Traditional construction procedures have been here for a long time. The typical concrete reinforcement along steel beams and then waiting for the concrete to harden up has been taking up a lot of time from the construction managers and the customers together. Although traditional construction may never go obsolete as they are needed for the development of permanent complex buildings that require convoluted structures. But on a general thought, if you construct every building with the conventional concrete reinforced method, not all buildings that are built can be said to have the efficiency and cost conservation as prefab steel buildings. Over the years after the recession, the cost of traditional construction has increased by 60% because of the cost of its raw material and worker wages growing gradually. Traditional buildings will require a lot of extra effort and money to make it sustainable to the effects of nature. Concrete can be affected over time by chemicals and water while it gets chilled in the winters. Traditional construction might be okay for some sectors that really need it, but its competence cannot be compared to the conventional building process when it comes to reliability against weather or ease of construction.
The construction process of both traditional and prefab buildings starts in the same way with designing, site planning and foundation construction. After all the planning and site development has been done, modular buildings take a different turn from traditional structures. You can see this turn as an efficient shortcut.
What are Prefabricated Buildings?
As the name suggests, prefabrication is the main agenda of such buildings and are very close to the modular building process. But prefab steel buildings are slightly different from the modular construction process. In modular construction, the building is manufactured inside a factory in different parts called modules. These modules are shaped structures that are combined together, much like a jigsaw puzzle to create a whole, utilizable structure. A module may either constitute of half a room and would have to be connected with its other half or might be a whole room and would be connected to other rooms to create a building or a house. It’s not the same for prefab structures.
In prefab steel buildings, the plan is made by accurate reading of the site and making a design for the building to be erected. The building design is then broken down into parts, and the skeleton structure of the building is designed separately for the construction of steel parts and beams being used for the development. All the building parts and structured steel parts are then manufactured inside the factory. The parts that are smaller than modules are transported to the construction site. The pieces are then assembled on the site with many smaller steel beams and angles that create a bigger structure.
What are the Benefits of Prefab Steel Buildings over Conventional Construction?
Prefab steel buildings have various advantages over the traditional building process. With high durability due to the use of structural steel and the flexibility of construction make it an excellent alternative to the conventional construction process.
Customization and Durability
Expectations of the client can be fulfilled with ease with prefab construction. The use of structural steel gives the privilege of modification of structures. So intricate designs can be manufactured at the plant with steel and can be assembled at the construction site with the look and feel that your client wants. Prefab construction can be utilized to build warehouses, event centres, town-halls and homes with a variety of customization available. Steel manufacturing has made a lot of developments in providing various textures, colours and shapes that will give you a look you want on your interiors, exteriors or roofs inclusive of the strength of steel.
Metal parts and wall panels can be customized to provide looks like other materials:
- Roof panels made of steel frames can be made to look like asphalt or wood shingles
- Wall panels can be given the texture of brickwork by working with different options of paint and other material
- Steel frames allow synthetic material to be added, like synthetic stonework
- Interior designs can be customized accordingly for small offices or big interior areas
The steel used in prefab construction will also provide for the durability, unlike stone or concrete, without being bulky like stones or concrete blocks. Wooden construction is weaker than steel and deteriorates overtime with natural changes to its composition. Steel, on the other hand, will stay as it is with very low or negligible maintenance. Steel can be pestered by termites or fungal eruptions. Steel structures will withstand high-velocity winds and will stay up even in the earthquakes.
Eco-friendly and Sustainable
Steel has always been a recyclable compound. It is more biodegradable than most of the plastic. So even if you don’t recycle it, most of your building would be accepted by the earth after demolition. Steel can be reused for the construction of other things after your building is vacated or is not needed anymore. The same parts in your premises can be used to construct another structure elsewhere. Steel is entirely eco-friendly as it does not produce poisonous gases, unlike concrete, during the construction process. Wood will catch fire and turn up in smoke while the steel framework in prefab steel building will stay there without burning up and emitting carbon. The tight fittings and leakage-free doors and windows in a prefab building make it a good condition for insulation and air-conditioning. This reduces utility costs, and the building remains sustainable.
Cost and Time Saving
Cost-cutting and quick construction are the two main benefits of prefab steel construction. The method of construction in prefab buildings is done consequently in different places. The main structure of the building is constructed of parts. These parts are constructed inside a factory using machinery instead of manual labour. This makes it quick while the rest of the site development and foundation work can be completed without waiting for the reassembly of the parts. While time is money, prefab construction also saves costs. The cost of manual labour is already cut down because of the factory-made building method. It also saves on the transportation cost of raw materials as the whole building is transported in pieces at once to the construction site.
Prefab steel buildings are a more sustainable alternative to conventional concrete or wood structures. The use of structural steel provides all the customization that you want without having to pay externally for designing and remodification. The architectural design makes it easy to remodel parts of your building, and the manufactures help you do that. If you have queries about the steel construction process, contact Northern Weldarc.
