PRC Repair in Reading, Southampton, Bristol and the Surrounding Areas | Airey Houses from Prefabrication Experts

The History of Airey Houses | Prefabricated Homes

Designed by the Leeds-based builder Sir Edwin Airey, the Airey houses were amongst the first to be completed using his concrete building methods after the war. He had already developed a Duo-Slab system in the 1920s, which combined closely spaced storey-height concrete columns and aggregate concrete panels arranged in a clinker, or shiplap, design. His later plans, i.e. the Airey houses, were constructed over a decade between 1945 and 1955 and incorporated an updated version of this original system and other various construction methods, all of which are highly defective today.

His plans focused on the following:

• Minimal Imported Materials

• Minimal Heavy Plant Use

• Sourcing Labour from Unskilled Sources

The concrete columns used in constructing these houses in Bristol, Reading, Swindon, Southampton and the surrounding areas were reinforced with tubing recycled from military trucks. The cladding was fastened using copper wire. The lack of experienced workmanship in the construction is another significant reason our PRC repair company carries out repairs for Airey houses. The building quality could have been better, but it must be remembered that these prefabricated homes were not built to last as long as they have.

The lack of cavity walls provides no insulation for homeowners. The cladding is not sufficiently weatherproofed, and driving rain can enter the property. Pooling water accumulating around the feet of the concrete columns has led to the corrosion of the metal tubing. The aggregate concrete used a higher water content, so the material isn’t as strong either.