Partial construction is used in many building/survival/crafting games. This is a ghost version of the item that has a container inventory for placing the necessary materials to build the item, which converts to the real thing once all the items are placed in it. More advanced version of the feature fills in the ghosting as materials are received. They could be simple as items that can be dropped on a workbench as work in progress, placeable items for planning out your floorplan, to complicated building blueprints (when they require materials).
Partial construction banks materials for intended constructions, saving you from having to keep track outside the game of what materials are needed for what you are working on and making sure you do not spend them on anything else. I would prefer if items can be retrieved from the inventory rather than making them a material sink, this allows you to delay construction by taking back materials.
Partial construction serves a purpose in planning to see how things layout and fit together. They do not have N(PC) colliders, you can go right thru them, although they need collision for being placed/dropped/moved and storing materials in their inventory. You should be able to use ghosted plank and beams or blocks to plan out your shack construction - although you will need to make temporary construction platforms since you cannot stand on invisible floors.
Partial construction is also great for multiplayer, for those large community projects that everyone can help build by providing resources into the building inventory. This is where showing the partial construction promote teamwork, you can see that half built bridge getting closer to completion and others will want to join in to help finish.
