An Examination of Standards of Functional Requirements, Performance and Finish in Housing

Abstract

With the object of establishing a framework within which the standard of building may be judged, statutory requirements and recommended standards covering all facets of the construction of housing are reviewed. Grades of finish of external and internal surfaces are defined by detailed specifications. Previous research relevant to building standards in housing is evaluated. Then in the light of this study, standards in a sample of recently constructed dwellings in 18 local authority areas in the West Midlands are examined. It is assumed that statutory requirements are met and the examination concentrates on what reputable bodies consider desirable. In the sample of dwellings examined, slightly more than half are taken from those built by local authorities, most of the remainder are speculatively built but there is a sprinkling of other classes. Opinions of householders and tenants, obtained from interviews with occupiers of 200 of these dwellings, are compared where appropriate with the observed standard. For different standards the quantity of information available varies, for some about 180 dwellings of different design are considered, for others up to more than 300 are used. When the data permits, inferences are made about the population from which the sample is drawn and the level of significance is established for differences in standards in the different types and classes of dwelling. The examination not only demonstrates the standard of recently constructed housing but also presents a basis for further recommendations where current provisions are judged to be inadequate.