Everyone is Different
I am interested in “liveable housing”. Let me explain why. My father was a builder and in his last years of employment as a “clerk of works” to check on the building of government housing. He had to determine if the work was up to scratch and the sign off for the builder to be paid. When he first started in the job, they considered him picky – but his predecessor was possibly on the take, and/or was not as strict as my father was. I found a website recently which apparently addresses Liveable Housing funded by the government by the look of it, but I have issues with it.
In recent years, I have lived in a few homes. I have done sitting and lived in recently built units. I am often surprised by what I see. Sometimes it is the lack of quality of work, but other times things are just not workable!
- As I am working with a group that is interested in providing housing for seniors, women in particular. I have been looking at what is “liveable housing”. Especially for seniors.
What Concerns Me
For a start, it is the way builders have used unsuitable materials. One example in the place where I live has several concerns for me.
Inside the Unit
- Floor tiles in the lift, walkway and our balconies are almost impossible to keep clean. It has a rough surface to prevent slips. On the balconies there is a “drain hole” that one can sluice water through when endeavouring to clean, but it just sends your water/cleaner onto the balcony below. Not clever.
- Toilet issues. For a start, it appears none of the toilets have had their seats correctly installed. Plus, the toilet roll holder is placed such that one needs to do a 90 degree turn to reach it. All other tenants I have spoken to complain about this.
- Microwave in low placement. It does seem to be a trend, but it certainly has its problems. One issue is having to bend low to get a hot meal out of the microwave. Not very safe.
- Washing Machine Space. Our laundry is a cupboard, where there is a laundry tub, clothes dry and space for front-loading washing machine. I hate the latter and use a top loader, but there is insufficient space for it. I have difficulty opening the lid to put my washing in or take it out. If I did have front-loader I would have to bend down to do the latter tasks, and with a sometimes painful back, it is an issue for me!
See the toilet seat, position of toilet roll holder under the bath towel rail,
Outside
- Rubbish Bin – there are 12 industrial bins in the complex. Half of them are for recyclable waste – but I doubt if most tenants understand this. The big issue for me and other tenants is that the lid is too heavy to move to put one’s rubbish in!
- Clothesline – what idiot thought it was ok to put 5 clotheslines under a tree where leaves, sap and bird poo regularly floats down. And wouldn’t it be a good idea for the line to have some sun?
Now I accept that if you are building your own home, you can do whatever suits you. But for public housing, units etc. there needs to be addition consideration about how successive owners/tenants will manage.
Limited space between the washing machine and dryer.
Do you have any ideas?
