For a small, standardised prefab project with drawings frozen and the site ready, plan roughly 2–4 weeks from design freeze through fabrication, dispatch, erection and handover. Most avoidable delays happen at site interfaces, not inside the factory.
A cabin is useful only when it is standing, connected and ready to use. "Fabrication in 10 days" means little if the foundation is late or the truck cannot reach the installation point. This guide breaks the mobilisation into controllable stages.
How long does a prefab structure take from order to handover?
A straightforward small prefab project can often be planned around 2–4 weeks from design freeze through fabrication, dispatch, erection and handover, provided the site is ready and the scope is frozen.
Delivery time and handover time are different. Fabrication may finish while foundations, access, unloading or electrical interfaces are still incomplete.
For NCR, a useful sequence is design freeze → fabrication → dispatch → erection → services/finishing → inspection and handover.
| Stage | Typical window | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Site data | 1–2 days | Dimensions, access, foundation and utilities |
| Design freeze | 2–4 days | Layout, openings, services, specification |
| Fabrication | 7–14 days | Frame, panels, floor and components |
| Dispatch | 1–2 days | Truck, route and unloading sequence |
| Erection | 2–7 days | Frame, panels, roof and openings |
| Services | 1–4 days | Electrical/plumbing/AC/data interfaces |
| Handover | 1 day | Snagging, cleaning and inspection |
Why do prefab projects get delayed even when fabrication is fast?
Most delays happen at interfaces outside the factory: late drawings, unfinished foundations, restricted access, delayed services decisions, transport problems and post-fabrication changes.
- Freeze door/window positions before production.
- Prepare the foundation and installation area before dispatch.
- Check truck access, gate width, turning and unloading.
- Decide electrical/plumbing interfaces before fabrication.
- Assign one person to approve factory and site interfaces.
- Do not dispatch until the site is physically ready.
What does a one-week delay actually cost?
The fabrication rate may not change, but a week of delay can create indirect cost through temporary facilities, labour standing time, security, transport changes and lost programme days.
Illustration: if combined temporary site-support overhead is ₹3 lakh per month, seven days represents roughly ₹70,000 of monthly burn before project-specific productivity effects. Use your own project overhead for the real calculation.
What should be frozen before dispatch?
Freeze the GA drawing, quantity, opening schedule, finish, electrical interfaces, transport route and final installation point before dispatch.
- Final GA and room functions signed off.
- Door/window schedule matches fabrication drawings.
- Panel specification and joint details are frozen.
- Foundation levels and anchoring responsibility are clear.
- Vehicle type, route and unloading equipment are confirmed.
- Work area is clear and safe.
- Handover scope is written into the BOQ.
When does faster prefab save the project money?
Prefab saves most when earlier handover allows the office, accommodation or welfare facility to be occupied sooner and when factory production reduces site fabrication time.
For a labour colony, earlier handover can house workers near the workface sooner — see how to set up a 200-worker labour camp in 30 days. For a site office, it can get engineers out of improvised temporary spaces.
A practical lesson: plan unloading before dispatch. A perfectly fabricated structure parked outside a narrow gate is not fast mobilisation.
Closing takeaway
Share the site location, structure size, required handover date and access conditions to build a realistic mobilisation sequence. Prefabshala: 8510015200 / 9217212997 | contact us.
