Hello everyone,
We are currently planning the construction of our single-family house and are considering building with precast concrete double-wall elements. We like this idea because concrete components are produced with precision, can be assembled quickly and in a planned manner, and allow for attractive exposed concrete surfaces inside. Additionally, there are several concrete plants nearby, so transportation distances would be short.
Our current plan is to build the ground floor using precast concrete elements and then construct a solid wood structure on top. As far as we know, it is rather uncommon to build single-family houses with concrete. We are wondering why this is the case. Is it due to insulation, indoor climate, costs?
How do the costs of building with precast concrete compare to those of a brick construction?
We are currently planning the construction of our single-family house and are considering building with precast concrete double-wall elements. We like this idea because concrete components are produced with precision, can be assembled quickly and in a planned manner, and allow for attractive exposed concrete surfaces inside. Additionally, there are several concrete plants nearby, so transportation distances would be short.
Our current plan is to build the ground floor using precast concrete elements and then construct a solid wood structure on top. As far as we know, it is rather uncommon to build single-family houses with concrete. We are wondering why this is the case. Is it due to insulation, indoor climate, costs?
How do the costs of building with precast concrete compare to those of a brick construction?
SaniererNRW123 schrieb:
Belief can move mountains, but it doesn’t change reality. Reinforced concrete house construction is a special case. And special cases cost money, like any special request.
It only becomes affordable with mass production – see German terraced houses. A fully custom-designed house will be more expensive.Fortunately, I have in front of me both the costs for the prefabricated reinforced concrete elements of my basement level, as well as those for the timber frame prefabricated elements on the ground and upper floors. The differences are minimal, or when considering technical simplifications (the ground and upper floors don’t need 30cm (12 inches) waterproof concrete with separate joint sealing anymore, and the steel reinforcement can be thinner per floor), they are even nonexistent. I don’t want to generalize, and I have no idea how the costs for masonry construction would compare, but I assume they fall within a similar range.
S
soneva201228 Oct 2022 10:18We are currently building a house that combines reinforced concrete, precast concrete elements, and masonry. We needed reinforced concrete because we have many large floor-to-ceiling windows on the ground floor and several projections on the upper floor.
Concrete is simply more expensive (especially reinforced concrete), although every builder calculates costs differently. Our builder, for example, charges the same for precast elements and cast-in-place concrete. However, we had another offer where the precast elements were significantly more expensive. Personally, I don’t like precast parts in living areas—they are very plain and cold, and that’s a style you have to like. As mentioned before, you also need to carefully plan in advance where all cables and such will be installed.
We have planned an exposed concrete wall in the hallway with a cantilever staircase. It’s important to find someone who can achieve the right aesthetic there.
If anyone is interested, here are the prices for interior masonry work in our area (comparing exterior masonry is more complicated):
Porcelain bricks (plan bricks) – 69 EUR/m² (7.2 USD/ft²)
Cast-in-place concrete – 75 EUR/m² (7.8 USD/ft²) plus a 59 EUR/m² (6.1 USD/ft²) surcharge for exposed concrete finish.
And there’s always a chance that a concrete finisher might be needed (although we used new formwork, so hopefully not).
Concrete is simply more expensive (especially reinforced concrete), although every builder calculates costs differently. Our builder, for example, charges the same for precast elements and cast-in-place concrete. However, we had another offer where the precast elements were significantly more expensive. Personally, I don’t like precast parts in living areas—they are very plain and cold, and that’s a style you have to like. As mentioned before, you also need to carefully plan in advance where all cables and such will be installed.
We have planned an exposed concrete wall in the hallway with a cantilever staircase. It’s important to find someone who can achieve the right aesthetic there.
If anyone is interested, here are the prices for interior masonry work in our area (comparing exterior masonry is more complicated):
Porcelain bricks (plan bricks) – 69 EUR/m² (7.2 USD/ft²)
Cast-in-place concrete – 75 EUR/m² (7.8 USD/ft²) plus a 59 EUR/m² (6.1 USD/ft²) surcharge for exposed concrete finish.
And there’s always a chance that a concrete finisher might be needed (although we used new formwork, so hopefully not).
Your price isn’t bad—I would have to pay €109 /m2 (109 euros per square meter) net for my (prefabricated) filigree double wall C25/30, thickness 24cm (9.5 inches) (interior wall) (without reinforcement, which is charged separately). Even then, this supplier was relatively affordable in comparison. 🤨
I assume your price refers to raw structural surfaces? Meaning, plan bricks without interior plaster? If so, cast-in-place concrete might end up costing the same or even less, since with proper care the surfaces require significantly less treatment to be ready for painting (of course depending on the desired wall finish).
Exposed concrete is, of course, a completely different price category.
I assume your price refers to raw structural surfaces? Meaning, plan bricks without interior plaster? If so, cast-in-place concrete might end up costing the same or even less, since with proper care the surfaces require significantly less treatment to be ready for painting (of course depending on the desired wall finish).
Exposed concrete is, of course, a completely different price category.
… and not to forget that in basements, most installations are usually surface-mounted. In living areas, this is less common anymore. 😉
The cost of the finished element itself or the cast-in-place concrete wall is one thing. Another aspect is, for example, the boxes for outlets, light switches, and the wiring for electricity, water, and wastewater. You might be quite surprised by the planning and execution required for all of that.
A wall chase cutter is definitely easier to handle in this regard.
The cost of the finished element itself or the cast-in-place concrete wall is one thing. Another aspect is, for example, the boxes for outlets, light switches, and the wiring for electricity, water, and wastewater. You might be quite surprised by the planning and execution required for all of that.
A wall chase cutter is definitely easier to handle in this regard.
Certainly depending on the provider – factory planning and partially the execution can be largely automated with prefabricated components.
For example, in our case, there were additional costs of 79 € for 20 electrical boxes (we had a total of 60 boxes) related to electrical planning/technical processing. Examples for execution costs included: 7.80 € per electrical box (Kaiser) and 8 € per meter (lfm) of M25 conduit.
Since I happen to have an electrical offer for another construction project in front of me: creating an opening in the wall per box costs 7.06 € (without the box), and the wiring path in unplastered masonry using a wall slot cutter costs 7.42 € per meter, etc. – which means it is not necessarily significantly cheaper, especially considering that conduits also offer clear advantages for maintenance and future modifications (assuming proper installation, of course).
For example, in our case, there were additional costs of 79 € for 20 electrical boxes (we had a total of 60 boxes) related to electrical planning/technical processing. Examples for execution costs included: 7.80 € per electrical box (Kaiser) and 8 € per meter (lfm) of M25 conduit.
Since I happen to have an electrical offer for another construction project in front of me: creating an opening in the wall per box costs 7.06 € (without the box), and the wiring path in unplastered masonry using a wall slot cutter costs 7.42 € per meter, etc. – which means it is not necessarily significantly cheaper, especially considering that conduits also offer clear advantages for maintenance and future modifications (assuming proper installation, of course).
@Harakiri
I'm glad to hear that concrete construction isn’t more expensive—or even cheaper—for you, depending on the region and/or supplier. However, in the single-family home sector (different rules apply for multi-story buildings), this is usually not the case. You can also tell because hardly anyone in the single-family home sector uses it unless there are specific requirements, such as structural reasons or a preference for exposed concrete.
I'm glad to hear that concrete construction isn’t more expensive—or even cheaper—for you, depending on the region and/or supplier. However, in the single-family home sector (different rules apply for multi-story buildings), this is usually not the case. You can also tell because hardly anyone in the single-family home sector uses it unless there are specific requirements, such as structural reasons or a preference for exposed concrete.
Similar topics