMV before manufacture.
Categorisation and evidence, ready for your bid.
MMC categorisation of the structure route, PMV calculation to the definition framework, and the certification and compliance evidence that sits behind both — organised for your funding submission and warranty route. See how this fits the whole package on our developers page.
Frequently asked questions.
What MMC category are SIPs and timber frame?
Panelised systems — SIPs, open and closed panel timber frame — are MMC Category 2. Volumetric modular is Category 1; site-based process improvements sit in Categories 5–7.
What PMV do panelised systems achieve?
It varies by system and scope: closed-panel routes with factory-fitted insulation and services score materially higher than open panel. We calculate scheme-specific PMV as part of a scheme review.
Why does PMV matter?
Homes England-funded programmes typically set minimum MMC/PMV requirements. A structure route that misses the threshold can cost a scheme its funding position — which is why we evidence it before manufacture.
Bidding a funded scheme?
Send us the scheme drawings and requirements — we will come back with the structure route, its MMC category and a PMV position you can put in the bid.