ᐅ Precast Concrete Elements: Advantages and Disadvantages

Created on: 21 Jul 2015 21:35
G
GWeber
G
GWeber
21 Jul 2015 21:35
Hello everyone,

My wife and I are just starting to take the first steps toward building a house. We have purchased the plot of land and roughly set the budget. Initial discussions with architects have also taken place.

As a layperson, I obviously can’t take on the planner’s job and have to trust, to some extent, that I am being properly advised. But I would like to understand and consider as much as possible myself.

What I’m currently wondering: Why are houses still being built conventionally "brick by brick" when you can have prefabricated concrete elements delivered and assembled in a few days? The only concrete disadvantage I’ve found so far is the increased planning effort, since these components leave little room for modifications afterward (openings, wiring, etc.). In contrast, the advantages like saving time and probably higher quality due to standardized workflows seem to clearly outweigh this.

Still, these prefabricated elements (for custom-designed houses) remain a niche. Why is that?

Thank you very much!
B
Bauexperte
21 Jul 2015 21:49
GWeber schrieb:

Nevertheless, these prefabricated components (for custom-designed houses) remain a niche. Why is that?
Because there are too few production lines for this construction method, making the manufacturing costs non-competitive.

Best regards, Bauexperte
G
GWeber
21 Jul 2015 22:03
Thank you for the quick reply!

So, is it generally more cost-effective to formwork, pour concrete, and build masonry on-site over several weeks? Interesting.
B
Bauexperte
21 Jul 2015 22:07
GWeber schrieb:

So, is it generally cheaper to do formwork, concrete pouring, and masonry on site over several weeks? Surprising.
Few still do traditional formwork nowadays, as most ceilings are made from precast concrete slabs.

Yes, overall it is more cost-effective ... and to be honest, who wants to live permanently inside concrete walls, aside from the necessary Hilti fittings? Lightweight expanded clay aggregate blocks are unfortunately similarly expensive.

If you are interested in this system, there is a supplier who constructs polystyrene facades/partition walls and then fills them with concrete on site.

Best regards, Bauexperte
S
Sebastian79
21 Jul 2015 22:34
Poor insulation values add to the problem
G
GWeber
21 Jul 2015 22:36
At the moment, I am interested in (almost) everything related to building.

We will probably not be able to avoid a significant amount of concrete in the house, as two out of three floors will be built into the slope.