Do you have some questions relating to our prefab classrooms, homes, clinics, etc.? We provide detailed answers to some of them below.
If you have been investigating the different options available to you, you will undoubtedly have come across the terms ‘prefab’ and ‘modular construction’. Contrary to popular belief, these are not the same. More accurately, ‘modular construction’ is a specific type of or approach to ‘prefabrication’.
Prefabrication, or ‘prefab’ for short, refers to the process of some parts and elements of a building being constructed off-site inside a factory. These parts are then shipped or transported by road to the site area and either erected or sited there.
Modular construction refers to the process of building an entire unit off-site. These units are essentially transported or shipped as ready-built buildings or rooms stacked together, and require very minimal installation when they arrive on-site.
While there is a difference between prefab and modular construction, both approaches offer numerous benefits to the end-user when compared to traditional building construction. For example, they:
- Help to lessen the effect on the environment
- Allow for a greater sense of control
- Streamline schedules and save time
- Reduce potential logistical challenges.
Along with the aforementioned benefits, modular buildings are much faster to erect, thus making them the most convenient option available. They also aid in reducing distractions, such as noise and down-time relating to traditional building construction. Finally, because there is a reduced requirement for labour, materials, etc., modular buildings promise significant cost savings.
The possibilities are practically endless. The following buildings can be constructed via modular construction – and these are only the tip of the iceberg:
- Log Cabins
- Refurbished Units
- Mobile Offices
- Medical Units
- Educational Units
- Ablutions/Toilets/Showers
- Custom Builds
- Classrooms
- Offices
- Residential Homes
- Freezers & Cold Rooms
Many people believe that modular buildings are of a lower quality than traditional buildings based on the fact that they are cheaper and faster to erect. This, however, simply is not the case. Modular buildings are constructed in order to adhere to the exact same building codes and standards as traditional buildings. Furthermore, in the vast majority of cases, the exact same building materials, such as concrete and wood, are used to construct them. This means that they are usually just as sturdy and durable as their site-built counterparts.
That will depend on the size of the building and its specific application. Having said that, the average building time for a modular building is usually anything between 10 to 14 days, including installing/placing the building on-site.
Before being shipped to its new home, a modular building will be wrapped and padded, after which it is loaded into a truck with the help of a forklift or two. The load is then carefully secured to avoid damage during the transportation process. The modular building will then be taken to the on-site location and unloaded using a forklift or, in the event that it is a large building, a crane.
The experts at MProjects will always walk you through the land prep process ahead of the delivery of your modular building. Generally, it will be important to properly mark the boundaries of your land with flags, as well as to clear and level the surface.
The majority of modular buildings will be delivered to the site already completed – or at least 80% completed. There will be minimal tasks that will need to be done when the building arrives. You will not have to worry about anything as the experts at MProjects will take care of it all on your behalf.
Yes, you can move a modular building. You can even opt to sell your modular building and transport it to a new site, if you wish.
Yes, you most certainly can. There are many instances when renting a modular building will prove to be a more cost-effective and convenient solution. For example, if you are running a mobile clinic and will only be staying in one place for a foreseeable amount of time.
The size limit for a modular structure will vary from company to company. However, most will not construct modular buildings that are longer than 18 meters and a maximum of four and a half meters wide. Modular buildings also will not often exceed a height of four meters, this is due to abnormal transportation load limits.
Here at M Projects, we can build any modular size by designing it either as a double wide or a multi-slice unit which means that we transport the modular unit in slices to site and join these slices up to form one building.
While our digital Drawing Catalogue provides you with layout drawings and floor plans of our most commonly built modular ablutions, classrooms, offices and residential buildings, all modular structures can be custom-made to your own specifications.
It is estimated that a modular building has the potential to save up to 50% in terms of installation time, and up to 60% in terms of the cost, when compared to traditional site-built structures. This is because the project will require reduced labour and materials.