Building Affordable Houses - Literature review Example

Affordable Houses Name Institutional Affiliation Affordable Houses Introduction The shelter is one of the basic human needs that man strives to obtain. However, there are particular challenges in accessing decent and affordable housing, especially the finances amidst economic instability and the rise of unemployment. According to Ruiz (2002), the affordability of a house follows the income of the target owner who determines the construction process including cost, material and design. Comparatively, Ede, Adebayo, Ugwu and Emenike (2014) describe the traditional determiners of construction including the cost of material, availability and strength of material. In particular, Ede et al. (2014) identify the role of technology in influencing the shift from traditional determiners of construction to add advantages such as economic, environmental, and sustainability in developing these structures. Moreover, the availability of new techniques in constructions is an outcome of the widening gap between the rich and the poor, and a more conscious human who values sustainability (Ede et al. 2014). Therefore, the essay explores affordable houses with an aim to understand their characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. Characteristics of Affordable houses Developed countries have a large population of diverse backgrounds interpreting to more pressurized construction engineers who face the challenge of providing adequate residential shelters (Ede et al. 2014). However, following the developed status, the access to and development of these structures becomes expensive, considering factors such as the cost of production and manufacturing of the construction materials, land, and the cost of labor (Ede et al. 2014). The use of concrete in construction is replacing traditional materials such as timber. Its prioritization by engineers includes its strength and durability qualities whose performance is relatively higher compared to other materials. Ede et al. (2014) note the expensiveness of concrete and its constituent materials including the costs of labor in managing a concrete construction. In striving to achieve an affordable house, concrete fails to attract priority leading to the preference of timber. The process of developing an affordable house follows particular guiding principles. Based on Ruiz (2002), the principles advocate for the building of quality structures at a reduced budget such that the owner gains value while cutting costs. The workforce in these constructions employs a practical approach joining efforts will all the concern traders in the construction industry (Ruiz, 2002). Ruiz (2002) includes that the personnel follow four guiding principles including the development of a design that provides quality, aesthetics, and affordability, active utilization of value at all construction stages, a team of constructors’ representative of the constituent trade in the sector, and adoption of a construction model employing goods produced from the factor. In constructing an affordable house, it is imperative for the constructor to reexamine all aspects of the construction process to observe the guiding principles, provide quality, and reduce the cost of construction (Ruiz, 2002). Concerning cost saving, Ruiz (2002) includes the examples of using single top plates in wall framing, cluster plumbing, improvising the heating and cooling system to direct it on one location for the house, and the inclusion of fascia board on the roof to reduce the cost of roofing and painting. Moreover, there is the issue of the location of the house and the size as components of developing an affordable house. An example is the case of the Cordobas describes by Ruiz (2002), where the family with three kids needed an affordable house with four bedrooms and a yard. Following their failure to secure a loan, the family contracted a builder who managed to build a 1600-sq. ft., four-bed- room home in Lincoln, Nebraska (Ruiz, 2002). Through the examples, it is evident that the size of the houses, availability of amenities, and the construction site varies with affordability. Based on Ruiz (2002), it is the shell of the structure that accounts for most of the affordable housing construction process. In this case, the shell accounts for the exterior walls, the roof and the foundation. A suggestion to improve the cost of the building includes minimizing the size of the roof and the foundation (Ruiz, 2002). At this particular stage, the imperative is the strength of the structure whereby there is a need to develop a strong foundation such as that of concrete. Moreover, Ruiz (2002) addresses the need to construct walls that are proportion to the enclosure. In particular, affordable housing plan includes a reduced length of exterior walls as part of the economizing process. Ruiz (2002) proceed to mention on reducing waste at every stage of the construction. Waste includes structural redundancies whose elimination includes a risk in decreasing the durability of the structure and its quality (Ruiz, 2002). However, to counter such risks, there is the observance of one of the guiding principle mentioning the need to construct using factory made materials (Ruiz, 2002). The significance of such an approach is the improved quality of material following the application of computer technology. More important is that these materials have an enhanced precision relative to the design of the structure (Ruiz, 2002). Advantages of Affordable Housing The large percentage of the affordable housing centers on cost saving as the main benefit of the plan. According to Ruiz (2002), the aforementioned cost reduction tactics improves the access to quality houses, especially to low-income individuals who are the main target of the industry. Ruiz (2002) identifies the process as fulfilling and satisfying to the engineers who manage to utilize their skill while maintaining value and quality of the houses. The imperative to the constructors is the ability to develop an accurate design that considers the need for a decent housing to the poor population. A significant component of the process is the collaboration of different expertise to develop an effective plan that achieves the main agenda of cost saving. Ruiz (2002) in identifying particular aspects included in building the Cordobas an affordable house mentions on energy-saving. The ability of such a structure to manage on energy consumption provides a much-needed benefit from a global perspective (Ruiz, 2002). Currently, there is an ongoing challenge on the depletion of sources of energy amidst the increase in its use. Therefore, cutting consumptions on the domestic level through affordable housing model is an encouraged initiative. The deteriorating ecosystem influences the need to employ environmentally friendly construction materials that account for sustainability of the environment. Ede et al. (2014) include that the use of timber as the main construction material in the affordable housing provides numerous benefits about sustaining the ecosystem. According to Ede et al. (2014), the advantages include economic reduction with the minimum amount of materials required to manage the construction, aesthetic appeal, availability of naturally occurring material through the use of trees, and the observance of green since the materials are biodegradable compared to other developed conventional materials. It is important to consider the production process of timber to yield a useful building material, whereby it releases fewer amounts of gases compared to the production of concrete (Ede et al. 2014). The particular gases involved include sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and monoxide (Ede et al. 2014). Moreover, the timber enhances the reduction of air pollution by absorbing atmospheric carbon. Ede et al. (2014) explain that the waste generated during the timber processing method is recyclable leading to the production of other useful timber products include a source of fuel. To this end, the recycling of the waste provides a system of waste management and the active utilization of resources to improve the ecosystem and its sustainability. According to Ede et al. (2014), the processing of timber consumes little energy compared to other building materials such as steel, aluminum and concrete. Therefore, timber improves energy conservation right from the process of developing construction materials. Disadvantages of Affordable housing Environmental sustainability emphasizes the protection and the conservation of the natural resources including the forests. It is for these reasons that Ede et al. (2014) question the use of timber in affordable housing which on another paradigm it contributes to pollution of the environment. It is also significant to mention the lack of adequate knowledge by the engineers concerning the performance of timber as a construction material. Ede et al. (2014) explain that the preference of concrete to timber includes the low performance of timber about its strength and durability. Moreover, the choosing of a construction design and material must consider a balance between the social, environmental, and economic aspects (Ede et al. 2014). The effective meeting of a balance about the three paradigms is more challenging in affordable housing. Contributing to the disadvantages is the argument by Ruiz (2002), where the success of an affordable housing project depends on the application of an accurate plan. Without the plan, the construction merely becomes cheap, of a poor quality, and cost more. It is also worth to mention that there is an increased likelihood of recurring problems in the affordable houses raising expenses on its maintenance costs. Conclusion It is evident that the construction of affordable houses attracts both advantages and disadvantages. The study includes a detail exploration of the characteristic of the houses including the material of construction such as timber and location in suburban to rural settings to reduce costs altogether. It is also important to realize the much-needed collaboration within the construction team to develop excellent plans providing value, quality and cost-effectiveness to the potential clients. Focusing on the advantages, the main reason for such a project is to attract low and middle-income families by increasing accessibility to shelter. Comparatively, the primary disadvantages centers on the cost of the process including maintenance and environmental costs. References Ede, A. N., Adebayo, S. O., Ugwu, E. I., & Emenike, C. (2014). Life Cycle Assessment of Environmental Impacts of Using Concrete or Timber to Construct a Duplex Residential Building. Ruiz, F.P. (2002). Building Affordable Houses. Fine Homebuilding, 63- 67. Read More

The process of developing an affordable house follows particular guiding principles. Based on Ruiz (2002), the principles advocate for the building of quality structures at a reduced budget such that the owner gains value while cutting costs. The workforce in these constructions employs a practical approach joining efforts will all the concern traders in the construction industry (Ruiz, 2002). Ruiz (2002) includes that the personnel follow four guiding principles including the development of a design that provides quality, aesthetics, and affordability, active utilization of value at all construction stages, a team of constructors’ representative of the constituent trade in the sector, and adoption of a construction model employing goods produced from the factor.

In constructing an affordable house, it is imperative for the constructor to reexamine all aspects of the construction process to observe the guiding principles, provide quality, and reduce the cost of construction (Ruiz, 2002). Concerning cost saving, Ruiz (2002) includes the examples of using single top plates in wall framing, cluster plumbing, improvising the heating and cooling system to direct it on one location for the house, and the inclusion of fascia board on the roof to reduce the cost of roofing and painting.

Moreover, there is the issue of the location of the house and the size as components of developing an affordable house. An example is the case of the Cordobas describes by Ruiz (2002), where the family with three kids needed an affordable house with four bedrooms and a yard. Following their failure to secure a loan, the family contracted a builder who managed to build a 1600-sq. ft., four-bed- room home in Lincoln, Nebraska (Ruiz, 2002). Through the examples, it is evident that the size of the houses, availability of amenities, and the construction site varies with affordability.

Based on Ruiz (2002), it is the shell of the structure that accounts for most of the affordable housing construction process. In this case, the shell accounts for the exterior walls, the roof and the foundation. A suggestion to improve the cost of the building includes minimizing the size of the roof and the foundation (Ruiz, 2002). At this particular stage, the imperative is the strength of the structure whereby there is a need to develop a strong foundation such as that of concrete. Moreover, Ruiz (2002) addresses the need to construct walls that are proportion to the enclosure.

In particular, affordable housing plan includes a reduced length of exterior walls as part of the economizing process. Ruiz (2002) proceed to mention on reducing waste at every stage of the construction. Waste includes structural redundancies whose elimination includes a risk in decreasing the durability of the structure and its quality (Ruiz, 2002). However, to counter such risks, there is the observance of one of the guiding principle mentioning the need to construct using factory made materials (Ruiz, 2002).

The significance of such an approach is the improved quality of material following the application of computer technology. More important is that these materials have an enhanced precision relative to the design of the structure (Ruiz, 2002). Advantages of Affordable Housing The large percentage of the affordable housing centers on cost saving as the main benefit of the plan. According to Ruiz (2002), the aforementioned cost reduction tactics improves the access to quality houses, especially to low-income individuals who are the main target of the industry.

Ruiz (2002) identifies the process as fulfilling and satisfying to the engineers who manage to utilize their skill while maintaining value and quality of the houses. The imperative to the constructors is the ability to develop an accurate design that considers the need for a decent housing to the poor population. A significant component of the process is the collaboration of different expertise to develop an effective plan that achieves the main agenda of cost saving.

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