Modern Building Services

FEATURE INSTALLERS VIEW INSTALLERS VIEW C OVID-19 has brought significant changes to almost all industries and the drainage sector is no exception. Contractors have now got to prioritise speed and reduce the onsite time for their employees while upholding the highest building standards. This may seem like an impossible task, but with more efficient systems becoming commonplace on sites across the UK, contractors need to be aware of the options available to them to stay ahead of the competition. Prefabrication While not a new approach, the use of prefabrication has seen a surge in popularity and with multiple benefits to contractors, it’s easy to see why. With the pandemic at the forefront of everyone’s minds, contractors now have to consider how they can reduce the number of employees required for the job while also reducing the overall time of the installation. Prefabricated drainage systems meet this new demand, offering a quick installation solution to contractors that can plan in advance. What was once a two-person job - requiring contractors to install and weld a drainage system solution while onsite - is now only a one-person job where the installer only has to fit each end of the prefabricated drainage system. Not only does this reduce the number of people required for the job, but it takes the overall installation time down fromwhat could have been a two-hour job, to just a quick 20 minutes – a blessing for contractors concerned about keeping their employees safely distanced. This seems like a no-brainer, so what’s the downside?Well, prefabricated systems come in at a higher cost, which at first glance usually puts the typical installer off. However, when considering the labour costs involved in constructing a site’s drainage systemand the potential cost it could cause holding up a project’s overall build-time, this higher initial investment can quite often prove to be better value for money in the long term. On top of the initial cost is the build time. Contractors working in the drainagemarket know that if they contact their local merchant on a Tuesday afternoon, they can usually expect to have all the pipe parts needed for the job by Thursday — sometimes even the very same day. In contrast, prefabricated systems take time to build and can sometimes take close to amonth depending on the size of the system. Therefore, to capitalise on prefab’s significant benefits, contractors must begin planning drainage systems further in advance to save crucial time, effort andmoney. Acoustic Drainage We are all creatures of habit - if there’s a solution that works, why fix something that isn’t broken? Drainage contractors, like us all, are susceptible to this; frequently installing the drainage systems they are familiar rather than considering the different solutions currently available in the market. Looking at what’s on the horizon, Steve Carver , Key Account Manager at Wolseley Pipe, has highlighted some of his observations of the drainage in 2020 that are continuing throughout 2021. 30 MODERN BUILDING SERVICES JULY/AUGUST 2021 The latest in Drainage Trends