Prefabricated Houses in the 1980s

Prefabricated houses built in the 1980s were a form of construction rapidly erected amid China's urbanization boom, characterized by fast construction and low costs. However, they currently face numerous issues, with some houses undergoing demolition and renovation rather than complete demolition and reconstruction.

Construction Background and Characteristics: In the 1980s, as urbanization accelerated, there was an urgent need for housing in large numbers of urban villages and shantytowns, leading to the emergence of prefabricated houses. These houses were constructed using a 'LEGO-like' method, where components such as cement slabs and floor slabs were pre-fabricated in factories and then transported to the site for assembly. This approach allowed for fast construction and low costs, effectively meeting the housing demands of the time.

Existing Problems:

• Structural Safety: With a typical design life of 30 to 40 years, many houses have exceeded their service life, exhibiting issues such as steel reinforcement corrosion and numerous cracks, resulting in reduced seismic resistance and safety hazards.
• Living Experience: These houses have poor sound insulation and thermal insulation performance, outdated facilities such as the lack of elevators and gas supply, limited greenery, and low living comfort. The room designs lack humanization, with kitchens and bathrooms lacking windows, and narrow living rooms with dim lighting.

Policies and Renovation Status: Official policies have been introduced to emphasize the demolition of dilapidated prefabricated houses to ensure resident safety. For example, Shaoxing in Zhejiang Province plans to demolish and renovate 200,000 square meters of prefabricated houses by 2025. The policies have identified key targets for demolition, including D-grade dilapidated houses, houses built before the 1980s, houses located in urban cores or key areas, and houses with high resident support rates.

Limitations of Demolition and Reconstruction: Not all prefabricated houses from the 1980s will be demolished and rebuilt. Due to differing opinions among residents, some may be unwilling to demolish their houses due to emotional attachment or economic factors. The quality of the houses varies, with some still deemed usable after inspection. Given the large number of houses, demolition and reconstruction require significant funds and time. Additionally, raising reconstruction funds is challenging, involving the coordination of interests among the government, residents, and other parties. Therefore, the demolition and reconstruction of prefabricated houses need to be carried out gradually.