An assessment of the potential of the United States stick-built house for self-help construction

Abstract

This thesis initially focuses on the development of the U.S. stick-built house. The material and construction methods of the structure remain simple and unchanged, whereas the non-structural elements offer an enormous variety of choices in materials and components as a result of the improvements in technology . In Chapter 2, a case study of the U.S. system suggests that the stick-built house has a great potential for self-help construction, with least subcontracting, rental of some special tools and equipment and the use of prefabricated materials. A comparison of the U.S. and Japanese systems shows that the Japanese system offers lesser potential for self-help . On the average, higher skills would be required in on-site assembly. Difficulties would occur in using members of different sizes and joining methods. Also, there would be less flexibility in future change of housing design. The author recommends greater simplification of structural members for production and construction methods in Japan.