Concrete vs Brick walls

hi all

Wondering if any one has built using concrete whether poured in situ or using precast panels for external and internal walls.

The questions I have:

1. are they cheaper to build using concrete?
2. is concrete better for insulation improving the star rating?
3. is concrete faster to build?

Any other info much is appreciated.

 

really depends on what you're building and a case by case basis. if your wacking up a basic unit block, pre cast can be cost effective but you'd want a design to match.
insitu v pre cast depends on the design. basic wall say, you'd go precast. stairs would be insitu

 

The first stage when all the walls are set is quicker,but the fitoff times would be the same up till lockup stage,.imho..

 

Willair, what about cost? are there differences in cost?

 

Hard to say,core filled block walls vs standup prefab panels,every site would be different..

 

Swings and roundabouts. If you have a shortage of bricklayers and lots of big walls (eg industrial) then precast comes into its own - no scaffolding, 100's m2 erected in a day. But you need crane access, structural steel etc to facilitate the efficient erection.

Other systems allow you to form walls in situ without the need for formworkers or reo fixers.

 

@stumpie

Hard to say without knowing what you building

But

Concrete is expensive and if not poured right,can be costly headache.

Saying that
I have seen some concrete panel used in home building... It should be quick and easy to build homes.. Have to work out cost ..tradition vs panel (time vs cost)

Needless to say insulation is much better as well (will post technical data soon)

If you are going down this path... Look at ICF (insulated concrete form)... I personally like that method. I am planning to build our home using that or concrete panels for exterior wall.

 

I don't think you will get any value out of precast concrete unless you are doing large amounts of it. You pay a premium for the work off site vs a typical brick or block construction and then you have the additional design drawings to worry about, waterproofing details with joints between panels and joints between different elements. A lot of headaches that can catch you out if you're not familiar with the construction method.

Some of the preformed wall systems are getting quite good these days. At work we have looked at systems like these http://www.afswall.com.au/ for projects but its never really stacked up because the subbies doing that kind of system generally don't quote our work. Majority of projects I work on are 50m+ jobs

 

@stumpie .....

 

As said above depends on what your building, for all we know its a 15 story apartment block.

Don't know what the product was called but I seen a single story panel house and sep GF (side-by-side on sml block which was odd) being constructed the other day out of 2500x1200x150mm interlocking solid foam biscuit with cement sheet on one side (avail in any style), gyprock on the other, better ratings than brick or concrete, straight off the truck, manually handled into place (no crane hire) tied together top & bottom with c-channel (+ around doors and windows), steel trusses and colorbond on a concrete slab.

Basically it was sim to thick cool room paneling but using dif exterior surfaces.

All conduit/access etc for services was pre-planned/ordered, gyprock join/finish is like any build, tape/plaster/paint, throw in fittings etc = lots of saving on labor costs, especially with diy.

 

I am keen to build a tilt up design for our home but I am still looking at what's best and I'll probably ponder this for a while yet. But I believe the idea is sound for several reasons.

1. Where we live soil moves quite a bit and to build bricks and mortar makes no sense, any movement and you have a crack in plaster and possibly a nice zigzag in your brickwork. If you build a solid concrete one piece wall this is unlikely to happen.

2. I believe that the cost should be equal to or better than traditional building because of the speed and no downtime if done in a factory, yet to find a builder to confirm this though.

3. CO2 rubbish. I believe that using insulated concrete is far better environmentally in the long run than wood, brick, plaster, paint, why? Because insulted concrete walls will save you a lot in heating and cooling. And also, you have left many trees growing that are still going to absorb carbon, once they are cut down they stop and only store it.

But I would really like to know if anyone has built a house using concrete and what did you discover?

Cheers Q

 

SIPs. Structural Insulated Panels - various brands exist.