Time and Cost Analysis of Prefabricated vs Conventional Construction Methods for Single-Story Residential Buildings

Egypt's ambitious housing development programs require construction approaches that maximize delivery speed while controlling costs within budgetary constraints typical of affordable housing initiatives. The 6th of October City development zone during 2023. Prefabricated construction employed precast concrete wall panels, floor slabs, and roof elements manufactured at an established facility 35 kilometers from the construction site, with on-site assembly using mobile crane equipment. Conventional construction followed standard Egyptian practice with cast-in-place reinforced concrete frame, masonry infill walls, and reinforced concrete roof slab. Detailed time-motion studies documented labor hours across all construction phases while comprehensive cost accounting captured material, labor, equipment, transportation, and overhead expenditures. Results demonstrated that prefabricated construction achieved 42.9% reduction in total construction duration, completing units in 56 days compared to 98 days for conventional methods. Total construction cost per square meter was 4,850 Egyptian pounds for prefabricated units versus 4,700 pounds for conventional, representing 3.2% cost premium. However, labor cost savings of 45.2% partially offset higher material and transportation expenses for prefabricated construction. Quality assessment indicated superior dimensional accuracy and surface finish in prefabricated elements attributed to factory-controlled production conditions. The findings establish that prefabricated construction offers compelling time advantages for Egyptian housing development when project schedules represent binding constraints, with modest cost premiums that may be acceptable given schedule benefits and quality improvements. Economic feasibility improves with increased production volume enabling amortization of factory investments across larger unit quantities.