Kenya’s housing demand is way below targets. So many citizens are either living in deplorable conditions or pumping their money into some abysmal hole called rent yet they can do something to build a home.
However, these can a take another direction if this country chooses to adopt prefab home technology. Prefabricated homes refer to buildings built in components (example panels), modules (modular homes) or transportable sections (manufactured homes). Prefabs may also be used to refer to mobile homes, for example, houses on wheels.
These are reasons why prefabs are way better than the traditional methods:
- Faster build program: It takes you a very short time to finish the building and settle in. This is because they are built in enclosed spaces and are normally not affected by natural events such as storms or extreme heat or cold the way construction workers building traditional houses on the site are. Prefab homes also employ less manpower to finish its construction since they are built piece by piece in a factory.
- Improved build quality: Given that most of the pieces are molded off site, prefabs offer more flexible ways of being creative with regards to building quality. On the other hand, prefab homes are built using machines with materials that are frequently laser-measured and cut according to specific tolerance codes set by location ordinances (tolerant to hurricanes or tornadoes, blizzards, etc.). This is a plus compared to traditional methods of construction carried out by skilled craftsmen or construction workers who are prone to a lot of hazards and mishaps.
- Tackle skills shortage: Prefabs do not require many working hands to assemble at site. This is a given. The man-power to finish its construction is less since they are built pieces in the factory. Prefab homes are built atop permanent foundations, and then anchored and strapped to the ground, resulting in temporary affixation to foundations and this is probably where most of the man-power goes to. Thinking about prefab homes saves you a lot.
- Reduce costs, improve profitability: Compared to traditional methods of construction, prefabs slashes on costs and by extension proving to be more cost-effective. Prefab homes, since built in factories, have better cost efficiencies and less wastage, as they are manufactured under stricter norms using cutting edge technology. The speed of development, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness are among its biggest advantages. They are much more profitable because you get to choose from your own choice and preference and since they are mounted, then you can travel with the house if you need a change of location.
- Improved health and safety: With their easy modifications, prefabs offer panels that allow good ventilation. Since prefabs require less material to build, this basically means technology has minimal wastage and minimal impact on the environment hence eco-friendly.
- Improved site efficiency: High efficiency since there is lesser building materials and lesser labor time at site.
- Meet sustainability targets: Too much excavation of stone quarries and sand harvesting may cause serious depletion of environment. Prefabs may just as well be the solution to this problem.
- Material shortages: All you need to have with prefabs are materials necessary which are available at the factory. This means that once you get to the site, you are only joining up ready materials. Since many components of a building are completed in the factory, there is significantly less truck traffic, equipment and material suppliers around the final construction site. This limits the disruption of traditional jobsites that suffer from noise, pollution, waste and other common irritants. This streamlined approach to construction provides a far more efficient atmosphere for productivity, and eliminates unnecessary distractions and interference that are typical of construction sites. This means wastage is minimal since most of the work is done from the factory directly.
- Reduce site waste: Site work is very limited since most of the work has already been done. Modular construction is often commended for energy efficiency and sustainable construction. Traditional construction methods require extra materials that lead to increased waste and so going the prefab way reduces waste, because extra materials can be re-cycled in house.
- Increase number of units built: Since prefabs saves on both cost and time of construction, this could be adopted by social housing developers to come up with as many units as possible within a short time frame and hence cuts on the housing deficit.
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