Weinmann makes off-site construction easy

Why should house building be any different to making a car? A production-line built product is far superior in achieving those quality aspects. It all comes down to repeatable quality that can only be achieved on a production line.

In the UK, the government has set an ambitious target to build 3,00,000 homes annually by the mid-2020s – but constraints, such as the shortage of skilled workers, mean it cannot meet that target using traditional building methods alone. Consequently, a significant proportion of homes must be built using modern methods of construction (MMC).

Perhaps the most viable option is to move construction off-site; after all, you wouldn’t dream of trying to make a quality car in the middle of a muddy field in winter! Every year, however, the construction industry does the exact equivalent – attempting to build quality homes in challenging and less than ideal conditions.

Off-site MMC deliver a host of advantages, including improved quality, consistency and speed of delivery. The lack of longterm data on the durability of MMC homes in the UK, however, is a considerable barrier to the expansion of such construction methods.

Financial service providers, including insurers, mortgage lenders and valuers need to have certainty that MMC homes are safe and durable if they are to engage with them.

To address this, leading companies in off-site construction are utilising digital technology to create databases that record the design, processes and materials used in the construction of buildings.

Creating database

Digital technology makes it possible to create a database that stores and tracks data about every aspect of the build. It can also track repairs and alterations and make this information available to relevant stakeholders.