Skip navigation | Accessibility and accesskey details | Sitemap

Using modern methods of construction to build homes more quickly and efficiently

Supporting material

Many of the publications from the NAO are in Adobe Acrobat format. Download the latest version. You can also read more about Acrobat and accessibility on our accessibility page.

Introduction

This material supports our report on how modern method of construction can be used to build good quality homes more quickly and efficiently. We make it available to help you understand the details of the good practice described in the report and to implement it.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Housing Corporation asked us to undertake this independent examination to identify how to get best value when using modern methods of construction. The aim is to provide practical help to Registered Social Landlords and private developers.

Our research has drawn on expert knowledge contributed by 50 leading sector practitioners in four workshops, together with further detailed information from over 20 organisations active in the home building industry.

Specific materials mentioned in supporting documentation are used solely for the purposes of comparison, and do not imply endorsement of particular products.

Process maps

Detailed process maps based on a sample development, available in MS Project and PdF.

The National Audit Office makes these process maps available to show in detail how plans need to change to get the best out of different construction methods. They represent typical good practice across a range of developers and do not necessarily match exactly what any individual developer does. They are specific to the reference development described in the associated specifications, so they need to be interpreted appropriately for any other development.

You should not use the process maps simply as they stand. You should rather use the maps to guide how you need to tailor your own existing practices to get the most out of modern methods of construction.

Process map files for download

Costs

Detailed breakdown of calculations and scenarios on which our cost results are based.

The National Audit Office makes these papers available to explain how we calculated costs in our example development and to give sufficient detail to illustrate how to approach costing differently when using modern methods of construction.

The materials spreadsheet gives examples of what is included in the factory element for different modern methods of construction. It is a reference point to illustrate what some specific manufacturers include.

When entering negotiations, you will need to establish precisely what the selected manufacturer offers. The calculations apply to the example development described in the associated specifications. Relative costs for different modern methods of construction will change for other types and scale of development.

The scenarios paper examines some of these changes but you will need to apply your judgement when interpreting our results for your own proposed development.

Costing paper  (52 KB)

Scenario analysis (60 KB)

BCIS materials spreadsheet (2538 KB)

Quality

Papers detailing whole life costs and durability of sample development.

The National Audit Office makes these papers available to provide more detail on how we examined quality.

The papers apply to the example development described in the associated specifications. It is not necessarily applicable in every detail to other developments.

BLP durability assessment (486 KB)

Whole life costs paper (25 KB)

 

Site Plans and Internal Layouts

Papers showing site drawings and internal layouts. For reference purposes only

The National Audit Office makes these site drawings and internal layout plans available as contextual material to aid interpretation of the associated process maps, cost data and quality analyses. They should not be taken as examples of best practice design. They serve as a point of reference to ensure comparable results from the different construction methods that we compared.

Site Plans and Internal Layouts