Warm welcome to prefab revamp
A happy Bangor resident has given the thumbs up to her Housing Executive aluminium bungalow which she says is warm and snug thanks to an extensive makeover to improve its energy efficiency.
Nine homes in the Bloomfield area, originally built in 1946 as temporary prefab post wartime accommodation, were included in a Housing Executive Thermal Comfort Scheme - and tenants have just spent their first winter in the refurbed homes.
Work on the bungalows, often known locally as Tin Town, included the cladding of external walls and new roofs, chimneys and doors on all the properties with an overall investment of £316,000.
Eileen Thompson, the Housing Executive’s area manager for North Down, said: “This was a great scheme and feedback from our tenants has been very positive.
“Because this scheme improved the overall energy efficiency of the bungalows we were eligible for European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) support.
“The work took 18 months to complete but has been very worthwhile.
“We are delighted that we’ve been able to make these homes much more comfortable and energy efficient for our tenants and hope they will enjoy their newly upgraded bungalows.”
Tenant Mechelle Davey, who shares her home with her two children, said: “It’s a fantastic job, our bungalow is so much warmer than it was before.
“We’ve just spent our first winter with the new insulation, new doors, windows and roof and it has made a tremendous difference. Before the house was draughty and once the heating was turned off it became cold very quickly.
“We also live on the main road which is very busy with traffic and thanks to the double glazing I find it is a lot quieter now.
“The workmen were very friendly and helpful too.
“The improvements have really changed my bungalow, it feels like a brand new home and it’s warm and cosy. I’m really proud of it, it’s amazing.”
Adrian Hetherington, from Hetherington Painting and Building Contractors, said: “This was a very interesting and challenging project to be involved with given the history of the bungalows.
“We’ve successfully modernised these homes using up-to-date materials and techniques enabling us to upgrade and improve them to a much higher standard. It is very satisfying for us to be able to provide these families with a much more comfortable place to live.”
About 2,000 aluminium prefab houses were built across Northern Ireland during the late 1940s as a temporary solution to the post-WW11 housing shortage and today a few still survive.
Although the original aluminium walls provided little protection from the cold weather, when the bungalows were first erected, they actually improved living standards for many families.
Equipped with new kitchens and an indoor toilet, they were a luxury for some in the post-war period.