Kit-sets could be just the ticket

Low-cost quick-build housing from Blenheim could be the answer to many a Cantabrian’s woes.

Provision of short-term housing is already in process. Hundreds of mobile homes arrived in Christchurch last week, to be installed in the Canterbury Park A&P Showgrounds and Riccarton Racecourse – 300 last week, with a further 700 to come. The Department of Building and Housing has estimated this phase to last for up to 12 months.

Blenheim-based Glenroy Housing co-owner Phil Vile may be part of the next, medium to long-term, phase. The Department of Building and Housing, assisted by the Registered Master Builders Federation, is already exploring offers from providers of pre-fabricated housing to provide accommodation suitable to be lived in for between six months and three years.

A spokesperson for the department could not specify how many providers were involved. The NBR understands it is a significant number.

Prime Minister John Key has said 10,000 homes will have to be demolished, while another 100,000 have been damaged. Christchurch population numbers continue to fluctuate as residents relocate or return. An estimated 70,000 were absent from Christchurch over the past two weeks. Department of Building and Housing chief executive Katrina Bach said providing accommodation for workers coming into Christchurch was also a critical issue needing to be addressed.

Mr Vile said enquiries and planning were still in the very early stages. “They’re seeking generalised stuff, and plans, and pricing, and so they’ve got enough information in the melting pot so they can move forward pretty quickly when the go button gets pressed.”

“They just wanted some very loose ideas – the word ‘quote’ would be overstating it – but I’ve sent in ideas of the sort of things we could provide, and that’s what they’ve been doing all over the country with lots of people, which I think is quite good.”

However, he did not think the re-accommodation process would be as quick as people were hoping.  “I don’t think a house will be built for a long, long time because I don’t think they can really afford to put them back on land that might be marginal.” Issues with liquefaction and continuing aftershocks could delay building.

Placing the replacement housing in a safer area, less affected by the faultlines, was one possibility.

While not wanting to call them earthquake-proof, Mr Vile said his houses had greater flexibility than GIB board houses.  They could handle “a substantial amount” of earthquake movement without shaking. GIB and bricks were more rigid.

The increased resilience was due in part to the post and beam structure used in building. The copyrighted system was developed by Mr Vile’s father about 25 years ago.

The factory-built houses can be built in anywhere from two weeks – for a simplistic, bach-like layout – to close to ten weeks for a more sophisticated design. Because of its factory-built nature, the houses usually require just one carpenter and one labourer during the construction stage.

“They are factory-built houses, and probably kit-set is the right term, but in saying that, we won a National House of the Year title in 2004.” Their Mahau Sound property won in the $400 – 550, 000 category.

Mr Vile emphasised that the houses were permanent, despite being quick to set up. “Even though it is – and we would use that word unashamedly – a kit-set home, it actually can foot it with anything.”

The extra business could be a boon for both Blenheim and Mr Vile, whose business has just moved into shared 2000 sq m premises at the Cloudy Business Park.

While residential building is the current priority, groups such as the Canterbury Business Recovery Group, the Canterbury Development Corporation, and the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, have banded together, “looking for businesses to support businesses”.

While the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce would be working with various groups to help rebuild businesses in the future, chief executive Peter Townsend said the current focus was on survival. “We’re focusing on those businesses who have had their business destroyed.” He estimated this focus could last about six weeks.