Off-site Construction vs On-site Construction

The concept of off-site construction has been around since post-World War II building boom (https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-10-04-re-32677-story.html ), building components to be built off-site in a quality controlled environment before being loaded and shipped to the final build site for assembly.??

Continual innovations and methods of #offsiteconstruction makes it an often-better alternative to the traditional stick by stick “stick built” on-site construction used in most cases. ?A few of the biggest benefits?include increased precision, efficiency, quality control and environmental performance edge.?

In fact, the U.S. is one of the few countries still doing traditional on-site stick by stick building compared to our global counterparts who have incorporated off-site construction to great ends.?It’s been said that off-site and systems-built component packages are revolutionizing the building industry the same way that Amazon revolutionized the brick- and mortar retail industry while helping to solve the issue of lack of skilled construction labor in many markets.

Off-site construction and systems-built what is the difference?

The National Association of Home Builders defines “system-built” as homes or structures built through some type of systemized construction process. Unlike “stick-built” homes that are constructed on-site one piece or “stick” at a time, these systems automate the home building process to achieve higher levels of quality and efficiency. System-built homes can include concrete homes, log homes, panelized homes and, our favorite, modular homes.

Off-site construction is often defined as designing, planning and pre-fabricating different construction elements in a separate location (e.g. factory) and bringing them together for rapid on-site assembly.?

Off-site components such as; wall systems, truss roof systems, pre-cut roof and framing packages, are fabricated within a quality control environment, built with precision, and checked for strict adherence to the plans every step of the way. This process enables contractors to plan their project with more ease and control, which speeds up the build process and creates more accuracy for the overall construction project as well as better usage of materials, and less waste.

There are many types of systems-built off-site construction means and methods from Concrete to Modular to Structural Insulated Panels, and Open Frame Panelized Wall Systems.?There are also variances within each type, some Modular homes can be custom built and they are fully finished inside and out, some Wall Panel Systems are just framed and sheeted walls. Some like Whisper Creek Homes are fully finished on the exterior and also provide pre-cut roof systems, some include interior walls some carry the structural load mainly throughout the exterior walls, like ours and interior walls are not needed to be completely dried in. There are various ways that concrete can be incorporated into as well as steel, log homes, as well as timber frame homes which have often used panels for a full build package option.

?So how does off-site construction actually compare with the traditional, on-site method??

Let’s discuss next the pros and cons of each, providing insight into how systems-built off-site construction is revolutionizing the US construction industry.

Here are just a few of the benefits, or pros the off-site construction manufacturing method provides:

Speed

Off-site projects facilitate off-site manufacturers and on-site contractors/builders to work in tandem, making timelines faster and more streamlined.?

No weather delays

An additional benefit of manufacturing building systems (ie. Panelized wall systems, modular, and SIPs) #buildingsystems in a factory setting is that the process is unaffected by weather conditions like rain, wind or snow. This mitigates any weather-related delays that would normally be slowing down the on-site construction progress.?

Increased efficiency, quality control, precision and material usage.

Each structural unit, model or wall system is produced in a controlled factory setting, making it easier to Q.C. every step and replicate reliable results.?

Increased cost-effectiveness and material usage

Pre-building in a manufacturing setting ensures a more precise budget, better material usage, labor and trades logistics and organizing. While saving on unnecessary costs such as; trips to the lumber yard for problems with building materials, miscuts, damage or theft, putting away and setting out tools daily, while reducing overall build site waste and is a “greener” solution to lower the carbon footprint of building in general.

Increased safety

Controlled manufacturing facilities create a predictable and safer setting than construction sites, which can be affected by weather, working from heights, and in remote areas where it’s hard to access help if something goes wrong. Manufacturing environments make it much less likely that a worker will be hurt or injured during a build.

Less disruption to clients and neighbors

Building a structure off-site decreases the noise, sound pollution and disturbances created from moving construction vehicles and machinery in the area surrounding the build site.?

Energy efficiency, more sustainable and less wasteful.

In off-site construction, most of the pre-building is accomplished in conjunction with the use of CAD and BIM modeling programs, which provides more accurate calculations, material usage and project planning. CO2 emissions are definitely reduced in off-site build projects because there is decrease in the use of machinery, transport and commutes than on-site construction. This eliminates a lot of waste and reduces the project’s overall carbon footprint.

What are the cons of off-site construction???

Not every site is suitable for every method of off-site, but typically there is an off-site method for every site condition.

For instance with modular construction the build site needs to be accessible for the delivery of large units. Not all site conditions or roads allow for this nor do HOA’s or building departments.

Late changes are a challenge

The breadth and ?nature of off-site construction involves strategic upfront planning, making it a bit more complex to change items once you’ve passed certain benchmarks later on in the process.

It requires detailed planning and coordination, most of which is conducted within the off-site manufacturing company so ensuring that you’re working with a reputable established manufacturer can be key to the future success of your project.

Off-site construction requires a lot of logistical and technical planning before the building process begins. This is to be expected, considering each piece has to fit perfectly together like Lincoln Logs or Legos even.?This increases need for coordination and communication between the on and off-site teams and homeowner or developer client.

Detailed planning and drawing;

With some off-site construction methods the ability to customize a build package can be minimal, however other methods can allow for full customization, so long as they can incorporate it into their particular building system which can typically happen with a few tweaks and changes.

What is traditional construction?

Traditional construction refers to the on-site “stick-built” construction method in which structures are built at the build site piece by piece, “stick by stick”. The process consists mainly of a design phase and a build phase, often the design phase is conducted with one company and the build is conducted by another which can create some disconnection and finger pointing during the build and ultimately affects time and budget.

On-site construction

What are the benefits of on-site construction?

Some of the main benefits of the on-site construction method:

• All kinds of design changes are possible much further into the construction project.
• Because of its sequential nature, it’s possible to make design and structure changes later in the process.?
• No need to get special shipping permits to move large oversized loads to the build site (for some methods of off-site this can be required like within Modular)

What are some of the cons of on-site construction?

These are the main cons of working with the onsite construction method:

• weather delays
• On-site projects often experience weather delays like heavy rain, high-winds, snow or flooding. These delays are unforeseen and can last a several days.
• More safety risks for construction workers
• More waste

In short off-site construction methods and systems-built housing is the wave of the future built on our past innovations and will lead the construction industry in the years to come.?So please check out Whisper Creek Home’s unique off-site building methods many of which incorporate the use and accents of stunning logs and timbers to make your legacy home unique and a relaxing place to gather which will stand the test of time. ?