Preassembly
Pre is a prefix meaning before, so to preassembly or pre-assembly refers to assembling something before or in advance.
In construction terms PAS 1192-2:2013: Specification for information management for the capital/delivery phase of construction projects using building information modelling (BIM), defines assembly as: 'Group of components or types to enable the reuse of standardised design or specification elements improving productivity of design and delivery as well as providing a location to hold specifications and lessons learnt in a simple and useable way. They may hold benchmark data for cost and carbon impacts. The contents of assemblies may themselves have attributes and classifications. These properties may include key data which is attached (to the object) for use once it is placed into a model and may include cost, CO2, programme, maintenance and other key information.'
So pre-assembly in design and construction terms refers to elements of a building that have been assembled in advance, prior to being installed in the building. Some common examples of this might be where a bathroom unit might be pre-assembled with sanitary units already fitted and plumbed to be lifted into place by crane, or similarly, a group of structural members such as a roof truss that is pre-assembled and lifted into place on a roof.
Unassembled would refer to the prepared parts that have not yet been put together, unassembly per se is not a word.
Offsite residential construction, Glossary of terms, published by Buildoffsite in 2018, defines pre-assembly as: ‘The manufacture and assembly of a complex unit comprising several components before the unit is installed onsite. Offsite is a commonly-used term for construction of this type.’
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.
The changed R&D tax landscape for Architects
Specialist gives a recap on tax changes for Research and Development, via the ACA newsletter.
Structured product data as a competitive advantage
NBS explain why accessible product data that works across digital systems is key.
Welsh retrofit workforce assessment
Welsh Government report confirms Wales faces major electrical skills shortage, warns ECA.
A now architectural practice looks back at its concept project for a sustainable oceanic settlement 25 years on.
Copyright and Artificial Intelligence
Government report and back track on copyright opt out for AI training but no clear preferred alternative as yet.
Embedding AI tools into architectural education
Beyond the render: LMU share how student led research is shaping the future of visualisation workflows.
Why document control still fails UK construction projects
A Chartered Quantity Surveyor explains what needs to change and how.
Inspiration for a new 2026 wave of Irish construction professionals.
New planning reforms and Warm Homes Bill
Take centre stage at UK Construction Week London.























