After World War II, there was a significant demand for housing in the UK and prefabricated homes were a major part of the delivery plan to address the housing shortage. They were envisaged by war-time prime minister Winston Churchill in March 1944, and legally outlined in the Housing (Temporary Accommodation) Act 1944.
As a result, a number of pre-fabricated (pre-fab) homes were built to provide affordable and quick housing solutions. These homes were constructed using pre-fabricated panels that were manufactured off-site and then assembled on-site.
The pre-fabricated panels were usually made of timber, steel, concrete, or aluminum, and they were designed to be lightweight and easy to assemble. The panels could be transported easily to the building site, and the construction process was relatively quick.
The pre-fab homes were typically small, single-story buildings, but some larger models were also produced. They were designed to be functional and affordable, and were often targeted at low-income families or those who had lost their homes during the war.
While the pre-fab homes were generally well-received, they were not without their problems. Some designs were criticised for being too cramped or lacking in proper insulation, and some had issues with dampness or mould. In addition, many of the pre-fab homes were only intended to be temporary, but some were used for several decades before being replaced.
While widely criticised, the introduction of pre-fabricated homes was an important part of the post-war effort to rebuild the UK and provide much-needed housing for those in need.
The Housing Defects Act of 1984 was subsequently introduced to address the issue of defects in these prefab houses, particularly PRC Precast Reinforced Concrete houses.
Today prefabs are classified by lenders as having non-standard construction, with many not willing to offer mortgages on them. PRC homes can have remedial work done to rectify the structural issues, after which a PRC Certificate will be issued, which can be given to lenders. Mortgages for concrete houses, or those with steel frames, are available from a limited choice of lenders.
