How to Modify the Layout of a Prefabricated Slab House

When modifying the layout of a prefabricated slab house, special attention should be paid to structural safety. The following aspects can be considered:

1. Preliminary Assessment and Plan Formulation

Before renovation, a professional agency must be commissioned to conduct a comprehensive inspection of the house's load-bearing structure, focusing on checking for cracks, deformation, or steel bar corrosion in the prefabricated slabs, and assessing their remaining load-bearing capacity. If the load-bearing capacity is insufficient, reinforcement measures (such as pasting carbon fiber sheets, steel plate bonding reinforcement, or adding support beams) should be prioritized. Based on the assessment results, a renovation plan should be designed in conjunction with usage needs, and it is strictly prohibited to randomly demolish walls or increase loads to avoid damaging the original load-bearing system.

2. Identify Wall Types

• Load-bearing walls: These bear the weight of the upper structure and transfer pressure to the foundation. They must never be demolished, as doing so would cause the entire building to lose its load balance.
• Counterweight walls: Commonly found between balconies and rooms, these press down on both ends of the balcony slab to prevent overturning. Demolishing them would significantly reduce the balcony's load-bearing capacity, so they must be retained.
• Non-load-bearing walls: These are mostly indoor lightweight partition walls. Although they do not bear loads, modifications to the walls of a prefabricated slab house require reinforcement. The safest approach is to locate the original structural drawings to confirm the wall type. If no drawings are available, a professional agency should be engaged to identify and label the functions of the walls.

3. Non-Demolition Renovation Plans

• Non-structural methods: Use glass partitions to divide functional areas or optimize traffic flow by moving furniture and custom cabinets. These methods are cost-effective and have no impact on the structure.
• Structural reinforcement: If walls need to be added on the prefabricated slabs, lightweight materials (such as aerated concrete blocks or light steel keel gypsum boards) should be used, with a thickness controlled within 120mm to avoid concentrated loads causing slab cracking.

4. Adhere to Three Red Lines

• Prohibit unauthorized construction on the roof: Avoid increasing the roof load.
• Prohibit conversion to crowded venues: Such as training classes or restaurants, to prevent overloading.
• Prohibit thickening the floor or long-term heavy stacking: Prevent the prefabricated slabs from cracking due to overloading.

5. Other Renovation Aspects

• Internal space planning: Some non-load-bearing walls can be demolished to increase open space, or partitions can be added to create functional areas, optimizing layout rationality.
• External aesthetics and insulation: Repaint the exterior walls, replace windows and doors, and add insulation layers to improve performance; the roof can be replaced with durable insulation materials.
• Internal facility upgrades: Replace aging electrical wires and water pipes, and upgrade kitchen and bathroom facilities.
• Detail handling: Repair wall cracks, level the floor, and add decorative elements to enhance style.
• Legal compliance: Renovations must comply with relevant laws and regulations to ensure safety and legality.