Prefabricated Homes.

[John F Collier]

Does anyone remember the post war "Prefabs" constructed from wood frames with asbestos panels, built after the war as a quick and cheap alternative to brick built houses. The building trade like other industries lost skilled workers in the war, also many homes had been destroyed and needed replacing as quickly as possible. "Hence the quick fix prefab". At auction in Peckham S E London (where Del boy & Rodders lived), a Prefab standing in .06 of an acre and empty for 13 years, locally known as "The Shed" has just been sold at auction for £950,000. What a crazy world we live in, "THE MIND BOGGLES" Cheers, JC.

[Jim Brady]

We had a lot of bombing in Bootle where I lived so after the war there was no shortage of sites to build prefabs on.In our street of terraced houses we had six prefabs the street behind us had about 12.They had bathrooms that none of us had but most of all they had fridges,those that lived in them made us kids lolly-ices.Were some of these made in the States and imported here,as I say with the fridge they were a bit ahead of our time.Another thing that they had was like a present day wood burner but it was coal I'm sure they got their hot water from that.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[John F Collier]

Hi Jim, I didn't know they had fridges, unheard of for us and our bath was made of tin and hung on the scullery wall. You have reminded me of when we were bombed. We were temporarily rehoused in Frian Barnet and my older sister got a job in a café they had fridge/freezer and my sister used to make me ice lollies, there was a big hospital there with American soldiers and we would go
up to them and say "got any gum chum" and they always gave us some. Cheers, JC.

[vic mcclymont]

Brought up in a prefab, remember the fridge. They were nice comfortable homes.
Vic

[Dennis McGuckin]

Have a nephew in Coventry who lived in on until recently.
Very comfortable.

[gray_marian]

I know of one area within six miles of Glasgow city centre where they are all still in use.
All appear to be privately owned and look quaint.

[John F Collier]

Hi Vic, I've seen plenty of them from after the war in London, but I've never actually been inside one as they say never judge a book by it's cover. The house we lived in when we were bombed was built in 1880, was an end terrace house it was a lovely house but didn't have modern amenities, the house was repaired and is still there today and the house value in that road is now very nearly £300,000, I wonder what the build cost was in 1880?. Cheers, JC.

[John F Collier]

Hi den, I've never heard a bad word said about them, and can imagine they were like a palace to some people when they were able to rebuild their lives after the war and maybe they were a big improvement on their old homes. Cheers, JC.

[Doc Vernon]

Here in Aussie there are still virtually thousands of old Pre Fab Homes still standing and in use!
A big percentage is used by the Housing Commisions around! But also widely used by private dwellers.
There are some great loking ones around!

They are nice little dwellings and have most of what one would need!
Of course in the older times,it must have been a wee bot cold in the Winters here,but nowdays all that has changed with insulation being put into place ,no a very hard job either to do yourself!

Most other Houses here are Built of Brick as the outer shell (Single Brick) with of course the wooden frames,then the Veneer Panelling inside for the finish! Most all new ones of this type are also now fitted with Insulation in the cavities, which makes a real cosy Home both in Winter and Summer!

Yes the old and exciting Aussie dream then! And affordable too!
These days the Younger sector are really battling to live that Aussie Dream of owning their own homes!
Really sad!
Cheers

[Jim Brady]

They always had big gardens back and front,some people kept the gardens in good nick growing plenty of veg in the back and having good flower beds and a lawn in the front.A guy by us did nothing with his we kept our bonfire wood in it,it was also a good short cut.
Regards.
Jim.B.