Modular home

Modular buildings and modular homes are sectional prefabricated buildings or houses that consist of multiple modules or sections which are manufactured in a remote facility and then delivered to their intended site of use. The modules are assembled into a single residential building using either a crane or trucks.

Modular buildings are considerably different from mobile homes. Off-frame modular dwellings differ from mobile homes largely in their absence of axles or a frame, meaning that they are typically transported to their site by means of flat-bed trucks; however, some modular dwellings are built on a steel frame (on-frame modular) that can be used for transportation to the site. Many modular homes have multiple levels. Homes are often set in place using a crane.

Modular buildings have a variety of uses. They may be used for long-term, temporary or permanent facilities, such as construction camps, schools and classrooms, civilian and military housing, and industrial facilities. Modular buildings are used in remote and rural areas where conventional construction may not be reasonable or possible, for example, the Halley VI accommodation pods used for a BAS Antarctic expedition. Other uses have included churches, health care facilities, sales and retail offices, fast food restaurants and cruise ship construction.

Modular buildings are very affordable because of the factory construction of these buildings. They are very cost effective compared to conventional construction. These units are typically constructed in an enclosed facility, therefore weather is not a factor in the construction timeline. Material delivery fees are also out of the equation because an ample amount of material will always be available at the facility, as opposed to being delivered in limited quantities to the job site, nearly eliminating construction delays, and theft of building materials from the site.

Such dwellings are often priced lower than their site-built counterparts and are typically more cost-effective to builders and consumers. Homes can be constructed in less time than it takes to build a home "on-site."

Manufacturers cite the following reasons for the typically lower cost/price of these dwellings:

Speed of construction/faster return on investment. Modular construction allows for the building and the site work to be completed simultaneously, reducing the overall completion schedule by as much as 50%.

Indoor construction. Assembly is independent of weather, which increases work efficiency and avoids damaged building material.

Favorable pricing from suppliers. Large-scale manufacturers can effectively bargain with suppliers for discounts on materials.

Ability to service remote locations. Particularly in countries such as Australia there can be much higher costs to build a site-built house in a remote area or an area experiencing a construction boom such as mining towns. Modular homes can be built in major towns and sold to regional areas.

Low waste. With the same plans being constantly built, the manufacturer has records of exactly what quantity of materials are needed for a given job. While waste from a site-built dwelling may typically fill several large dumpsters, construction of a modular dwelling generates much less waste.

Environmentally friendly construction process. Modular construction reduces waste and site disturbance compared to site-built structures.

Flexibility. Conventional buildings can be difficult to extend, however with a modular building you can simply add sections, or even entire floors

Дата добавления: 2014-12-08