In recent years, we have seen a big increase in the use of prefabrication in the construction industry. In fact, it was revealed at the beginning of September 2017 that construction giant Lendlease had picked an offsite specialist to assist with the prefabricated design of Google’s new Headquarters in London. With increasing costs and time pressures and a continuing skills shortage, many companies see prefabrication as a potential solution to these problems.
According to the HVAC body BESA, offsite construction is now used in 90% of UK projects and accounts for 3-4% of the total construction market. With leading companies such as Google and Crossrail choosing to use it in their landmark projects, we can expect these numbers to continue to rise. However, whilst there are obvious benefits, when we talk to our clients many have concerns that pre-building large parts of projects offsite could result in sizing errors, a reduction in quality and can make deliveries even more complex than they already are. As a key supplier to the industry we are keen to help address these concerns and enable our customers to gain maximum competitive advantage from this new trend.
Challenges
There are valid concerns within the industry about using prefabricated components in a project. The first is the inability to react to unexpected changes during the installation process. It is impossible to fully predict what can happen on a fast-moving construction site. Normally, workers will adapt to challenges, such as unforeseen obstacles, as they occur. However, if the component is assembled offsite and then a problem arises, the sub-contractor would either have to return it and wait for a replacement, or attempt to fix it themselves. This can cause an unwanted delay on the project and possibly result in huge fines for the sub-contractor.
Another key consideration is pre-assembled components are much larger and can therefore be more complex to transport. This can be a concern with increasingly strict delivery restrictions and specific rules that companies making deliveries must abide by, before being allowed on site. Companies have to be FORS accredited, ensure products are securely packaged and meet health & safety regulations. It’s imperative that suppliers and their delivery services are aware of these regulations and take steps to avoid a failed delivery.