Photo Source: Doc. WSBP

Owning a home is a dream for everyone. However, the soaring prices of houses and the limited availability of land for building habitable dream homes, especially in urban areas, make this dream difficult to achieve.

This poses a challenge for players in the residential construction industry to enhance methods and introduce new innovations. One solution is to construct modular homes through a fabrication system. Building modular homes is considered much easier and more practical than constructing conventional homes. 

What are the Differences Between Modular Prefabricated Homes and Conventional Homes?

Modular prefabricated homes differ significantly from conventional homes. Here are some distinctions between modular prefabricated homes and conventional homes:

1. Construction Process

One fundamental difference between modular and conventional home construction lies in the process. Modular homes, or prefabricated buildings, consist of components fabricated in a factory—structures with components made in a factory and then shipped to the project site for assembly, similar to assembling Lego pieces. 

Modular buildings consist of pre-measured and prepared panels and modules, making the production process highly efficient and fast. 

In contrast, conventional homes are built on-site or at the location, using construction materials delivered to the site. 

2. Construction Quality

Generally, modular homes are constructed with higher quality compared to conventional buildings. This is because the modules are produced in a precast plant under controlled conditions. Modular buildings exhibit excellent resistance to weather, water, fire, rust, termites, and even earthquakes.

In contrast, conventional buildings may suffer defects and failures due to weather influences during the construction period.

3. Cost

The cost difference between modular and conventional homes can also be observed. The construction cost of modular homes is usually lower than that of conventional homes.  

This is attributed to the more efficient use of materials and the ability to work in parallel. 

Most materials are purchased in large quantities and manufactured according to specifications beforehand, minimizing material waste. Unlike conventional homes, which require a substantial amount of materials for construction. 

4. Labor 

The workforce required for building modular homes is relatively minimal because most of the work is done in the factory. Modular buildings can also be constructed more quickly, resulting in lower labor costs.

This differs from conventional home construction, which requires a large number of skilled workers due to the weight and quantity of materials used.

5. Construction Time

The construction time needed for modular homes is not extensive since it can be carried out in parallel and is not dependent on other tasks. If walls are already in place, workers can proceed with the tasks above. 

In contrast, building conventional homes takes longer as it depends on other tasks and must follow a sequential process.