Urwish Engineers

Construction has been evolving from stone age times, it began with the usage of natural materials like straws, tree barks, and leaves and has reached to bricks and concrete. Based on the available resources and the need of the time humans have adapted to different construction technology. So with time, there has been a massive growth in construction manufacturing, and new ways of designing and building are catching the eye. So what is it exactly? How is it beneficial? Is it required? What about the setbacks?

‘Prefabrication construction and manufacturing’ is exactly the next blooming step in the construction industry. It is a process where the planning, designing, and execution of the assemblies take place at one site and then transported to the actual site where the structure is built. A simple familiar example of prefabrication is the Game of Leggo where we already have the parts and what we do is just assemble them wherever we want.

This new change in the industry has its own set of Benefits and Challenges. To get a better idea of Why prefab? and When prefab? It is important to understand both sides of it.

Benefits of Prefab

1. Speed of construction- The construction time is less compared to traditional construction. Conventional construction takes Months to Years for designing and building, whereas the entire Prefab process takes Weeks to Months to complete.

2. The Economical factor -It can be an economical option, there is a chance of creating your own space on a limited budget, and there are lesser chances of going off-budget. It reduces the cost of materials and the need for labor on-site.

3. Efficient Quality- As the manufacturing and production are done by qualified personnel there are reduced errors. High-quality structures are manufactured by using specialized computerized technology.

4. Resourceful- The designed molds can be reused again and again, thus reducing the mold creation cost every time. It also minimizes the number of machinery and material required on-site.

5. Workers Safety- Production of prefab assemblies takes place indoors and mostly under controlled conditions, reducing on-site accidents.

6. Ecological benefit- Prefab structures help to reduce the land pollutants produced while construction. There is less production of construction waste resulting in less dumping of waste. When the material is majorly steel the use of concrete is reduced, which helps to decrease the use of water. As a prefab structure can be dismantled and rebuilt again at a completely new location, it is reusable

7. Reduced site disruption– Most of the manufacturing of prefab structures takes place in factories or at the manufacturing site, there is lesser on-site commotion. Even if the site is not ready the manufacturing of prefabs can be continued indoors.

8. Beneficial in Mass production- As prefab structures are computerized and created with the help of molds they are beneficial in creating similar, repetitive structures. For example, Places like office cabins, and labor rooms that require mass production are built easily.

9. Independent of Weather conditions-With most of the work is off-site the effect of external factors like weather is little. Seasons like rainy have less impact on the off-site manufacturing, creating no obstacles.

Setbacks of Prefab

1. Transportation and damage- After the manufacturing, the most important factor is transporting the parts to the site safely. However, there are chances of the parts getting damaged during transportation. Proper packaging and transportation can be a challenge

2. Social problems- Conventional construction has been a source of income for many laborers. But, with the need for specialized and qualified workers in prefabrication, the problem of employment arises. On the other hand, the use of machinery also reduces the need for labor.

3. Less resale value- In the market of real-estate prefab has yet to gain resale value. When people prefer concrete structures for investment the chances of prefab becomes less. It has a limited financial presence in the real estate

4. Aesthetic issue- With the use of repetitive basic structure, there are chances of a less dynamic structural appearance. There can be a limitation to creativity while designing the space.

5. Limitation of access — Transportation of manufactured parts has a limitation of reach.The construction site should be within reach of about 100 to 200km from the manufacturing site, the maximum distance can be 500–600km. For longer distances, there are chances of increased transportation costs.

6. Doubts– People are still skeptical about investing their money in prefabs. Though it can be convenient, there is doubt about its durability, quality, and whether it can be a structure that can protect the needs.

Taking into consideration the pros and cons can help you make better decisions!

For any further questions you can contact us at contact@urwish.in / https://urwish.in / +91–8308810340