As the need for fast-track construction and factory-controlled quality rises, several terms relating to metal buildings have been used interchangeably. Is it a structural steel building, a modular building, a prefabricated building, a pre-engineered building, or a steel building system or kit? Each has a different degree of customization versus standard design, and a different level of assembly in the factory versus at site. A facility can include a combination of each to serve specific purposes.
Modular buildings are three-dimensional building segments produced in a manufacturing facility, that can be delivered to your site in different forms. One form is as complete modular ‘building blocks’ bolted together on site, while the others are semi-finished modules fixed together on site.
Prefabricated buildings are fully manufactured and assembled at the manufacturing facility. Nowadays, a prefab building is also referred to as a Steel Building System or Kit. For the entire building to be factory finished and assembled, shipped and transported to site, size constraints apply. Hence prefab buildings tend to be very small buildings like residential garages, toll booths, guard houses and stand-alone classrooms.
Pre-engineered buildings originated from steel buildings with standard designs and dimensions like 30×40, 30×50, 40×60, 40×80, and 60×100, available at the factory. These buildings come with framed openings in standard dimensions used for loading bays, doors, windows and more. Today, pre-engineered buildings have more than just standard designs. The same structural engineering design concept is applied to produce fully customized buildings. However, adopting standardized dimensions wherever possible will help to reduce overall time needed (from design, factory fabrication to erection).
