Monday 11 November 2013

Family Homes.

So let's return to those tens of thousands of new homes currently been promised and planned for by everyone - that's all governments, developers, and everybody.

As I have said previously, I strongly suspect that in reality, this means the resurrection of the dreaded 'dovecot' - that is, rickety, thin-walled, tiny, jerry-built one or two-bed flats provided for the delight of buy-to-let owners, and not the spacious, well-designed family homes we need. The last time there was enthusiasm for buildings, we ended up with vast, yawning, panoramas of matching newbuild low-rise blocks of flats, which are probably starting to fall into disrepair... right about now. Well - those that aren't falling down.

First off, we must define 'family'. We need to define family where idiots like Jeremy Hunt are bemoaning the fact that we don't all welcome our elderly parents to live with us, despite that bedroom-tax thingy, and the UK having the smallest homes in Europe, etc. Families in actual, real life are complex creatures.

They rarely comprise of neat interludes of 2.4 children per heterosexual life-partnership. No: families are blended (that is when two partners with children from previous relationships share a home). They mighty even be multi-generational - with grandparents sharing to be cared for themselves, or to care for children. There will older half-siblings of varied gender, perhaps returning home to save or in breaks from their studies. All or none of the above is likely to be employed to do shift work which comes with anti-social hours. Some might be disabled, and so require specific access facilities, and space for health equipment.

In all honesty it's always been that way. Tenants – even owners – must live in what they are given. But now we must cater directly for real life. Privacy is essential, and rooms situated in other storeys, as sticking to two floor houses might not work anymore. We need separation of rooms dedicated to different uses. The current trend for open-plan living defeats different modern life: people need a quieter study space, and room for eating and distracting 'entertainments' like television.

They will also need sufficient storage space for everyone, for clothes and other possessions, and of course proper sound-proofing. I'm really interested in the idea of the 'passivhaus' built with triple glazing, excellent insulation for warmth, and heated by warm air circulating. This would bring an end to the spine-tingling fear, guilt and recriminations when the one person at home turns on the heating.

This typically, untypical family I've created also needs a good-sized garden, with some space to grow food (I am not expecting any more allotment space to be set aside any time soon.) The kitchen should have enough space for energy efficient food storage ie large, economical freezers, and cupboards for bulk buying food so as to economise.

So that's what we need: a new initiative for three-story, spacious, sound-insulated, passivhaus's, each with enough room for every family member to have a seat at the table and another in the lounge. Is it too hard? I can hear developers everywhere laughing disdainfully even as I type.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can think of at least 10 million people who would love a thin walled Jerry built tiny one or two bedroom flat.

It is all about perspective !

Get a grip.

RenterGirl said...

Oooh look everybody! A troll! Who is talking rubbish thinking all people deserve is bad housing! And they know 10 million people!

RenterGirl said...

Even if it is - it's still idiotic. So - just because you have one leg should feel glad because your had both legs amputated. No matter what, people EVERYWHERE deserve decent homes.

RenterGirl said...

I think I have read the posters comment differently to you rentergirl .
I assume it refers to the 10 million people displaced due to the typhoon without any home at all.

Keep looking in on you here
Simon

RenterGirl said...

The above comment was copied from the still cheeky Simon and his SEO piggy-back attempt.

Anonymous said...

Seems an excellent idea ... You could avoid
space cadet .........

RenterGirl said...

What? Space Cadet's comments are always excellent. Always better than some, Anon.

Anonymous said...

Cheeky! Cheeky Mmmmm

No need to be cheeky ,my face is my fortune.


Penny , lend us a tenner I'm skint

When thas not writin f't nationals feel free t comment ont PLD face ache page ,a think thal find it fair t midlin

Na then !

Tesco Value Chef said...

Right, enough trolling, on with the comments.

We've had to move (again) and your description of our current maisonette is perfect - it's big enough, but poor design makes it cramped (and it's younger than me: developers really should have enough experience by now. Could Do Better).

I love the passivhaus concept, since I first saw it on Grand Designs. I truly believe that all new houses should be built like this, in order to save on our planet's limited resources of fuel... but no. We're actually building to a lower spec than we were in the '50s.

Tracie said...

We seem to have to opposite problem here. There are a couple of developments as they call them due to start soon. These will have houses which are out of the reach of many local people. I don't believe they have a single flat on the plans.

Tracie said...

We seem to have to opposite problem here. There are a couple of developments as they call them due to start soon. These will have houses which are out of the reach of many local people. I don't believe they have a single flat on the plans.

RenterGirl said...

I agree, and that even if such homes were of the so-called 'affordable' level, if they were well-designed, of a solid build and spacious, they would then be deemed too posh for people. I lived on an estate where the 'private' homes were much larger than the social or council houses. I hate the fact that 'poorer' people must cram into hutches.

Anonymous said...


Just listening to a programme on radio 4 about building and design and thought of our glaring word.

I am with one hat on a traditional builder I have an idea of what traditional is ,this resonated with me the other day when I first read this blog with you equating 'solid' with good . To be fair I am the same but I am sure it is just a mind set we have maybe its also an age related thing ,maybe we will be the last generation to think this way, maybe as a society we have little respect for others or not enough tolerance with regards to noise within a building.
Near me in York Portakabin are producing modern off site built homes all modular and of wood and plasterboard however they are functional and warm and not altogether without character.

An interesting question would be baring in mind our base point of 'solid' would be to ask a modern Japanese suburb if rather than living in their solid concrete and brick constructed buildings they hanker back to a time of ' traditional ' build of timber bamboo and paper .

Simon PLD

Anonymous said...


Just listening to a programme on radio 4 about building and design and thought of our glaring word.

I am with one hat on a traditional builder I have an idea of what traditional is ,this resonated with me the other day when I first read this blog with you equating 'solid' with good . To be fair I am the same but I am sure it is just a mind set we have maybe its also an age related thing ,maybe we will be the last generation to think this way, maybe as a society we have little respect for others or not enough tolerance with regards to noise within a building.
Near me in York Portakabin are producing modern off site built homes all modular and of wood and plasterboard however they are functional and warm and not altogether without character.

An interesting question would be baring in mind our base point of 'solid' would be to ask a modern Japanese suburb if rather than living in their solid concrete and brick constructed buildings they hanker back to a time of ' traditional ' build of timber bamboo and paper .

Simon PLD

RenterGirl said...

Yep Simon, suspect that's true. But Japanese thin walled homes in Uk cities would be silly. Horses meet your courses.