How to Build Prefabricated Houses
The construction process of prefabricated houses typically includes five core steps: foundation treatment, installation of foundation piles and beams, modular production and transportation, on-site assembly, and post-construction treatment. By combining factory prefabrication with rapid on-site assembly, this method significantly shortens the construction period and improves building quality.
1. Foundation Treatment
The foundation is the base of a prefabricated house and requires targeted treatment based on geological conditions. For example, in a rural case in South Korea, excavators were first used to clear weeds and level the land. After digging foundation pits, white plastic sheets (moisture barriers) were laid, followed by pouring concrete pads. Unlike traditional buildings, this type of foundation does not use steel bars; instead, it forms a stable base through concrete solidification, suitable for areas with good geological conditions.
2. Installation of Foundation Piles and Beams
After the concrete solidifies, anchor plates need to be installed and fixed with expansion screws to ensure a tight connection with the foundation. Subsequently, mobile cranes are used to lift heavy prefabricated foundation piles (each weighing about 5 tons). After assembling the beams, they are fixed with nuts, and the gaps are filled with expanding foam to enhance structural stability. This step achieves rapid installation through standardized components while ensuring the load-bearing capacity of the foundation.
3. Modular Production and Transportation
The main structure of the building is disassembled into independent modules (such as ceilings, floors, and plumbing and electrical lines) in the factory and completed through assembly-line prefabrication. Modular production enables large-scale and standardized manufacturing. For example, some factories can deliver 20,000 to 30,000 modules annually, with far higher quality controllability than on-site construction. Module transportation requires consideration of size and weight, usually using specialized vehicles to transport them to the construction site in batches.
4. On-site Assembly
Prefabricated modules are quickly assembled on-site using equipment such as tower cranes, similar to building with blocks. For example, a real estate project in Shanghai used modules with 'ID cards' (containing project information QR codes) to achieve millimeter-level error control through precise assembly. The assembly sequence is usually from bottom to top and from inside to outside, prioritizing the completion of the main structure before installing附属 components (windows, doors, exterior walls, etc.).
5. Post-construction Treatment
After the main structure is assembled, grouting treatment is required for the gaps between components, and cement is used to seal the nut fixation points to prevent water leakage. Some projects complete decoration processes (such as wall paint and floor laying) in the factory, requiring only the connection of plumbing and electrical lines on-site, further shortening the construction period. Compared with traditional buildings, the construction period of prefabricated houses can be shortened by more than 60%, with reduced on-site wet operations and lower dust and noise pollution.
The construction of prefabricated houses relies on a well-developed industrial foundation, including the coordination of module design, factory production, logistics and transportation, and on-site construction. Its advantages lie in short construction periods, controllable quality, and energy efficiency and environmental protection, but it requires advance planning and design and ensures unobstructed transportation routes to meet the needs of modular construction.
