Behind the scenes of the modular construction building process: a look at House-Matic’s work

Have you ever wondered how the modular construction building process works? Well in this month’s blog article, we’re going to give you a peek behind the scenes and show you how the building process works at House-Matic.

Step 1: Client collaboration and planning

The journey begins when a client reaches out to House-Matic. This often happens through our online presence on platforms such as LinkedIn or Facebook.

Clients share their modular construction requirements and the intended destination of the finished building, typically outside of Spain.

When it comes to designing buildings, sometimes our clients are very clear about their needs and are able to communicate to us almost exactly what they need. In these situations, we get straight down to drawing up a budget and finalising the details.

Often, however, clients need more input from House-Matic’s experts to decide the best solution for their needs. In this case, we hold meetings with the client and ask in-depth questions to work out what they need from us.

Some of these questions may include:

• What solution will offer them the best value for money?
• How can we make assembling the modules at their destination as easy as possible? (In remote destinations, we can’t always assume that we will have access to cranes or skilled labour)
• How should we load the 40′ high-cube shipping containers in order to optimise the international logistics costs?

This collaborative approach ensures that the final plan aligns perfectly with the client’s objectives.

Step 2: The building process

Once the plan is solidified, House-Matic’s construction process kicks off with meticulous attention to detail. The modular units consist of several key components:

Base frame

We construct the base frame from galvanized cold-formed sheets with steel straps in Omega shape. It is capable of supporting loads of up to 250 kg/m2.

Roof frame

We construct the roof frame from 2 mm thick cold-formed galvanized steel profiles, supporting trapezoidal sheets with watertight lock washers.

Pillars

Again, we use cold-formed galvanized steel profiles to construct the pillars. We secure the structure with special screws and incorporate a water downcomer for drainage.

Sidewalls

We make the sidewalls in AIS-PRT sandwich panels with pre-lacquered galvanized steel and polyurethane foam for thermal and acoustic insulation.

The sandwich panel building structure consist of two layers of material (often a lightweight core material like foam or honeycomb) bonded to a sturdy outer layer.

The benefits of sandwich panels include:

• Great energy efficiency
• Excellent insulation properties
• Reduced need for heating or cooling

False ceiling

The false ceiling consists of galvanised steel profiles, which we pre-lacquer using white Pyrenees silicone polyester 0.5 mm thick. We then place 80 mm thick glass fibre insulation between the false ceiling and the roof. Much like the sandwich panels, this ensures great energy efficiency and excellent insulation properties.

Interior and exterior carpentry

This basically refers to the doors and windows. Usually these are white lacquered PVC and/or aluminium profiles.

Electrical installation

We are also responsible for the electrical installation of our buildings. We make sure that all electrical conduits and facilities are compliant with current legislation and regulations. This means connecting the electrical supply to a control and protection panel with independent magneto-thermals as well as circuit breakers for lighting, emergencies (if available), A/C and other uses. Our electrical installations are also equipped with protection against direct contact, power surges, short-circuits and indirect contact.

The only thing that needs to be added on site is the power line from the mains electricity supply to our prefabricated unit.

Plumbing installation

Finally, we take care of the plumbing installation. The exact specifications will depend on the client, but we tend to use white pottery sanitary fittings made by Roca or similar, plumbed in with multilayer cross-linked polyethylene pipes and rigid PVC pipes, equipped with the corresponding hydraulic siphons. We finish the joints with specific PVC adhesives to ensure a perfect seal.

All the customer needs to do on site is link the plumbing installation to the water supply network and link the waste water evacuation network to the septic tank.

Step 3: Packing and transport efficiency

When we have finished constructing our modular units, we contact our logistics partners, freight forwarders Boluda Shipping, to optimise the loading of the 40′ high-cube shipping containers we use to transport our goods.

Boluda Shipping uses state-of-the-art German technology to ensure efficient loading, which cuts loading times and reduces cost. This step marks the transition from manufacturing completion to the transportation phase.

Step 4: Delivery and assembly

Once the containers reach their final destination, the client is responsible for unloading and emptying them. House-Matic provides detailed instructions for this process. Once the containers are emptied, a specialist team of assemblers is dispatched to kickstart the construction. The assemblers train local workers and equip them with the necessary tools to facilitate collaboration, allowing for the efficient assembly of houses or modules.

The modular construction building process in a nutshell

So there you have it: House-Matic’s modular construction process in a nutshell. As you can see, we focus on innovation, collaboration, and efficiency, delivering not just structures but comprehensive solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of our clients worldwide. From concept to assembly, House-Matic ensures a seamless and sustainable construction journey.

To see how this process works in practice, check out our blog article about building a hospital in Kenya.