Housing

[andrewducker]

Has there been a major, independent, enquiry into what makes the cost of building new housing as high as it is?

If so, where can I read it?

Comments

[sigmonster.livejournal.com]

1) Cost of land with planning permission (which just pushes the problem one layer down...)
2) Steadily improving building codes for insulation, wiring, and fire safety. Energy efficiency in particular is set to increase for all new build for the next few years. (There is a slight problem in that building inspectors are now paid by the builder and not by the local council, which is corruption just waiting to happen: this was one of Thatcher's changes and badly needs to change back.)
3) High cost of labour and low deployment of capital - people use hammers and hand saws instead of nail guns and chop saws. This isn't as bad as it used to be, though.
4) Cultural dislike of light-framed construction.

Don't know of any actual inquiry though...

[octopoid-horror.livejournal.com]

Pretty funny when the government comes out and says "oh yeah, energy effiency in new housing, that'll solve problems!" forgetting that a] not as many (affordable) new houses are being built as should be and b] quite a lot of property is owned by people who can't afford to pay for everything that you need to be very energy efficient at home and c] as far as I know, there's little incentive for people making money from renting out property to make the property more energy efficient, since they don't pay the bills. They'd lose money making it more energy efficient, since they'd pay for that, but see no gains.