Will the developers build from prefabricated elements?

Ten post dostępny jest także w języku: polski

Do companies building apartments plan to use prefabricated elements for new investments? Are developers considering using such solutions due to rising construction costs? Is the use of prefabricated elements attractive because it shortens the construction time?  The survey was conducted by Dompress.pl real estate service.

Mirosław Kujawski, Member of the Management Board of Develia S.A.

We constantly monitor the application of new technologies and solutions in the construction process, including the use of prefabricated elements. At present, there are not many investments which would be entirely made of finished elements. Nevertheless, some solutions of this type are used quite commonly, also in our projects, for example in construction of staircases or elevations.

Wojciech Duda, Vice-President of Duda Development

Undoubtedly, modern construction methods and materials, such as prefabricated elements or recycled raw materials, are a tempting alternative to expensive, traditional constructions. Although we do not use them at the moment, we will undoubtedly consider such a possibility in the future if it turns out that they meet our standards in terms of quality and durability.

Małgorzata Ostrowska, Member of the Board and Director of Marketing and Sales Division in J.W. Construction Holding S.A.

We believe that with the constantly rising costs of investment implementation, searching for economic and ecological solutions is unavoidable. Shortening the construction time is undoubtedly one of those elements that should be taken into account. For example, using wood as a building material. Thanks to the use of modern modular technology, houses can be built faster than brick ones, because only 10% of the work is done in the place where they are to stand. We have just launched our pilot project, the construction of ecological houses, which will be built in J.W. Construction’s factory in Tłuszcz, using the most modern computer programs supporting the design process. We started pre-selling the first 13 houses in January this year. Residents will be able to move in next year. We will build them in Villa Campina in Ożarów Mazowiecki. High quality structural timber, which we import from Germany, will be used to build them. We are also planning to build multi-family houses in the Apartments on Hills estate in Zawada near Krakow.

Jarosław Kozak, Vice-President of Waryński S.A. Holding Group

In new projects, especially those related to the government’s Mieszkanie Plus programme, we are considering prefabrication as an alternative to traditional housing technologies. However, in our opinion, a positive economic effect can only be achieved with the standardisation and modularity of design plans and using economies of scale. In small and hardly repeatable development projects, the fixed costs of preparing prefabricated elements are significant and thus difficult to accept. As far as the pace of construction works is concerned, prefabrication does not always reduce construction time. The production process in the factory should also be taken into account when planning the project. Only the assembly time at the construction site is reduced, but transport and assembly costs are added, and the distance from the factory to the construction site is of enormous importance for the economy of the project.

Zuzanna Należyta, Sales Director at Eco Classic

We checked the possibilities of building with prefabricated elements a few years ago, but it is not possible to build in such a system for all plots. Some of them have significant location limitations, such as neighboring, existing buildings, or large differences in the height of the land, which force custom design solutions.

Prefabricated elements are nothing more than standard and repeatable elements made off-site. If the design of a building is complicated, there is no possibility to use such elements or there are so few of them that it is no longer profitable.

Janusz Miller, Sales and Marketing Director of Home Invest

We are currently using standard solutions for our investments. However, we do not rule out the possibility that in the future, some projects may be equipped with new solutions which will help to reduce costs and shorten the construction time, but with all parameters compatible with the art of construction.

Agnieszka Jaworska-Goździewska, Marketing and PR Manager at Nickel Development

The difficulties with the workforce do not directly affect us, but we know very well that they affect general contractors. When planning new projects and talking to both architects and general contractors, we always consider all proposals and choose those that are cost-effective, prioritising quality every time. We therefore do not rule out construction with regard to prefabricated elements.

Joanna Chojecka, Sales and Marketing Director Robyg S.A.

As a rule, we design and build our estates using high quality building materials. We use prefabricated elements only for such elements as balconies or staircases.

Andrzej Gutowski, Vice-President of Ronson Development, Sales and Marketing Director

The construction of prefabricated dwellings is a topic that we are looking at more and more closely. Today’s technology allows us to maintain high quality and at the same time significantly reduce construction time, which may ultimately mean lower costs. In times of high costs of workmanship and the proverbial lack of hands to work, such solutions are undoubtedly worth considering. Another argument in favour of prefabricated elements is the fact that the buyer of a flat will be able to move into it earlier than in the case of traditional construction.

Izabela Kucharska, Product Development Manager at Skanska Housing Company

We use prefabricated elements, such as stairs and balconies, for the construction of our estates. We see great potential in this type of solutions, so we try to introduce as many ready-made components as possible to our investments. This applies both to decorative elements inside buildings, as well as to common spaces and greenery projects, e.g. the spaces between customers’ gardens and semi-public areas. Reaching for prefabrication allows us to shorten the time of implementation and further improve the quality of workmanship. We want to go in this direction and that is why we have developed a concept of a model estate of several multi-family buildings, made in modular technology. We are convinced that in the long run, it is the prefabrication and modular construction that will become an everyday reality.

Wojciech Chotkowski, President of the Board of Aria Development

The use of prefabrication technology is one of our advantages. The technology allows us to shorten the construction time, general contracting costs and to build high quality buildings. It also translates into apartment prices. We are working on extending the range of modular technologies. It is worth adding that they are appreciated in terms of quality of workmanship, not only by our customers in Poland, but also in many European countries, especially Scandinavian ones.

Cezary Grabowski, Sales and Marketing Director at Bouygues Immobilier Polska

All our investments are carried out using the highest quality materials. This applies to both facade materials and those used for interior finishing. An example is the noble, full brick on the facade of the prestigious Centreville apartment building in Wrocław, which we imported from Latvia. Their costs are rising, so in some cases we consider the use of prefabricated elements and wooden materials. However, before we start using them, we need to conduct a thorough analysis of the possibilities and costs. The biggest advantages of using these materials are certainly the reduction of construction time and the involvement of fewer construction workers.

Sebastian Barandziak, CEO of Dekpol Developer

We have been using prefabricated elements in our investments for several years. Many external companies specialize in this kind of activity and produce very good quality products, and their quick assembly enables us to shorten the construction cycle. In our undertakings we have used, among others, prefabricated balconies. We are considering wider applications of such products in the implementation of subsequent investments.

Zbigniew Juroszek, President of Atal

We do not plan to introduce prefabricates on a larger scale in our business.