Non-standard construction / Non-Traditonal
Various methods of construction other than traditional Bricks and Mortar were tried after the war and before. Non-standard housing can work as the success of Austin Village has shown over nearly a century, sadly too often non-standard was the excuse for sub-standard low cost quick fix housing or even corruption.
Some of the types being;
- Airey
- Orlit
- BISF (British Iron & Steel Fedeation)
- Reema
- Cornish
- Stent
- Dorran
- Swedish Timber Frame
- Dorlonco
- Tarran Bungalows
- Dyke
- Tarran Newland
- Hawksley BL8
- Unity
- Hawthorne-Leslie
- Wates
- Kenkast Bungalows
- Wimpey No Fines
- Laing Easiform
- Woolaway
A lot of these were also known as system houses, with the designs by some of the bigger contractor, they were then licensed to other firms to build in some areas. They often had precast concrete frames and panels like a sectional garage. Some suffer from problems and have been designated as defective. Some types suffered from damp due to solid wall construction with no insulation. Approved repair systems can bring them up to a standard that is acceptable to mortgage companies and insures. A lot have been demolished, but specialist repairers can upgrade them at reasonable cost, by structural repairs and/ or fitting external insulation systems and render or brick slips. Then repaired by an approved contractor a certificate is issued with a guarantee.