Various Houses of Non Traditional Construction.

Airey

Name: Airey Type: Precast Reinforced Concrete (PRC)
Construction
Post and panel construction. Storey height pre-cast concrete posts at 18″ centres
Incorporating steel tube reinforcement. External cladding 3′ x 9″ pre-cast concrete shiplap
panels secured to posts by copper wire fixings, panel rendered in some cases.
Common Identifying Features
‘Shiplap’ cladding panels, tile hung gable ends.
Airey House House Further Reading
Arrowhead

Name: Arrowhead
Type: Steel Frame
Construction
Lightweight steel frame constructed of channel members supported by side plates.
Common Identifying Features
Bungalows and 2-storey semi-detached and terraced houses. Shallow pitch gable or monopitch roof covered with inter locking concrete tiles or flat roof covered with bituminous felt.
Front and rear walls of brick,exposed aggregate or Tyrolean finish PC panels throughout; or mathematical tiling to eaves level at separating wall with flat asbestos cement sheets or horizontal timber boarding to first floor level, then tile hanging and asbestos cement sheets or horizontal timber boarding above.
Gable wall of brick or mathematical tiling throughout returned around corners or to eaves level with flat asbestos cement sheets to apex.
Flat canopy over front door.
British Iron and Steel Federation House (BISF)

Name: British Iron and Steel Federation Housing (BISF)
Type: Steel Frame
Construction
Structural steel frame in light sections.
Common Identifying Features
Ribbed metal sheeting to first floor external, metal surrounded window projecting from wall face, corrugated asbestos cement roof covering.
Boot
Name: Boot Pier & Panel Type: Precast Reinforced Concrete (PRC)
Construction
External walls trained in concrete piers or columns, fixed in pairs to create a cavity wall.
Inner and outer leaves formed in clinker blocks or concrete panels, plastered internally and rough cast rendered externally. Roofs pitched and often hipped with conventional tile
coverings.
Common Identifying Features
Front ground floor bay to some houses. Pattern of cracking to external rendering may reveal structure beneath.
Boot House House Further Reading
Carmyle

Name: Carlyle These 2 storey semi-detached and terraced houses were built by A A Stuart and Sons (Glasgow) Ltd at Carmyle.
The architects were Holmes and Shilton of Glasgow.
70 units built at Carmyle. – 358 units; also built at Clydesdale.
Built:1950; Scotland.
280 mm cavity brickwork at ground floor and entire gable. Mansard timber framing at
upper level front and rear.
Google Street View link to above example
Cornish Unit
Name: Cornish Unit Type I & II Type: PRC
Construction
Post and panel construction. Exposed concrete columns at 36″ to 40″ centres, carrying
concrete slabs to form the leaves of cavity walls.
Slab depths vary from 9″ to 24″ depending on type. Traditionally constructed Mansard roofs (Type I Cornish Units), although some were built with conventional hipped roofs and tile hung upper elevations. Type 2 units may have post and panel construction to upper elevations beneath a hipped roof.
Common Identifying Features
Exposed post and panel construction, Mansard roofs.
Cornish Unit Type I Further Reading
Dorlonco House

Name: Dorlonco
Type: Steel Frame
Construction
Steel frame with metal lathing and rendering.
Common Identifying Features
Steel roof truss. 2-storey semi-detached and terraced houses. Medium pitch hipped or gable roofs covered with concrete tiles, slates or pantiles. External walls rendered or stone throughout, or front and rear walls of brick to first floor level and rendered above. Gable wall of brick throughout. Some dwellings have flat canopy above front door.
Dorran
Name: Dorran Type: PRC
Classified as defective by the Secretary of State under Part XV1 of the Housing Act 1985 England & Wales Only.
Construction
Storey height narrow pre-cast concrete panels rising from a kerb unit at ground level and a concrete ring beam at first floor level. Panels bolted together horizontally and backed by a Timber frame internally. Scaled externally by mortar pointing or Bitumastic Tape beneath a
textured finish.
Roofs are twin pitched and tiled often with vertical boarding or tile hanging to gable ends.
Common Identifying Features
Outward slope to first floor ring beam, vertical boarding to gable end.
Dorran House House Further Reading
Dyke
Name: Dyke Type: PRC
Classified as defective by the Secretary of State under Part XV1 of the Housing Act 1985 England & Wales Only.
Construction
Storey height concrete panels and columns secured by steel angle brackets. Concrete beams run from front to rear at first floor and eaves height. Cavity built walls with concrete panels forming the outer leaf and concrete slabs forming the inner leaf. Panels have an exposed aggregate finish but may be tendered throughout or to one storey only. Flipped and tiled roof.
Common Identifying Features
Panels set between columns at ground floor level and overlapping columns at first floor level creating an oversailing first floor.
Gregory
Name: Gregory Type: PRC
Classified as defective by the Secretary of State under Part XV1 of the Housing Act 1985 England & Wales Only.
Construction
Pre-cast concrete storey height columns, kerb units and ring beams concealed within an external cladding of concrete panels with staggered vertical joints. The Mansard first floor and roof is tiled and of traditional construction, carried oil concrete cantilever units from the ring beam.
Common Identifying Features
Mansard first floor and roof, staggered vertical joints to panels give appearance of block-work.
Hawthorne Leslie

Name: Hawthorne Leslie
Type: Steel Frame
Construction
Steel stanchions with timber and steel beams.
Common Identifying Features
Semi compressed asbestos based hoarding as external finish.
Bungalows and 2-storey detached, semi-detached and terraced houses.
Shallow pitch gable roof covered with interlocking concrete tiles, or shallow pitch gable or flat roof covered with bituminous felt. External walls of storey height cladding panels coated with various coloured aggregate finishes. Large section timber cover strips mask corner and separating wall junctions. Gable apex clad with timber shiplap boarding.
Howard

Name: Howard Type B Type: Steel Frame
Type A version were Experimental Dwellings.
Construction
Steel stanchions, lattice beams between stanchions in external walls, steel Joists spanning from a spine wall to perimeter walls.
Common Identifying Features
2-storey semi-detached and terraced houses.
Low pitched gable roof profiled asbestos cement sheets. Steel angle roof trusses at 3’6″ centres. External walls of PC panels to ground floor window sill level and flat asbestos cement sheets in horizontal bands above. Timber cover strips mask corners. Recess at separating wall on both front and rear elevations infilled with projecting single storey storage area on both elevations. Steel window frames.
Laing Easiform

Name: Laing Easiform
Type: In Situ Poured Concrete
Construction
Properties built between 1919 to 1928 have 8″ thick walls of solid no-fines clinker concrete.
Properties built between 1925 to 1945 have walls of cast in situ cavity construction with 3″ thick inner and outer leaves and a 2″ cavity, usually finished externally with stone dashed render coat.
Post 1945 (the majority of houses) cast with situ concrete walls, inner and outer leaves of 3″ thickness separated by a 2″ cavity reinforcement in both skins located in 4 horizontal bands above and below window openings.
Common Identifying Features
Line of wall lift evident in horizontal line within roof space.
In roof space internal face of walls aggregate not so coarse as Wimpey No-Fines construction.
Rectangular Ventilation vents through external walls is noted in many examples of this construction.
Laing Easiform House Further Reading
Mowlem

Name: Mowlem
Type: Poured In-Situ
Construction
Solid cavity wall types. A cast in situ concrete form of construction, first used in 1952 but mainly in the period 1962 to 1981. Construction substitutes mass concrete for the inner blockwork walls of traditional housing.
Solid wall types 225mm thick cast in lightweight concrete, rendered externally.
Cavity wall types with an ‘inner leaf of 100-125mm thick concrete, separated by a 2″ cavity, reinforcement in both skins located in 4 horizontal bands above and below window openings.
Common Identifying Features: None
Myton
Name: Myton Type: PRC
Construction
Storey height concrete panels rising from a concrete kerb unit with a concrete ring beam at first floor level. Wall panels dry lined internally and incorporate fibreglass insulation.
Externally raised aggregate finish with mortar pointed joints. Roofs are twin pitched either tiled or clad with asbestos cement sheeting. Gable ends are finished with asbestos cement panels.
Common Identifying Features
Gable end panels, first floor ring beam stands proud of panels.
Newland
Name: Newland Type: PRC
Construction
Similar to Myton (ie, based on storey height concrete panels) but with steel used for
first floor ring beam, floor joists and roof trusses. Vertical panel joints left exposed externally and concrete columns may be exposed on corners and party walls. Roofs are twin pitched with a cladding of asbestos cement sheets.
Common Identifying Features
Ground floor bay to the front elevation.
Tarran House House in Depth Article Link
Orlit
Name: Orlit Type: PRC
Construction
Storey height concrete columns with main beams spanning from front to rear. Cavity built external walls comprising an outer leaf of 4′ (or 2′) by l’4″ paving stabs and an inner leaf of concrete blocks may be rendered externally. Roofs may be of flat construction (pre-cast
concrete slabs finished with Asphalt and Bitumen) or pitched and tiled.
Common Identifying Features
PRC panels can give appearance of blockwork.
Orlit House in Depth Article Link
Parkinson
Name: Parkinson Type: PRC
Construction
Frame of concrete columns, tiled front and rear by beams at first floor and eaves
height, where there are also perimeter beams. Infill between the columns comprises 2 leaves of concrete block work with a rendered or pebble dashed finish externally.
Roofs are traditional hipped and tiled construction.
Common Identifying Features
Columns and beams visible internally.
Reema Hollow Panel
Name: Reema Hollow Panel Type: PRC
Construction
Storey height large pre-cast concrete hollow panels with cast in situ concrete columns
and beams. Panels have a plain or exposed aggregate finish externally. Roofs are either
hipped or twin pitched with tiling.
Common Identifying Features
Flank wall recessed relative to gables, may have moulded cills and surrounds to window.
Reema Hollow Panel House in Depth Article Link
Schindler & Hawksley SGS
Name: Schindler & Hawksley SGS
Type: PRC
Construction
External cladding of brickwork concealing a structural frame of cast in situ concrete columns and ring beams, with a further beam running from front to rear. Roofs are of conventional pitched and tiled design.
Common Identifying Features
Columns and beams may be visible internally.
Traditional external appearance externally.
Stent
Name: Stent Type: PRC Number Built: 1250
Construction
Storey height 12″ wide pre-cast concrete T-section panels rising from concrete kerb
units. Ring beam at first floor height. External finish can be either masonry paint, rough
cast render or exposed aggregate. Roofs may be flat or of traditional pitched And tiled construction, possibly with hipped gable ends.
Common Identifying Features
Distinctive projection to lower lip of first floor ring beam.
Stonecrete
Name: Stonecrete Type: PRC
Construction
PRC framework of storey height concrete posts at 2′ 6″ intervals, located in string
courses at first floor and caves level. Plain concrete panels (2 per storey height) fit
between the posts to form the external cladding. Internal linings arc of 2″ reinforced
plaster slabs. Roofs are traditionally built, hipped and tiled.
Common Identifying Features
Strongly expressed external framework, 2 per storey panel height, often with drip
mouldings on horizontal joints.
Tarran
Name: Tarran Temporary Bungalow Type: PRC
Construction
16″ wide, storey height pre-cast concrete panels rising from concrete kerb units with
steel channel section ring beam at first floor level. Twin shallow pitched roof with
asbestos cement sheets on steel trusses.
Common Identifying Features
Open vertical joints to external panels.
Underdown
Name: Underdown Type: PRC
Construction
Pre-cast concrete slabs, 3′ x 12″ with cast in situ concrete columns and ring beams. The
wall slabs are rendered externally and plastered internally. Roofs are traditional timber framed pitched and tiled.
Common Identifying Features
Traditional appearance externally (smooth render or pebble dash finish) but pattern of vertical and horizontal cracks may identify concrete slabs beneath.
Similar to Winget house.
Unity & Butterly Type II
Name: Unity & Butterly Type: PRC
Construction
Storey height precast concrete columns linked at first floor and eaves height by steel
plate beams running front to rear. Outer leaf of 3′ wide concrete Panels, inner leaf of
concrete blockwork or dry lining. Pitched roof constructed of timber or concrete
rafters with a covering of tiles laid on asbestos boards
Common Identifying Features
External cladding resembles blockwork laid with continuous vertical joints.
Waller
Name: Waller Type: PRC (No image available)
Construction
Storey height pre-cast concrete panels carried on cast in situ Concrete columns and ring
beams. Inner leaf also of Storey height concrete panels. Concrete panels and joists from first floor, with concrete beams and ceiling panels and eaves height. Pitched roof with cladding of large, through shaped concrete sections extending from eaves to ridge.
Common Identifying Features
Distinctive roof design (but may be concealed by tiling), columns and ring beam may finish proud of wall panels.
Wates
Name: Wates Type: PRC Number Built: 22,000
Construction
Storey height load bearing PRC panels of varying widths, with PRC ring beams at first floor
and eaves height. Traditionally constructed tiled roof.
Common Identifying Features
Characteristic ‘Tartan Grid’ pattern due to arrangement of Storey height panels of varying width. Upper storeys may be tile hung and blocks of slabs may have brick.
Weir Multicom

Manufacturer: Weir Housing Corporation Ltd
Period built: 1974–76
Number built: 4500
Bungalows and 2-storey semi-detached and terraced houses.
Shallow or medium pitch gable roof covered with concrete tiles.
External walls of brick throughout, or to first floor level and tile hanging above, or front and rear walls of horizontally ribbed aluminium sheets and gable wall of vertically ribbed aluminium sheets.
Some houses have vertically profiled aluminium sheets at separating wall.
Some houses have boarded sheet between upper storey windows and beside front door.
Link to Google Street View Example
Wessex
Name: Wessex Type: PRC
Construction
Storey height PRC panels with concrete beams at first floor and eaves height linked by
further beams running front to rear at first floor height. Corners formed by structural
columns. Traditionally built pitched and tiled roof.
Common Identifying Features
2′ x 1′ panels. Structural columns on corners and beam at first floor height visible externally.
Winget
Name: Winget Type: PRC
Construction
External walk comprise 2 leaves of 3′ x 9″ PRC panels with cast in situ piers and ring beams.
Building corners formed by pre-cast quoin blocks. Walls are rendered externally and
plastered internally. Traditionally built pitched and tiled roof.
Common Identifying Features
Window openings may be divided by structural columns.
Wimpey No-Fines

Name: Wimpey No-Fines
Type: Poured In-Situ
Construction – in situ cast no-fines concrete.
Before 1951 external walls were commonly 12″ thick.
During 1951 to 1964 external walls were commonly 10″ thick. Post 1964, walls were commonly 8″ thick.
Gable walls maybe clad with a masonry outer leaf tied to the cast in situ concrete with wall ties. Up to DPC level, the external walls maybe of standard masonry construction.
Post 1964 examples of this construction can be dry lined internally and some external
surfaces of walls maybe tile faced or weather boarded.
Reinforcement commonly
incorporated at eaves level and at a level to tie in with reinforcement over ground floor door and window openings.
Common Identifying Features
Measurement of 12″ thick external walls in some properties. Coarse aggregate evident to wall face concrete
mix in roof space.
Ventilation points through external walls circular in many examples of this construction.
Wimpey No Fines House Further Reading
Woolaway
Name: Woolaway Type: PRC Number Built: 5,500
Construction
Structural framework of storey height PRC posts and plinths carrying inner and outer leaves of 4′ x 2′ aerated concrete panels, rendered externally. Traditionally built pitched and tiled roof.
Common Identifying Features
Corrosion of bolts connecting panels to posts causes distinctive pattern of spalling to external rendering.
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