**2. Methodology**

Science shows that the practice of comparison has been and continues to be an essential resource for responding to problems of natural and social knowledge. But we must not forget the important differences that exist between comparison as a way of thinking and as a scientific procedure. The first compares simple operations; the second compares complex operations, although the difference does not lie in the complexity of the logical structure of the comparisons, does not present significant contrasts in science and in everyday life, but rather in the selection and definition of the objects and properties that are compared, as well as in the care and systematicity of the production procedures and data analysis from which the comparisons are made [6].

*Low-Cost Single-Family House through The Use of Precast Reinforced Concrete Elements DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.98430*

The comparative method consists of empirical generalization and hypothesis verification. The advantages offered by the comparative method include understanding unknown things from known ones, the possibility of explaining and interpreting them, profiling new knowledge, highlighting the peculiarity of known phenomena, systematizing information, distinguishing differences with similar phenomena or cases [7].

The comparative method is inherent in any scientific procedure, it is expected that whenever it is compared following scientific procedures, it will be possible to compare; in aspects that are comparable and follow the analysis strategy to reach conclusions. It is not understood any type of unconscious comparison, that is not premeditated, rather this comparison is based on established objectives [6].

*For the comparison process, on the one hand, there are single-family houses designed and built with pre-manufactured elements of reinforced concrete and on the other hand, there is a confined masonry design and construction*.

The methodological process to follow is defined in three phases:

#### **2.1 Phase 1**

Architectural design of basic single-family houses: It comprises the architectural design of twelve types of single-family houses with one story, which in turn will be the basis for building a second story in the future. The design corresponds to six houses with prefabricated elements and six houses with confined masonry, in both cases the useful surface is the same.

#### **2.2 Phase 2**

Structural Design of basic single-family houses and building process: Includes the structural design of basic single-family houses, using the calculation process. For both manufactured houses and confined masonry designed houses. Building processes are also defined.

#### **2.3 Phase 3**

Analysis of costs, budgets and times for the construction of basic single-family houses: The designs and processes are analyzed according to the specified and delimited approaches. In order to define the costs, the budget and the times that the building demands. The analysis of results must achieve:


## **3. Results**

#### **3.1 Design and development of basic housing**

The design was carried out according to the requirements of the comparative method, in order to observe the data of the proposed variables and indicators. Architectural and structural designs and construction processes are analyzed.

#### *Sustainable Housing*

In order to define the costs, the budget and the times required for the construction of the houses. The houses designed is the result of an exploration of the housing need of the City of Arequipa and nearby cities affected by telluric processes.

The dominant design principle is the useful surface of the environments of the designs are equal, that is, the useful areas of a bedroom, is the same in both types of design (precast and confined masonry), as well as in all the components of the living place. The outstanding and visual difference is in the thickness of the walls, in the prefabricated house it is 0.10 meters and in the houses with confined masonry it is 0.15 m. The total area that a manufactured house occupies is less than a house with confined masonry.

#### *3.1.1 Prefabricated basic single-family housing (VUF)*

Six types of basic single-family housing of various lengths and widths were designed, whose representative product on the surface are: 25.83 m<sup>2</sup> , 33.39 m<sup>2</sup> , 39.06 m<sup>2</sup> , 42.21 m<sup>2</sup> , 51.03 m<sup>2</sup> and 59.85 m<sup>2</sup> (**Tables 1**–**3**; **Figures 1**–**6**).

#### *3.1.2 Basic single-family house-confined masonry (VAC)*

The six types of basic single-family housing built by confined masonry of various dimensions of length and width whose representative product on the constructed area are: 27.09 m<sup>2</sup> , 35.15 m<sup>2</sup> , 41.28 m<sup>2</sup> , 44.51 m<sup>2</sup> , 53.54 m<sup>2</sup> , 63.86 m<sup>2</sup> (**Tables 4**–**6**).


#### **Table 1.**

*Areas and codes of prefabricated single-family housing.*


#### **Table 2.**

*Detail of environments by surface in square meters – VUF.*

*Low-Cost Single-Family House through The Use of Precast Reinforced Concrete Elements DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.98430*


#### **Table 3.**

*Detail of the environments in percentage of occupancy – VUF.*

**Figure 1.** *Plant view VUF 01.*

## **3.2 Isometry of basic single-family houses**

Isometric projection allows us to show basic housing in three-axis dimensions (height, width and depth) allows us to understand the desire of the work to achieve. It is practically a cube of variable dimensions, where the basic characteristics of a house are shown.

#### *3.2.1 Isometry in prefabricated houses with elements of reinforced concrete*

It has been projected in this way in order to reduce costs to a minimum. Common measures are used. The front view, is 6.30 m long, the free height is 2.40 m, the doors, windows and some rooms have the same dimensions that provide a minimum surface of habitability. This reduces production costs and increases its efficiency on the production line (**Figure 7**).

**Figure 2.** *Plant view VUF 02.*

**Figure 3.** *Plant view VUF 03.*

*Low-Cost Single-Family House through The Use of Precast Reinforced Concrete Elements DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.98430*

The view is common and its unique perspective, which differs externally between each other are longitudinal dimensions and the number of windows, the details are specified in the floor views.
