Today, construction materials help reduce the working time of craftsmen significantly compared to the past. Precast concrete is a great option whether for small homes or large building projects. Even when building, repairing, or extending, you can avoid troublesome issues.

   Extensions to increase space or utility within the home

In the case of a standard plastered house, you can demolish, drill, or chisel as you please because the main load-bearing is on the columns and beams. The walls are merely partitions and do not affect the structural integrity. Therefore, demolishing, drilling, or chiseling can be done easily without complications.

However, for houses built with precast concrete, you may have heard rumors that drilling or extending is not possible, and that the house might collapse. While there is some truth to this, it is not as severe as it sounds. Since precast houses do not have columns and beams, the precast elements are designed to bear weight and serve as columns and beams themselves. This means that the walls and various components contain rebar designed to distribute weight according to engineering principles. Therefore, demolishing, drilling, or chiseling is not a good option and may require consultation with the project designer or engineer. If possible, it is best to avoid drilling altogether.

However, if you want to extend your home, such as adding a Thai kitchen at the back or building a garage—anything that does not add to the existing structure's load—can be done just like in a regular house.

Nonetheless, any type of home extension should be carried out by experts who understand the structure of each type of house to ensure that your home remains beautiful and safe.

   Can precast walls be drilled? How to drill safely without compromising the structure?

Precast concrete is a highly popular type of ready-made wall today, saving time in construction, being quick to install, and having a stable, strong structure since every piece is reinforced concrete.

However, many people may wonder if these ready-made walls can be drilled. The term 'drilling' encompasses a wide range of meanings, including building extensions. It is important to note that if it involves altering or extending the building structure, whether precast or plastered, no engineer can say that it can be cut or extended without calculations, and legally, it cannot be done.

But if it is for drilling to hang pictures or install furniture, the load-bearing capacity will primarily depend on the anchors used, which can only bear loads up to the material they are attached to. Therefore, from this perspective, precast concrete can bear weight better.

Factory-made reinforced concrete walls can bear weight without needing columns and beams for support. Typically, precast elements are designed to withstand forces during transport, which means they can bear more weight than when assembled into a house. This indicates that precast elements are usually designed to handle much more force than what is actually required. Additionally, there are pre-cut openings for doors and windows from the factory, while areas without openings have structural rebar inside, sized according to the calculations made by engineers to ensure the entire house can bear weight robustly.

Precautions: If drilling into a wall encounters rebar inside, cutting any part of it can impact the overall structure. Therefore, it is not recommended to drill walls for doors or windows. However, if it is absolutely necessary, you should consult the project engineer to assess the feasibility.

Note: You should consider precast concrete options based on the quality of materials and the reliability of the brand.

Reference: CPanel, quality standard precast concrete floor and wall panels.