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Affordable concrete house construction is needed at current times more than ever before due to population growth, and other factors. The population growth leads to increasing demand for houses which consequently the use of operational energy and embodied energy increases.
Affordable concrete house construction has become the attention of several builders. This attention is largely focusing on sustainability, reasonable price, green building, disaster resistance, energy conservation, and safety.
In this article, we discuss the low-cost materials and construction methods of affordable concrete homes.
Contents:
Affordable Concrete Home Materials
1. Prefabricated Panels
It is one of the quickest and most cost-effective ways to build a house is to use panels that have been prefabricated. Most of these panels come as part of a system that lets you build a custom home for a lot less. Although an entirely prefabricated house is one of the cheap homes to build, the panels offer a lot more flexibility in the building as well as materials.
2. Concrete Sheets
Concrete has become very popular for the exterior of residential homes and concrete sheets or panels are an easy way to achieve the concrete look for less. Among cheap building materials, concrete panels are a stylish option that makes having a concrete exterior a lot easier.
Concrete sheets are quicker to install and are super secure and stable. Concrete panels have lots of advantages, such as durability, weatherproof qualities, sound suppression, fireproof and insulation properties.
3. Stone Cladding
Stone homes are gorgeous, but they are definitely not among the cheap homes to build. One way to get the look with less cost is to use stone cladding. It is typically lighter than a standard stone exterior and consequently costs much less because of savings on labor as well as materials.
It also comes in different thicknesses. Much as new tile can alter the look of a bathroom, cladding is also a way to change the look and style of a home without building anew. This makes it one of the cheap building materials when you’re on a budget.
4. Fresh Concrete
The new trend in the market to have eloquent look and same timeless worry to pockets is raw concrete building. Concrete walls are water- and fire-proof, in addition to a healthier building choice. Because concrete doesn’t contain any organic materials, it won’t sprout mold or mildew.
It creates a home that is energy efficient and quiet, and able to withstand floods and earthquakes. Among the cheap building materials, raw concrete is also low maintenance because it can be left in its natural state or simply painted.
Affordable Concrete Home Construction Methods
It is clear that the increase in population leads to an increase in house demand. The following are the affordable concrete home construction methods-
1. Insulated Form Concrete Construction Method
Insulated concrete form houses are assumed to be one of the best construction approaches that can play a significant role in the construction of affordable houses. Insulated concrete forms are rigid foam forms that hold the concrete in place during curing and remain in place to serve as thermal insulation for concrete walls.
The insulate form concrete house construction is slightly expensive compared with standard wood frame construction but this is offset by crucial savings in other ways.
The foam blocks are lightweight and result in durable, energy-efficient construction. The insulated form concrete houses are affordable, storm resilient, construct quickly, and energy-efficient.
2. Precast Concrete Construction Method
Generally, precast concrete results in better-controlled quality; require low maintenance, long service life, and flexibility in design. More importantly, it requires less quantity of steel, cement, water, and labor in comparison with the cast in situ concrete.
Precast concrete elements demonstrate significant performance in hot environment. It insulates sound waves and eats heat then gradually releases it back into the air. Therefore, it can be concluded that precast concrete construction saves concrete and energy.
Advantages of Precast Concrete Buildings
- Eco-friendliness. The precast construction method saves energy, water, and building material.
- Earthquake resistance.
- Profitability.
- Quality and precision.
- Quality of living conditions.
- Safety and protection.
- Low-impact construction.
Disadvantages of Precast Concrete Buildings
- Very heavy members.
- Camber in beams and slabs.
- Very small margin for error.
- Connections may be difficult.
- Somewhat limited building design flexibility.
- Because panel size is limited, precast concrete cannot be used for two-way structural systems.
- Economics of scale demand regularly shaped buildings.
