3 ms·

As someone who isn't in the industry, that raises the question - is framing usually the choke-point? They say it took half the time, so is that other half the t

As someone who isn't in the industry, that raises the question - is framing usually the choke-point? They say it took half the time, so is that other half the time all framing? Or is there other factors at play here?

cfn 3y ago
After some recent experiences with house renovation, I suspect that it removes a lot of waiting for people and materials to show up. If you can lay the concrete in 18 hours without any other external dependencies then it is a great savings timewise. The total time of 2 months seems very optimistic to me.
- kube-system 3y ago
  The 18 hours doesn't include waiting for the people and materials to show up here, either. Or the time to build the printer.
- krisoft 3y ago
  > I suspect that it removes a lot of waiting for people and materials to show up. Wouldn't you wait for the 3d printer, the operators of the 3d printer and the material to be printed out just the same?
  - cfn 3y ago
    In an organized place yes but here in Portugal the construction business is littered with one man bands that fail at every corner and have a lot of issues managing their employees and sourcing materials on time. We use bricks and concrete, not wood, and the structure and walls take a few months to complete. Hopefully, a machine that does that work in a couple of days will be less problematic. They have to fix the wall surface though, flat and smooth walls are the norm around here.
    - krisoft 3y ago
      > Hopefully, a machine that does that work in a couple of days will be less problematic. But you won’t own the machine for the same reason you don’t own a cement truck. It would be not economical to do so. And even if you would own it you have no clue how to operate it and it would not be economical for you to learn. Just think about the consistency of the material it is extruding. If it is too runny the walls will sag. If it is too solid the material will jam the pump. Or think about the work of cleaning the pipes after work so the concrete doesn’t set in them. These are all solved problems of course, but if you are not a contractor specialising on this equipment you will just make a mess and likely ruin both the printer and the house being built. So what will you do? You will contract the job to a specialist. Someone who knows how to operate the printer and has one to work with. What are the forces that will make that contractor any better than the ones already existing? This machine will also require employees and materials be on time. Won’t the same problems of “one man bands that fail at every corner” show up with this type of contractor too?
- anfilt 3y ago
  This basically just doing the walls in 18 hours. A framing crew could frame a conventional wall in about the same amount of time. This does nothing about the rest of finishing work.
tithe 3y ago
An efficient crew of 4 people in favorable conditions (work experience, good weather, materials delivered on time) can frame a single-story, 3 bedroom house in 3 days. I'd say the choke point are the various trades (electrical, drywall, plumbing, siding, painting, roofing, irrigation, windows, inspections, etc.) doing their thing, which can take months.
anfilt 3y ago
The size of that house in the pictures a good framing crew could frame that house in about 2 days. Framing is one the fastest parts in construction. Finishing is where all the other time is spent. Even a small crew would not take too long to frame a house that size.
- SketchySeaBeast 3y ago
  So it really doesn't buy that much? Maybe in cost?
  - anfilt 3y ago
    Concrete is pretty cheap. Lumber for framing is cheap. However, sheathing is not super cheap, but not that expensive. Siding though is not cheap even vinyl which I am not a fan of is not exactly cheap either. So not needing sheathing or siding for the exterior of the wall probably make it cheaper. So it probably would be somewhat cheaper than a conventionally framed wall. I don't know how much, but where I live 1 cubic yard of concrete is $145 dollars.

cfn 3y ago

After some recent experiences with house renovation, I suspect that it removes a lot of waiting for people and materials to show up. If you can lay the concrete in 18 hours without any other external dependencies then it is a great savings timewise. The total time of 2 months seems very optimistic to me.

kube-system 3y ago
The 18 hours doesn't include waiting for the people and materials to show up here, either. Or the time to build the printer.
krisoft 3y ago
> I suspect that it removes a lot of waiting for people and materials to show up. Wouldn't you wait for the 3d printer, the operators of the 3d printer and the material to be printed out just the same?
- cfn 3y ago
  In an organized place yes but here in Portugal the construction business is littered with one man bands that fail at every corner and have a lot of issues managing their employees and sourcing materials on time. We use bricks and concrete, not wood, and the structure and walls take a few months to complete. Hopefully, a machine that does that work in a couple of days will be less problematic. They have to fix the wall surface though, flat and smooth walls are the norm around here.
  - krisoft 3y ago
    > Hopefully, a machine that does that work in a couple of days will be less problematic. But you won’t own the machine for the same reason you don’t own a cement truck. It would be not economical to do so. And even if you would own it you have no clue how to operate it and it would not be economical for you to learn. Just think about the consistency of the material it is extruding. If it is too runny the walls will sag. If it is too solid the material will jam the pump. Or think about the work of cleaning the pipes after work so the concrete doesn’t set in them. These are all solved problems of course, but if you are not a contractor specialising on this equipment you will just make a mess and likely ruin both the printer and the house being built. So what will you do? You will contract the job to a specialist. Someone who knows how to operate the printer and has one to work with. What are the forces that will make that contractor any better than the ones already existing? This machine will also require employees and materials be on time. Won’t the same problems of “one man bands that fail at every corner” show up with this type of contractor too?
anfilt 3y ago
This basically just doing the walls in 18 hours. A framing crew could frame a conventional wall in about the same amount of time. This does nothing about the rest of finishing work.

tithe 3y ago

An efficient crew of 4 people in favorable conditions (work experience, good weather, materials delivered on time) can frame a single-story, 3 bedroom house in 3 days. I'd say the choke point are the various trades (electrical, drywall, plumbing, siding, painting, roofing, irrigation, windows, inspections, etc.) doing their thing, which can take months.

anfilt 3y ago

The size of that house in the pictures a good framing crew could frame that house in about 2 days. Framing is one the fastest parts in construction. Finishing is where all the other time is spent. Even a small crew would not take too long to frame a house that size.

SketchySeaBeast 3y ago
So it really doesn't buy that much? Maybe in cost?
- anfilt 3y ago
  Concrete is pretty cheap. Lumber for framing is cheap. However, sheathing is not super cheap, but not that expensive. Siding though is not cheap even vinyl which I am not a fan of is not exactly cheap either. So not needing sheathing or siding for the exterior of the wall probably make it cheaper. So it probably would be somewhat cheaper than a conventionally framed wall. I don't know how much, but where I live 1 cubic yard of concrete is $145 dollars.