News and Analysis
November 22, 2024
Precast is a construction method that involves designing and making building components in a factory before using them on-site.
This approach speeds up construction by allowing for mass production, standardising parts, precise detail placement, and straightforward documentation.
Precast construction offers faster building times, higher profitability, and superior quality. By moving much of the work from the construction site to a factory, this method streamlines the process.
In a controlled environment at a precast plant, high-quality concrete products are created using moulds or beds of various shapes.
Structural reinforcement is added before the concrete is poured, compacted, and cured. Once finished, these concrete elements are transported to the construction site for assembly.
Precast construction is highly versatile, allowing for a wide range of shapes, sizes, and surface finishes.
Modern manufacturing technologies enable the creation of precast elements with various surface treatments, including polishing, colouring, texturing, tiling, and even graphic printing.
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Cost Efficiency
Precast construction is highly profitable and efficient, offering quick returns on investment.
Amos Kibaru, a precast products manufacturer in Kenya and Uganda, shares that a 121 square-metre precast bungalow shell, including labour, costs approximately Ksh1.5 million.
The expected cost for interior finishes is an additional Ksh1 million. Therefore, the total cost for a finished unit amounts to Ksh2.5 million. This translates to roughly Ksh20,000 per square metre.
In contrast, conventional construction methods currently cost between Ksh40,000 and Ksh50,000 per square metre. Therefore, precast construction is about 50% to 60% cheaper than traditional methods, offering substantial cost savings.
Speed of Construction
With faster building times, tenants can move in sooner, reducing investment risks and increasing returns.
High Quality and Consistency.
Starting a precast plant is flexible and scalable; you can begin with a single production line and expand as needed
Sustainability
Precast is also environmentally friendly. It uses fewer resources—less water, cement, and steel—compared to traditional methods, resulting in less waste and a smaller carbon footprint.
The controlled manufacturing process ensures high quality and safety, with fewer site hazards and less need for scaffolding.
Design Flexibility
Building with precast is both rapid and economical. Floors can be completed in as little as a week, and while initial costs may be higher, the faster construction timeline often results in overall savings. It can also be customised to a customer’s preference.
Logistics and Storage
Precast simplifies logistics and storage, with building materials arriving ready to install.
Additionally, it offers flexibility in design, excellent insulation, and high fire resistance, making it suitable for various architectural and structural needs.
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Precast products are suitable for all types of buildings—residential, commercial, industrial, logistical, and public—and can be used in both cold and hot climates, as well as in areas with high seismic risks.
Buildings can be constructed entirely with precast materials or use precast in combination with other materials like steel or wood, depending on local conditions, requirements, and available resources.
Precast Flat Panel Modules/Cross-wall Construction
Precast flat panel modules involve making wall and floor components in a factory using reusable moulds. These panels are then transported to the construction site and installed. They can be pre-fitted with windows, doors, and finishes, which makes them suitable for projects that require repeating similar elements.
Hybrid Concrete Construction
Hybrid concrete construction mixes precast and cast-in-situ concrete. It is used for tall and large buildings, combining the advantages of both types of concrete. This method boosts off-site production, speeds up building time, and enhances safety.
3D Volumetric Technology
3D volumetric construction involves creating modular units in a factor, then transporting them to the site and assembling them. The modules can be finished with all internal and external features, greatly reducing construction time.
Thin-Joint Masonry Technique
Here, masonry offers improved precision and accuracy in construction. Experts say that the thinner mortar offers tighter, more consistent bonds between bricks or blocks. This ensures the building is stronger and more durable.
EPS Insulation Panels
Developers use Expanded Polystyrene Panels to build homes by assembling pre-made panels fixed in between wire mesh and concrete. These panels are made from light plastic foam, which consists of about 98% air. EPS panels provide excellent insulation and are resistant to rotting and pests. A typical two-bedroom house built with EPS panels costs around Ksh 735,670, which is about half the cost of a similar house made from traditional stone.
Flat Slab Technology
Flat slab technology uses reinforced concrete slabs that are supported directly by columns, without needing beams. This approach allows for quick and easy installation of horizontal features and partitions within buildings. The slabs are versatile and provide a minimal depth, speeding up construction. They also offer flexible column arrangements and are suitable for projects with curved floors and ramps.
Others include
Expanded Polystyrene Panels (EPS Panels), Insulating Concrete Formwork (ICF) Technique, Prefabricated Housing Technology and Precast Foundation Technique where foundations are manufactured elsewhere and ferried to the construction site for installation.
Housing Principal Secretary Charles Hinga, in February this year, disclosed that the house of the late marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum cost Ksh7 million.
During the house handover to Kiptum's family, Hinga addressed online criticisms about the three-bedroom home's quality, defending the use of precast technology.
He highlighted that this method is not only affordable but also faster, with Kiptum's house completed in just seven days.
Hinga encouraged future homeowners to consider this technology, which fabricates concrete components off-site and has gained global popularity for its efficiency.
"This technology which is gaining popularity worldwide, allows constructors to fabricate concrete components off-site. Not only is it faster but it is also considered a cost-effective alternative to the brick-and-mortar walling system,” Hinga stated.
The contractor, Navin Patel, also reassured about the technology’s durability, citing its successful use for over 50 years in countries like the US, South Africa, and New Zealand.
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In 2021, PS Hinga presided over the launch of the Neulandt Portable Precast Plant (N3P) and the Precast Concrete Showhouse at NCA Affordable Housing Village, Jamhuri Showground, Nairobi.
Neulandt Portable Precast Plant produces precast concrete elements economically.
George Mutua, founder and CEO of Global Precast Panels says that the technology has been well-received in Kenya, with increasing adoption among individuals, institutions, and real estate developers. The benefits of faster construction, reduced costs, and lower material waste have made it appealing, especially to those familiar with its use in other countries.
He plans to introduce new products and adapt to market demands. He is also committed to creating awareness and assisting developers in adopting precast technology.
Other companies include;
Bamburi Ready Mix Concrete and Precast- Athi River, Machakos County, Global Precast Panels Ltd in Kitengela, Machakos County, Precast Products And Construction Company in Westlands, Nairobi, Kingdom Precast Solutions in Nairobi and many more.
Why Precast?
The Kenya National National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), says that in 2023, the price of building materials increased compared to the previous year.
It further predicted this year’s prices to further rise due to the unavailability of materials, inflation and external factors such as the conflicts in European nations.
According to KNBS, developers spent more money on construction projects, including non-construction costs such as fuel for transportation.
"The Building Cost Indices increased by 1.55 per cent from 114.74 per cent to 116.52 per cent," reads the report.
Material costs increased by 2.09%, while the costs for Transport, Fuels, and Lubricants recorded a rise of 3.46%.
Among materials whose prices increased were timber, bitumen, paving blocks, cement, steel reinforcement bars, mix, hardcore, precoated chippings, and others.
Those that recorded a paltry reduction were hiring excavators, damp proofing and anti-termite, tiles, sand, and kerbs.
Jeniffer Gichuhi, a contractor based along Thika Road, told Money254, "If you have budgeted for Ksh5 million, add Ksh3 million on top as a buffer."
Gichuhi added "When buying materials, purchase them yourself or accompany the contractor to avoid hidden costs. Some contractors collude with shop owners to inflate prices."
She also highlighted the price hikes, noting, "1 kg of nails was Ksh130; now, we are buying it at Ksh200. Cement has gone from Ksh590 to Ksh900."
Despite the high cost of construction, there is a high demand for houses according to KNBS.
In its latest Leading Economic Indicators report for May 2024, KNBS says that the total value of buildings approved by Nairobi County increased from Ksh16.4 billion in April 2024 to Ksh23.4 billion in May 2024. Residential buildings rose from Ksh13.8 billion to Ksh20.0 billion and non-residential buildings from Ksh2.6 billion to Ksh3.4 billion during the same period.
According to Gichuhi, the higher value of approved buildings suggests a stronger demand for residential and commercial properties in Nairobi.
“This rise in building approvals shows that construction activity is picking up, with more investments in homes and commercial properties. It also highlights a growing confidence in the local economy and an increase in demand for new buildings.”
RIB, an international construction company that has been around for six decades, says that rising construction costs are a significant challenge in the industry. The shortage of skilled labour is a major factor, as the demand for construction projects outpaces the supply of trained workers. Additionally, inflation and material shortages increase costs.
“Utilising the right construction technology offers an effective solution,” it says. One of the key technologies being fast adopted is precast construction.
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