In the eyes of experienced realtors and ordinary consumers who are familiar with construction technologies, houses on a monolithic basis are valued above others. The object may be located in an unattractive area, have insufficiently developed infrastructure and other shortcomings, but you cannot refuse such an advantage in buildings - high strength. The monolithic construction of cottages is also based on the same technology, but with some nuances. If high-rise multi-storey buildings do not tolerate compromises and are designed with the expectation of laying a “clean” monolith in the structure, then private houses like cottages can be constructed using combined techniques with the principles of frame-prefabricated construction.
Technology Overview
The traditional technology of monolithic construction involves the formation of a frame from a single power material. Bearing in this case is made of reinforced concrete, which creates the skeleton of the house, and the base is solid. According to the same system, the construction of cottages can be carried out. However, the need to achieve equally high strength in this case will not be due to less load. An ordinary private house has one or two floors, the load on the carriers of which will be quite acceptable for the prefabricated structure. The combined technology of monolithic construction of cottages with the inclusion of frame elements suggests that the individual components will be represented by other material. As a rule, partitions and external walls are foreign. Such a dilution allows saving both on the organization of construction and on the material itself, but without a critical decrease in the reliability and durability of the building.
What materials are used?
Despite the fact that monolithic construction is associated with reinforced concrete, the range of materials used is very extensive. The reference is the use in the design of reinforcing rods made of steel (in modern technologies - from composite fiberglass), fiber-reinforced concrete and brick. Panels can be used as foreign elements that act as ceilings and partitions, although this solution is not welcomed even in private house designs. The fact is that the monolithic construction of cottages under any configurations will require considerable investments, and the presence of frankly weak spots in the nodes of the transition from reinforced concrete to panels can not be justified. As for bricks or building blocks, such frames can be classified as monolithic only conditionally - and for the reason that they noticeably benefit in strength characteristics in front of non-monolithic prefabricated frame houses.
Construction process
This type of house is being built according to the design decision, which initially indicates the points and lines of communications. In the future, a monolithic frame will be formed with the expectation of laying utility networks. The first step in the construction process is the foundation base, which will form a solid slab about 100 cm thick. It is also reinforced with fiberglass or metal rods. In the future, the construction of monolithic houses and cottages is implemented continuously, with concrete pouring. The basic supporting elements are finished columns, the cavities of which must also be filled with a solution. Then the upper concrete frame is created, strapping is made and, if necessary, additional reinforcement with monolithic beams. After that, already with the use of integrated components, floors and partitions are installed. The final stages of construction are carried out according to the general technologies for arranging openings, cladding and laying utilities.
Technology modifications
Two technologies can be distinguished that are similar in their principles to monolithic frame construction. One of them, more affordable, involves the use of high-strength wooden beams made of planed lumber instead of columns. This applies to economy class projects without a second floor. The second technology places greater emphasis on precast frame formation. A distinctive feature of this technique is that the reinforced concrete base is not built up directly at the construction site, but is mounted from individual components that were previously manufactured in the factory. Prefabricated monolithic construction of cottages also provides for the entry into the construction of columns, connecting beams and floor panels. That is, a kind of house-kit is delivered to the site, from the elements of which a cottage is built.
Technology benefits
Houses built using frame-monolithic technology are characterized by strength, durability and high thermal insulation. In the future, builders will need a minimum arrangement of the building in terms of providing insulation materials. The flexibility of the technology with respect to planning is also noted - this is especially beneficial for individual projects. A monolithic design implies a minimum of architectural restrictions in comparison with the panel method. Despite the external solidity and complexity, frame-monolithic construction of the cottage is implemented in a short time. This is partly due to the technological requirement - builders have at their disposal limited time intervals for pouring concrete and introducing reinforcing bars. The continuity of the process in the end determines the high speed of work.
Technology disadvantages
Monolithic construction as such, due to the nature of the organization of work, is more expensive than panel methods of construction. According to various estimates, the cost increases by 15-20%. Another drawback is the requirement for seasonality of work. It is recommended to build such houses only in the summer, since at a temperature below 5 ° C the properties of concrete mortar can change, which will not allow to ensure a sufficient quality of the structure. Only in extreme cases, the monolithic construction of cottages is carried out in the winter, and even then with the dilution of the concrete base with frost-resistant additives.
The cost of cast-frame construction
As already mentioned, one of the weaknesses of technology is financial investment. The work of the team on average costs 6-7 thousand / m 3 . This is a direct workflow with the foundation laying. At the same time, the construction of turnkey monolithic cottages today costs 15-17 thousand / m 3 . Of course, much will depend on the region and the qualifications of the workers, but you should not count on a significant reduction in prices.
Already at the rates of remuneration of builders can be noted a serious difference with the technology of panel or frame-prefabricated structures. But even more it is expressed in the prices of finished objects. In the secondary market we can talk about initial rates of 2-3 million rubles. - and it will be quite affordable monolithic construction of cottages. The price in the middle segment for a house with an area of 250-300 m2 can exceed 10 million rubles. Again, prefabricated and panel objects are 20% cheaper.
Conclusion
At this stage of development in the field of monolithic housing construction, two promising areas are noted. One of them focuses on the mass consumer and in some way provides typical projects. The optimization of this direction is connected with the fact that the cost of building a monolithic cottage in the same 15 thousand / m 3 remains unbearably high for many potential customers. Therefore, through the unification of construction methods, technologists expect to increase the competitiveness of such proposals. The second direction is aimed at those who do not want to compromise and expects to get a completely unique cottage with an individualized architecture and the use of the best modern building materials. Actually, this direction of development is actively used in the areas of public urban development, in the implementation of large-scale projects of entertainment and shopping complexes.