Published: 26 July 2019 in Help & Advice

What Is The Difference Between Traditional And Off-Site Construction Techniques?

Here at Springfield, we love to bang on about off-site construction techniques, because we relish the opportunity to tell people the many advantages it has over traditional methods. But for those who are not well versed in the wide world of construction, you may not know what we are talking about when we begin to explain either technique.

We will explore what we mean when we discuss off-site and traditional construction techniques and why the former offers a wealth of advantages that traditional methods simply cannot match.

What are traditional construction techniques?

When we describe traditional construction techniques, we are referring to those methods which have been used for centuries to build structures. Having such an extended history means that there isn’t just one single, universal way to construct a building, so there are a wide variety of methods that we class as traditional construction. One commonality between each technique, however, is the hands-on approach that each employs. So when we use the term traditional construction techniques, we mean the linear methods used when a building is constructed by putting raw materials together on the building site.

There are a few common examples of traditional construction techniques:

• Brick & Block: This is the most common method used, especially in the construction of houses. In its most simple terms, this involves the construction of internal blockwork walls, surrounded by external walls of brick or stone.
• Timber Frame: This is another common method in the construction of houses, whereby a rigid timber frame is used as the internal structure of the building. The frame is then clad with brick or stone for example to finish.
• Steel Frame: This method takes the same approach, but as the name suggests, uses a steel frame as the internal structure of the building.

Although the use of these traditional construction methods bring some advantages such as a sturdy building that can be completely unique, opting for them does come with some drawbacks. The completion of the project becomes weather dependent, and any adverse weather can damage the work already completed. Working on-site means builders have to follow a more linear method, which means it can take longer to finish, which means it will cost more.

What are off-site construction techniques?

Off-site construction techniques take a very different approach to the construction of buildings. As the name suggests, these methods involve a building being constructed in a context away from the building site itself. For our expert team, the off-site construction takes place in our ISO-approved workshop in St Helens. Within the workshop, the different elements of a building are assembled, and once complete is simply transported to the building site and put together in a matter of days.

The primary advantage that off-site construction brings is the speed at which a project can be completed. Manufacturing the buildings within our workshop means our team is not affected by the weather and can therefore put together the building at a faster rate. It also means that the building’s foundations can be established at the same time as it is being constructed. With the increase in speed comes the decrease in overall cost, making buildings produced through off-site methods an extremely cost-effective expansion solution.

Our off-site methods also mean that we are able to be more detailed in the construction of our buildings. We specialise in offering a completely bespoke service and strive to meet each client’s unique requirements. We use the highest quality of materials, and in assembling buildings in our workshop we can recycle more of the materials we use.

Off-site construction techniques offer fantastic advantages over their traditional counterparts, and with over 40 years of experience in the industry, we provide truly unrivalled service. If you would like to find out more about the buildings we produce, take a look around our website, or contact our fantastic team on 01744 851958.