Prefabrication of houses seems to be all over the news but whether this will solve the housing crisis or not is a very good question.
Prefabrication in a workshop can save time and as they don’t have to deal with weather. On the other hand this can be achieved similarly with a regular site build with the scaffolding and shrink wrap.
In terms of build cost I believe the cost of prefabrication is on par with the site builds, therefore not much benefit here. Benefit comes into play with prefabrication can start as soon as the building consent is approved. This can be extremely useful as it reduces the time and hence the holding cost of the project. The buildings can be ready by the time or shortly after site clearance, retaining, drainage, fencing, servicing, and piling is complete.
The capacity I believe can be an issue when doing huge developments as the builds are limited by the warehouse space.
Access to the site can be an issue when placing prefabricated building. This is the only major drawback I see when it comes to prefabrication. Narrow driveways, power lines, sloping section and narrow streets can be an issue.
I am a firm believer in a concrete mid floor for acoustic and fire rating. I see this as being an issue with prefabrication especially where I’m building an apartment or a multi unit development.
The capacity I believe can be an issue when doing huge developments as the builds are limited by the warehouse space.
So is it the Holy Grail or not I leave it up to you to decide…
