October 26, 2012

MODULAR HOUSING SYSTEM: ITS BENEFITS AND COST

Report findings of ad-hoc team on the profitability of prefabricated construction techniques.
Yomi Odojukan Olumide Solarin Oye Awoyemi Sayo Awosika

Modular system of building is a pre-engineered system using a variety of materials for the design and construction of prefabricated homes. The system can be used to construct Custom single family homes, Affordable mass housing Light commercial building Schools, Multifamily units Some of the components of the house are fabricated in a factory and are transported to the site, where the foundation would have been done. They components are then assembled by skilled workers and in no time, the building is ready for occupation. Forms are made from the pre-fabricated aluminum frames and are joined together edge-to- edge and spaced in parallel with a second series of forms. Steel reinforcement will then be placed inside the voids created once the forms are erected. After the concrete within the formwork strengthens, typically within 12 hours, the formwork can be dismantled. A high quality concrete finish is produced to accurate tolerances and vertically. The superior tolerance of the finish means that no further external or internal plastering is required. Prefabricated homes have now become the choice largely considered by many and a lot more people are willing to embrace this option in Nigeria. These are homes that are pre-built and assembled in factories into manageable pieces before they are transported to the building site. Due to the speed of building this type of home, the concept is witnessing a huge demand in this present age. This mode of construction can be used for homes, schools, market stalls, offices and is especially adaptable for places of high urbanization i.e. where space is at a premium. There are many important benefits to using this concept to build a home. The main selling points are thus: Quick construction: Prefabricated homes are built in less time unlike traditionally built homes where the process depends on excessive manual labor and favorable weather. The construction of prefabricated homes is simple compared to conventional constructions. These kinds of building, also referred to as modular buildings, are being appreciated worldwide for their speed of construction and easier process due to minimal work required on the site and the clean process of construction, which makes it environmental-friendly.. Apart from significantly shortening the time of construction, the system minimizes wastage

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October 26, 2012

of materials, delivers perfect houses. Modular houses are delivered in about six weeks from when payment is confirmed. i.e 3 weeks for construction and 3 weeks for installation. Aesthetics: Modular buildings are indeed very pleasing to home owners. It possesses a beautiful finish that sometimes requires no plastering or painting. Hence the huge cost of plastering and painting are saved. Design flexibility: Homes can also be built to customized budget according to individual tastes or preference and many personalized features can also be included within the variety of designs to choose from. Prefab models favor absolute design flexibility, since it is equipped with a full range of building elements: load-bearing walls, curtain walls, floors and stairs. Furthermore any kind of geometrical form, either plane or curve, is easily obtainable just by simply cutting the elements at the site. Better foundations: Prefabricated homes have now become the home of choice for many home owners in land filled areas due to the style of build. Prefabricated houses do not need costly raft foundation especially in land filled and swampy areas. Though it is as sturdy as a traditional build, the weight of the building eliminates the risk of subsidence and sinking buildings. Quality control: The entire construction of a prefabricated home is done under strict quality controlled conditions. Each section of the building is built to specification to ensure it follows building regulations. As the project is constructed in climate controlled environment, it is less affected by the effects of nature. Affordability: Prefabricated buildings are less cost effective in comparism to traditional brick-and- mortar buildings due to exchange rate of imported products. Home owners can however determine the cost of the project upfront so they can budget effectively. Customers can choose specific designs and features to suit their budget and add extras on as they go along. This is unlike traditional construction methods where cost, if not properly checked, can easily spiral out of control. Prefabricated buildings are purchased in components thereby enabling a firmer building estimate. Modular buildings, as they are sometimes called, are also not dependent on suppliers of cement, bricks etc. This is because all the components of the building are pre-determined and finalized before construction commences. Home prospectors are encouraged by the ability to forecast the cost of build. Another point is the fact that modular houses do not require some mandatory elements that traditional houses would otherwise have needed. E.g plastered walls. Tiling may also not be required. This considerably reduces cost. Minimum Site storage: Another great advantage of prefabricated building is her ability to employ little or no site storage in construction. In densely urban construction sites where space constraints are high Prefab building is becomes invaluable because the components are simply transported to the site and assembled.

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October 26, 2012

In keeping pace with developments in other parts of the world, the Nigerian building construction industry is gradually embracing modular system of building. Some companies have successfully adopted various forms of modular building to construct estates in the country. For Instance, the Royal Sanderton Company Group introduced its Royal Building System to Nigeria some years back. The system combines the trusted strength of concrete with the durability and versatility of modern polymer technology. The group successfully used the RBS to construct an estate Eric Moore, Surulere, and repeated the same feat at a site belonging to the Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development in Alausa, Ikeja. This technology employs the Moladi Building Technology first introduced as a South African firm, Moladi. It combines a lightweight, reusable and recyclable modular injection molded plastic shutter plastic formwork system and a lightweight aerated mortar (concrete with no stone), resulting in durable and permanent monolithic reinforced walling system, which is famed to be earthquake, cyclone and tsunami resistant. Sources have it that the main reservations expressed by interested home owners are the cost of erecting a building with the RBS, a situation that many experts consider as a minus for the adoption of the modular system in the country at present. The relatively higher cost of modular structures is a result of the following 1. Inadequate factories to prefabricate the components, 2. Non-availability of some of the materials locally and 3. Reliance on expatriate skilled workers to handle the construction process. Specialists say the RBS prevents moisture, moisture and insects from entering the building, while creating a finished interior wall that is clean, dry and ready to use immediately. Most of the materials used for the RBS, are imported. They include rigid polymer panels, which interconnect and serve as permanent formwork for concrete walls. They can be non-load bearing (used as cladding on a steel frame) or used as a load-bearing system. Others include sliding iron rods, sanitary items and fittings, among others. Sources reveal that the demand for such houses was high contrary to expectation. The technology is purported to be economical when considered in a large scale, less cumbersome and require little plastering. The importation of most of the materials used for the system remained a major challenge for potential developers considering the value of the naira to major foreign currencies. It is however a good option to consider in for estate developers who have many units to build because of the benefits of economies of scale will be enjoyed.

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October 26, 2012

PREFABRICATED BUIDINGS

Royal Estate,Surulere

Modular building in the making

Completed prefab building

There are other brands of panel manufacturing companies whose method of production may slightly defer from the RBS. This includes the M2-EMMEDUE building system. M2-EMMEDUE have set up a manufacturing plant in Ghana. This will considerably reduce the cost and hence making it a very important goal. Some other advantages include its ease of compatibility with other traditional building materials such as plaster, wood etc. A comparative cost analysis is awaited from EMEDUE, a modular construction company who are based in Ghana.

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