Precast construction is the manufacturing of products in a pre-made cast or mold and then, after being cured in a controlled environment, transporting it to the construction site for final assembly. Prefabricated construction is the assembly of pre-made components for construction of structures required for industrial use, and then transporting these complete assemblies to the final location.Both of these construction types have their advantages and disadvantages. Given below are some differences between the precast and prefabricated buildings:
Prefabricated construction
- Prefabricated buildings are eco-friendlier than their precast counterparts. The assemblies are built as per the requirements specified for the project. Thus, the quantity of raw materials used to build the products aligns with the requirements, so as to generate minimal waste while completing the task. The process of creating the assemblies thus becomes energy-efficient and sustainable.
- Financially, prefabricated buildings are cost-effective. The amount spent on the materials required is cut down. The orders can be customized as per the quantity. The transportation of these products also become easy as the individual components, rather than a hefty final assembly, needs to be transported to the final site for the installation.Prefabricated construction offers flexibility and better control in the process of building the components. The size and dimension of the assemblies can be customized as per your requirements. You have
- a variety of shapes and designs to choose from when you get a structure manufactured by this method. This adds to the aesthetics of the final product, making it appealing.
- The final assembly of the structure is done on-site. This makes it easier for the individual pieces to be built simultaneously, resulting in shorter construction time.
Precast construction
- Precast construction isn’t as eco-friendly as prefabricated construction. The assemblies required are made on precast molds. The materials used thus depend upon the size of the molds. If the size of the required product is less than the mold dimensions, then there is a significant wastage of the materials that can or cannot be used for other applications. It renders the entire production process inefficient in terms of energy, raw materials, and labor.
- Precast products are financially expensive. The raw materials required depend on the mold size. Thus, if there is no mold available for your product dimensions, you will have to build it in a larger mold. This will increase the price of the product due to the extra raw materials needed. Also, the costs per unit framework are fixed as per the mold size required for the task.
- Precast construction is limited regarding design. Due to the pre-determined nature of the molds, there are a few variations that can be achieved from this method. The size, shape, layout, and other features that can be customized in terms of prefabricated constructions is not available in precast products.
- The process of making a component using the precast construction takes a longer time. The parts are made stage by stage and require sufficient time for the mold to set completely. If the product dimensions differ from the mold size, extra time would be added to bring the mold to the required size.
It can be inferred that places where cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and shorter construction times are needed, prefabricated construction is advisable. Precast constructions are opted for projects requiring a better durability, quality, and a sturdy structure. You can find a few other factors to look for in prefabricated buildings before buying them. You can contact us at Northgate Industries Ltd. for many such modular installation and maintenance services that we offer.
