Non-Traditional Housing

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Non-traditional housing, what is it?

We have recently had a phone call asking what non-traditional housing is, as it had been referred to in a valuation that they had had carried out on their property and the lender had decided not to lend on the property because of this. Yet, from what they could see the property was in good order and they knew the person who had lived in it for the past thirty years, with no problems whatsoever. They went and had a look at the property again and it still looked to them like a traditional house and to be in good order. What was more they liked it and it had a big garden too and they were mystified why they couldn't get a mortgage on it.

What do valuers and surveyors mean when they say non-traditional construction?

It would probably be a better term if the term non-typical construction was used. If you think of a house or a flat and think how they are traditionally built, from the Victorian era it is of brick and tile, or brick and slate, or stone and slate, or possibly render and tile, or render and slate depending upon which part of the country you are from this will be the traditional construction in the area of England, Wales, Scotland or Ireland that you live in. Often traditional construction is as local as the county or Town you live in. Nevertheless it is known as traditional construction.

What is traditional construction? Because equally we could argue that timber frame construction is the traditional type of construction in most areas of the country, but we will leave that argument up for another day.

Where did the term non-traditional construction and traditional construction come from?

We believe it came originally from the mortgage companies as a building surveyor would certainly be more specific with regard to what the construction type is. We believe it was generated by the mortgage companies because they wanted to establish how the vast majority of properties were built and so appeared the terms traditional construction and non-traditional construction.

Non-traditional construction

Non-traditional construction can really be classed as construction techniques that utilise systems of building, focused on speed and economy of construction. It is the sort of construction that is used where a great deal of housing is required quickly, so it is often used by local authorities to mass build (although today it is also used by commercial construction companies and developers). We have carried out surveys on many different types of non-traditional construction.

This resulted in some one-off designs but the majority of them fall into the category of:

1. Metal frame

2. Concrete frame

3. Timber frame

4. Concrete panel construction

5. Structural insulation panels

6. In situ concrete

7. One-offs

We know we are cheating really with the last category but it is the best way we can think of explaining it.

The absolute bible for this, although it is getting slightly dated is:

Non Traditional Houses – Identifying Non-Traditional Houses in the UK

1918 to 1975 BR469

Compiled and Edited by

Harry Harrison, Stephen Mullin, Barry Reeves and Alan Stevens.

Published by BRE Press (Building Research Establishment).

Many years ago the Building Research Establishment (known as BRE) were part of a Government organisation with the Property Services Agency (PSA) which we would say were the undisputed experts on construction and building problems along with a few Universities such as Reading and Salford Universities who looked on the more academic side. However we would also say that things have changed with commercialism.

We cannot recommend this book highly enough although it will set you back several hundreds of pounds, possibly worth using a search engine to see if you can pick up a second hand copy somewhere.

After the Great War we needed houses

In the UK after World War I and World War II our housing stock had been bombed and made safe by being demolished so there were fewer houses. There had also been a lack of maintenance over the war years, as the workforce had been at war, and then the armed forces men were returning and they needed houses quickly. Various methods of non-traditional construction were proposed and built in the 1940's, 1950's and 1960's.

Also, this type of construction has been used during boom years, such as the early 1970's and the late 1980's, where it was hard to build quickly enough for supply and demand. Our comments relate to the UK , there are even variations in the UK.

Non-traditional construction by another name

After the war years we had to build fast and we used many new forms of construction techniques. We will name a few here; these names may have been given to you when you looked at buying a house. We will carry out a brief description of them or you could ring us on 0800 298 5424:

Airey Houses

These have a concrete plank externally supported on a pre-cast concrete frame with steel tube reinforcements.

Airey houses were made up of concrete planks and are now generally being knocked down and rebuilt as they are not habitable	Street view. They were named Airey houses after the Member of Parliament that was involved with them rather than the fact that the wind blew through them and they suffered badly from condensation.

Boot

Believed to be named after the contractor of that name. Built on a concrete frame with more traditional brickwork or render typically found externally.

Cornish Unit

Although they are called Cornish Units, we have found them all over the country. They come in various makes and models as do the other houses that we mention. They were traditionally constructed with a concrete frame. The unusual thing was the mansard roofs that ran all the way down to the first floor level.

Dorran

These were pre-cast concrete panel buildings with a concrete ring beam at first floor level with a timber frame internally.

Dye Construction

This was concrete panels which were a storey height secured by metal angle brackets (believed to be steel) with concrete beams forming the first floor.

Gregory

This is pre-cast concrete, storey height columns with ring beams. These have mansard roofs to first floor level.

Myton

These are concrete panels.

Newland

Steel frame.

Orlit

A feature of these is that they may have a flat roof with an asphalt finish.

Parkinson

These are concrete column construction with a render or pebbledash finish externally.

Reema

Hollow panel. These are structural concrete columns and beams cast in situ.

Stonecret

This is pre-cast reinforced concrete frame with concrete panels, two storeys in height.

Tarran

Pre-cast concrete panels with first floor ring beam. The panels are very wide.

Unity and Butterly

Pre-cast concrete column, metal plated beams. An unusual external finish of a small looking concrete panel.

Wates

Believed to be named after the contractor of that name. Pre-cast reinforced concrete panels with ring beams at first floor level.

Wessex

Pre-cast reinforced panels.

Wimpey No Fines

Laing Easyform

Comes in both solid and cavity wall forms built from a no fines concrete.

Arrowhead

Steel structural frame albeit that it is lightweight. They tend to have cladding to the front of them.

British Iron and Steel Federation House known as a BISF

British Iron and Steel Federation House (BISF)	Asbestos roof on BISF house

Dorlonco

They have a very well hidden structural metal frame.

Hawthorn Leslie

This is a mixture of both a metal frame and a timber frame.

Howard

We have come across quite a number of these in our surveys. This uses a lattice work of metal beams.

Lowton Cubit

Possibly named after the contractor. Again this is a steel framed building.

Thorncliffe

Cast iron panels bolted together.

Swedish timber dwelling

Built with a timber frame.

Reema conclad

This is a good example of a large panel concrete house.

This is but a brief run-through of some of the non-traditional houses. There are many, many different types. We have surveyed ones where there are only a few thousand ever produced and we have also surveyed other types of non-traditional houses where there are many thousands produced. In our experience as surveyors they all need their own individual survey as they have their own unique problems.

It may look traditional construction even though it is non-traditional

With the purchasing of these houses over the years and the need to get a mortgage there have been many ingenious ways of making these houses mortgageable as per the following photographs of houses where we have carried out surveys; these are the ones that have been spotted by mortgage company valuers:

Modified non-traditional house	Brick clad modified non traditional house	Brick cladding and other alterations make a non traditional house mortgageable

A mortgage company surveyor may miss a non-traditional house construction

We have now been called in several times to do a Building Surveyor where the owners have not known that the type of construction is non-traditional construction even though they have had a mortgage company valuation. Unfortunately this is due to a lack of knowledge and experience with mortgage Valuers. After all, valuation experts are not building construction experts. We have come across the issue, if it looks traditional construction even though it is constructed in a non-traditional way it may be counted as traditional construction! This tends to be the case where a Valuer has failed to notice the construction type and when we come to carry out a building survey we then identify it. Unfortunately this then means that whoever is purchasing has a very limited mortgage market available to them.

Who lends on a non-traditional construction building?

The answer is the companies interested in lending in this market vary depending on many factors. What is also true is that lenders do vary their lending policies and they may be lending on it one minute and then not lending on it the next.

Modern timber frame houses – are they non-traditional construction?

It could be argued that the houses being built, in what is known as modern timber frame, are as far away from traditional construction as houses that have been classed as non-traditional construction! They have, for example, been built out of concrete.

And this is where non-traditional construction gets really confusing

However, this is where non-traditional construction really is confusing as some non-traditional construction techniques look very similar to traditional construction techniques and can only be identified by the trained experienced eye (we are more than happy to chat about this, please free phone us on 0800 298 5424). As mentioned, even more confusing is there are some non-traditional constructions that are accepted by the banks, building societies and mortgage lenders and others that are not, assuming that the bank valuation surveyor spots them. It is so important to know whether banks, building societies and mortgage lenders will lend on this type of construction if you are considering purchasing.

Is it the way the structure works that makes a building traditional or non-traditional construction

To expand on this, a traditional old style timber frame property is built of oak to a one-off design. It certainly could be classed as the original traditional construction, as most houses were built in this form. However, in more recent times traditional construction has been thought of as brick and tile, or brick and slate, or stone and tile, stone and slate, etc, as we mentioned earlier.

When the original non-traditional housing was built there wasn't too much thought given to making it look externally like a traditional building. Therefore, some complained that they seem to have concrete finishes, be it painted concrete, which looks similar to render, or concrete planks, as in the Airey buildings. We would argue as these were easily identifiable and stood out they were more a target for mortgage lenders not lending on non-traditional construction that looks like traditional construction.

Modern timber frame construction that is non-traditional but will be lent on

Let us first of all explain what modern timber frame construction is. They are very much an engineered timber frame that is an absolute minimum of timber and maximum strength characteristics. The majority are factory made and factory assembled and are built in mass, rather than being a one-off design and they have an external cladding for protection, often brickwork, although in more recent years we have noticed in our surveys that render has been used, or cladding panels of timber and also plastic lookalike timber. Modern timber frame properties are also finished with a membrane to stop any dampness from the external walls getting through (we have seen in our surveys where it does happen it can distort or rot), as it can be in a traditional timber frame property.

The whole idea behind a modern timber frame construction is completely different; we would term a water construction. This is completely different to the traditional timber frame property that was built to breathe. However, the modern timber frame property is then clad with brickwork or stone or cladding, such as vertical tiling, and looks very much like a traditional property.

The whole construction is based around the economics of cheap construction and fast construction, and this type of construction is very much assembled, rather than built by tradesmen, the de-skilling being another element in the economics of the construction. However when all is said and done the mortgage companies, such as the banks and building societies do lend against it.

We have seen during our surveys other more recent innovations within the modern timber frame market, such as using composite wood products for floor joists and also for the flooring, together with an increased use of external cladding, as it is more economical and faster to put up than brickwork.

Not lending against non-traditional construction

Interestingly, the techniques utilised for non-traditional construction after the war years tended to use more robust materials and more innovation. They fall into three categories:-

Structural frame

Large panel construction

Innovatory construction

Structural frame

This was very much where a structural frame was erected. The walls were then hung off it. The structural frames can be metal, concrete or wood. The danger factor for a mortgage company lending on this is if there is deterioration within the structural frame that is hidden, we would pick this up during a survey therefore it is critical that a Building Survey is carried out prior to purchasing a non-traditional property. A lot of Local Authority housing was built in this manner, and other National companies requiring housing, such as the Coal Board, and utilising mass production techniques lowered the cost of the housing. These types of houses also tended to use techniques that we hadn't used before in the housing market, although often we would use them in the commercial market.

 

Metal Frame Structure

 

 

 

Below are photographs of a metal frame house that we have recently surveyed.

 

 

Original condition of non-traditional house with roof replacement	Close up of cladding on non-traditional house	Non-traditional metal frame house

 

Painted cladding to non-traditional property	Close up of old metal windows in a non-traditional house

 

Features to look out for in non-traditional houses

We thought we would give you some tips on the sort of things to look out for:

 

Chimneys

Asbestos was a very popular material (yes really) when non-traditional houses were being built.

 

Asbestos original chimney non traditional house	New chimney on a non-traditional house

Soil and vent pipe

Original asbestos soil and vent pipe on a non-traditional house	New plastic soil and vent pipe on a non-traditional house

Roof Construction

It is important to get in the roof and have a close look or for you to employ a building surveyor that will get in the roof and have a close look (Valuers no longer need to view roofs when carrying out valuations – did you know that?). The below photos are what our surveyor saw on a recent survey:

 

Rusting to a lightweight metal frame or damage or deterioration to the metal frame of a non-traditional house	Some fixings replacements/repairs to a non-traditional house

 

The adding of modern things can affect the building

It is very common these days to have a shower/ bathroom with an extract system. Does that extract system discharge into the roof or does it discharge out of the building? If it discharges into the roof then there can be problems with rusting and corroding of metal and dampness to timber.
	Extract vent to outside often discharges into roof which is essential that they do not in this type of roof

 

Large panel construction

This, as the name suggests, is where rather than building small brick after small brick we used large panels, usually of concrete, which in themselves were a storey height and similar width, about two and a half metres square, and they literally interlocked. There have been problems with the reinforcement used in these and the connections of them, but we haven't come across these problems in the many years that we have been surveying.

 

 

Large panel concrete non-traditional house	Jointing to a non-traditional house	General view of a development of non-traditional houses

 

Innovatory construction

We couldn't think of a better title for this section, but we basically mean constructions that used innovation to look at building houses in a completely new way. An example is the Wimpey no fines concrete system, which is popular and, as far as we know, mortgage companies will lend upon it. It utilises almost a moulding system using form work. There is also pod construction, which is drilling pre-fabricated units, craned and positioned into place and then an outer protective shell put around them. Lots of this type of construction was originally carried out by local authorities, as they had the pressure on them to build a large number of houses, and more recently by commercial companies, which had the pressure on them to make profits or returns for their investors.

Non-traditional houses becoming traditional houses?

We have seen during our surveys over the years there has been a need to convert non-traditional housing into traditional housing. It could be argued that the right to buy Council Housing stock made this an important factor, as it is those people who required a mortgage that required the amendments, as in many cases there was nothing physically wrong with the properties.

Also, large companies holding a large amount of housing stock, such as Council Housing and Housing Associations requiring the housing to be brought up to more modern standards for thermal efficiency, etc, have utilised innovative ways of upgrading (although we are not sure whether that's the right term). Their housing techniques normally involve a cladding system to improve thermal efficiency, along with the check on the structural elements. We have surveyed some of them where they practically re-build the original buildings, which ironically can be very difficult. Whilst we don't know the exact figures we imagine it would be almost as costly as building the property from scratch.

 

Whistle-stop tour of the non-traditional housing market

There are whole books dedicated to this area, so an article such as this can hardly present the subject of non-traditional housing in detail, but we hope this has given you a flavour and an interest for the subject.

 

Compare our Building Surveys but don't compare Apples with Thursdays

We have a wealth of knowledge and experience as independent surveyors on non traditional housing and much more.

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We have every confidence in our surveys which are written to your level of knowledge and believe there are no other comparable surveys out there in the UK property and surveying market.

 

Photographs and surveying sketches, ovals and circles

We use throughout our survey reports to make them as clear as possible many photographs like the example we show to the right. We also have our own unique set of survey sketches to make the property problem crystal clear. We literally have commissioned hundreds of our own survey sketches showing many property issues. We also use circles and ovals on our photographs and sketches to emphasise problem areas so that you are not left wondering what the problem is.

An example of one of our photos

 

Meet your building surveyor

We recommend you meet us at the property during the survey so that we understand exactly what you require from your survey report and so we can answer any questions you may have.

 

Commercial Property

If you have a commercial property, be it leasehold or freehold, then you may wish to look at our Dilapidations Website at www.DilapsHelp.com and for Disputes go to our Disputes Help site www.DisputesHelp.com.

 

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