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Sub-Par Housing Stock In Barbados Rampant In The Absence Of Building Code

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With yet another hurricane season on the horizon, a local and prominent Structural Engineer Grenville Phillips III has blogged about his grave concerns regarding the structural integrity of most of the government houses being built. He did not give the private sector development a passing grade either!

Whenever I am driving through a new housing development, I habitually stop and inspect the building construction work. Sometimes I photograph what I observe. I have yet to observe a house being constructed to the minimum structural standards of the Barbados National Building Code.

It is less expensive to build a house to the standards of the Building Code than how builders are currently build houses in Barbados. Therefore, cost is not a valid excuse for non-compliance. Why then do builders build substandard houses?

Source: Weighed In The Balance

We hope that the newly installed government will see the importance of rolling out a building code as soon as possible. Barbados is a country which is densely populated and still a developing country; any havoc to our housing stock would severely deplete our resources in the reconstruction effort. We venture to say that it would set us back many years. In the meantime, tourism which is the life blood of our economy would suffer significantly.

The view into the crystal ball does not look good if we were to be struck by a hurricane!

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22 responses to “Sub-Par Housing Stock In Barbados Rampant In The Absence Of Building Code”

  1. Avatar
    Anonymous

    BU are you sure that there is no building code or is it that there is one but it is not implemented? That could be taken as the same thing or two different things I suppose. Hmm.

  2. David Avatar
    David

    There is a draft building code which is followed by some but there is no obligation in law to do so.

  3. Bush tea Avatar
    Bush tea

    David

    What is ‘sub-par housing’? anything less than the two million dollar house that Grenville owns?
    Surely Mr Phillips can’t be implying that everyone in Barbados should live in a house that can withstand a substantial hurricane…cause then 70% of us would be homeless.

    In an environment where we cannot even satisfy the current demand for housing I fail to see how passing laws to make it more complicated can be helpful- unless these ‘coded’ houses will really be hurricane, earthquake and flood proof….and we all know that it ain’t so.

    The fact is that when mother nature is ready every 50 years or so (in Barbados experience) lots of homes will be destroyed – both the $two million and the $30 thousand varieties.

    The only purpose of the building code is to ensure guaranteed work for Grenville and Company.

    There are many more important issues than building codes. If individuals prefer to live in grass shacks what business is that of anyone else? There is nothing easier than replacing a simple shack after a hurricane (during which the shack -owner could safely retire to a proper shelter) while the multi million homes takes years to sort out insurance and to be replaced.

    What building codes what?!?

    What we need from Grenville and his engineer friends are simple, affordable, practical homes that simple Bajans can acquire and enjoy.
    How about engineering that?

  4. Fire Fire burning Avatar
    Fire Fire burning

    It is less expensive to build a house to the standards of the Building Code than how builders are currently build houses in Barbados. Therefore, cost is not a valid excuse for non-compliance. Why then do builders build substandard houses?
    =============================
    It seems to me that the paragraph is the key one in Grenville Phillips’ article. ………especially the words “It is less expensive to build a house to the standards of the Building Code than how builders are currently building houses in Barbados.”

    This is what needs to be addressed, not the cost of his dwellings.

  5. Bush tea Avatar
    Bush tea

    OK Fire,

    Admitted I have no idea what Grenville’s house is like. But the point is that when it comes to ‘home’ I feel that it should be a case of to each his own…

    Can you see housing being cheaper when codes are enforced? I suspect that Grenville was using the same literary liberties that I was when he said that….

  6. David Avatar
    David

    Mr. Bush Tea why can’t we ever agree? It order for the legal fraternity to enforce standards and protect consumers from the unscrupulous contractors, of which they are many, surely we need laws? We don’t see what Phillips is saying to be unreasonable.

  7. Tony Hall Avatar
    Tony Hall

    I agree with Grenville Phillips that we need building codes in Barbados, and if they are already in place hence the need for them to be enforced. It has nothing to do with whether Grenville has a 2 million dollar house or not. I see it from the standpoint of protecting homeowners from unscrupulous building contractors.

  8. Avatar
    Anonymous

    But Bush tea, you real acid today. Wha happen bo?
    You got an idea though, because I know persons living in what can only be termed dwelling places since they bear no resemblance to houses. I have not yet discovered if they are happy or sad living in the circumstances of what they are forced to call home.
    Palace or hovel, what makes us the same is our humanity and that is unchangeable.

  9. Question Avatar
    Question

    Any reason why Phillips has not written about the flyovers on his blog?

  10. David Avatar
    David

    Many of the engineers in Barbados work for companies that depend on government for contracts. Not saying that Phillips is one of those just making a general comment.

  11. Brutus Avatar
    Brutus

    It is very sad that the warning of a trained engineer can be so easily dismissed.

    I attended a seminar where Grenville’s advice was to make sure that your building contract stipulates that the code will be followed.

    He also said that the code is simple to follow, and there is no need to hire an engineer unless some feature of the house you are building is unusually complex.

    A word to the wise is sufficient, I guess. Or better yet, he that hath ears to hear let him hear.

  12. Bush tea Avatar
    Bush tea

    Sorry Anonymous,

    But there are some things that seem to really neutralize my alkalies….

    Brutus, would you be so kind as to argue the point being discussed? (LOL)

    The story is not about a warning to owners of sub -par housing to improve or upgrade their properties as per the building code.
    ..such a story would receive full support from me.

    The story is about a call to GOVERNMENT to pass laws to tell us what is good for us.

    I have FUNDAMENTAL problems with POLITICIANS being able to dictate to me what is good for me. (you may recall a recent Government dictating to me that we should spend 400 Million dollars to build a few kM of highway- Do I want people like that deciding what is good for Bush tea?)

    Tell me how much taxes you want.
    Pass laws to set out the basic rules of living in this society (speed limits, which side of the road to drive, how to get a license etc) BUT DO NOT TELL ME WHAT IS GOOD or RIGHT FOR ME (after I cease being a child)

    These are the things that bug me…

    …If they can tell me how to build my home why would they not tell me how many children I should have? or who to marry? or what to eat?

    If they can MAKE me wear seat belts, how long before they make me eat or not eat certain foods and exercise for specific periods?

    Don’t misunderstand – these are good things to do – wear seat belt, build safe houses (you should see mine) and eat and exercise properly…. BUT these are things that a man should CHOOSE to do or NOT do as he determines for himself….

    What Government what?!?

  13. Brutus Avatar
    Brutus

    Bush Tea, I understand the distinction you are making.

    However if I build a substandrd house and it falls on my head and injures my family and I, should the government ambulance rush to take me to the QEH for treatment at the expense of those who have built their houses according to the building code?

    If in a hurricane, 75% of the houses in Barbados are destroyed because they did not satisfy the minimum requirements of the code, should any taxpayers money be spent to rebuild those homes?

    Would you agree to owners of substandard homes paying higher insurance premiums, and higher taxes?

  14. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    Mr. Bush Tea:

    My understanding of the statement made by Mr. Phillips is that people are not getting their money’s worth – and paying too much for too little. Re-read his statement again and think about it. He coulld have used laymans language, or bajan lingo.

  15. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    I dont know about Barbados, but if a house in Canada is built at a substandard level, the insurance is not liable to pay one penny. You will have to resort to the builder and there is a statue of limitations for that too. However, the provincial building inspectors inspect all new houses during construction and after before the owner can move in. Same with the installation of utilities: hydro, gas and water must inspect the connections and issue their John Does stating that the house is up to par (meets building code for its type).

  16. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    Brutus,

    If you take drugs and mess up your life – don’t the hospital fix you up?
    If you don’t exercise and eat right, and you get diabetes don’t you cost us an arm and a leg?
    If you don’t learn at school and become a layabout don’t you cost taxpayers?..etc

    …you want Government to control all these things too?

    ALL the houses in the USA satisfy their code – when a tornado or a Katrina comes through what percentage survives?….it is all a numbers game …

    Pat
    I was responding to David’s article -not only Grenville’s clip…. besides we are paying too much for the ABC highway project too – and that has nothing to do with codes.
    Canada is different to Barbados in many ways… I am TOTALLY in favour of providing clear and proper guidelines (codes) and having incentives and penalties to encourage good behaviors…. this is the way things work in nature – Those that are wise and follow the guidelines benefit from the incentives and the others suffer the penalties.

    This business of some ‘big brother’ dictating what we MUST DO is not natural, not effective and not welcome.

  17. Researching Avatar
    Researching

    Hi David:

    Please allow me respond to some of your readers’ concerns.

    Hi Anonymous:

    Barbados has a Building Code. It is not a draft document. It was published as a final document in 1994 as is easily available from the Barbados National Standards Institution (tel: 246 426-3870) for $100.

    Hi Bush Tea:

    Sub-standard building in Barbados can be defined as any building that falls below the minimum national standards. The building standards contained in the Barbados National Building Code (BNBC) can be applied to small and large dwellings.

    Bush Tea, you asserted “The only purpose of the building code is to ensure guaranteed work for Grenville and Company.” Please note that that all of the technical advice typically provided by civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical engineers, architects, and planers are contained in the Building Code. Therefore, if Engineers were as self serving as you have asserted, then would we not demand payment for this knowledge rather than putting it in the public domain?

    You opined: “If individuals prefer to live in grass shacks what business is that of anyone else? There is nothing easier than replacing a simple shack after a hurricane.” There are two issues to be considered. Firstly, the value of your house’s contents may exceed the value of your house, and the shelter warden may not allow you to bring all of your house’s contents into the hurricane shelter. Secondly, if everyone built sub-standard houses, then you basically guarantee national disruption and a halt to most economic activity in Barbados. Will you report to work if your family is homeless? What if all of the police, doctors, nurses, BL&P and C&W maintenance personnel, and air and sea-port personnel’s houses were destroyed, do you think that they will leave their families homeless and report to work?

    Government’s role is to regulate industries, especially if such industries are out of control. The residential construction sector is out of control. Government therefore rightly set building standards 15 years ago, just before the current unprecedented building boom. However, they have, for some inexplicable reason, not required that builders follow the national standards. Please note that in my opinion, requiring people to follow the specified minimum building standards does not require the proclamation of any more laws.

    Hi Question:

    For over a decade, I have addressed my Engineering concerns to the relevant authorities and will continue to do so. It is not prudent to select a potentially career ending decision such as going public with such concerns, without giving the relevant authorities every known opportunity to deal with the concerns, especially when there is still time for the authorities to act. I am my brother’s keeper, but this does not have to be demonstrated publicly.

    Regards,
    Grenville

  18. Green Monkey Avatar
    Green Monkey

    Government therefore rightly set building standards 15 years ago, just before the current unprecedented building boom. However, they have, for some inexplicable reason, not required that builders follow the national standards.

    Ain’t that the typical Bajan approach to things?

  19. Peltdown Man Avatar
    Peltdown Man

    I guess that Bush Tea would NOT be one of those rushing to government for taxpayer-supported housing after their non-compliant house falls around their ears.

  20. Lani Edghill Avatar
    Lani Edghill

    This is a serious problem. As a local city planner here in Barbados and in the US there is a serious need for an enforced Building Code on the island.
    The operative word there being, enforced!
    Grenada lost 98% of its building stock after hurricane Ivan. Do you have any idea what that would look like on Barbados? It would be devistating to say the least!
    There are many simple building practices that vernacular builders and developers can use in order to make buildings more hurricane resiliant! in this respect I agree with Grenville Philips.

    This however, should not be an attempt for the Government to turn its back on its people after mandating the code but to offer free educational oppertunities to teach residents how this code can help us without costing us a dime and if it does turn out to be more expensive the government should allocate funding to improve the islands housing stock quality, especially for low income families.

    This is important disaster preparedness that planners need to be thinking about. A disaster plan must also be created in order to be prepared.
    Barbados, as one of the mose wealthy islands should be pioneering this vision in order to benefir all islands within CARICOM!

  21. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    It seems to me that you folks all want to be in some army with Grenville as the General.

    What sort of people need laws to ENFORCE their compliance with something that is GOOD for them?
    …You mean that you folks can’t see the nonsense in such an approach?

    ENFORCEMENT should relate to laws that protect persons FROM EACH OTHER. i.e. if you violate my rights or I yours, then the guilty should be dealt with ‘viet armis’ by the law.
    I suspect that Grenville is referring to ENFORCEMENT with regard to PUBLIC buildings.

    …BUT – can’t you see the DANGERS of inviting politicians to legislate what we do FOR OUR OWN GOOD OR BAD???

    if i choose not to build my home as a fortress (as defined by some engineer) I am GUILTY of something?!!!

    if i choose not to wear my seat belt I am a criminal?!?

    …what if i refuse to eat healthy meals? or exercise?

    ..suppose I decide to smoke?

    …how about if I marry a miserable Bajan woman???
    Wanna really serious?!?
    wanna want laws against these thing too?

    So if my man ‘Lowdown’ CHOOSE to build a wood house down St. Andrew and concentrate his energies on stirring he wife’s cou cou and ‘yamming’ salt pork, wash down with goat milk – what we going to do ? Lock he up?

    People, look at how nature works…

    EDUCATE the public, provide guidelines, provide incentives (like lower insurance rates), provide penalties (like – if you did not meet the standards don’t expect handouts…..)
    THEN let them deal with the consequences.

    BUT DON”T create criminals out of people who may have different values.

    …besides if as Grenville says it is CHEAPER to do it right it should be AN EASY SELL TO MEET THE CODES -NOT SO?

    WE SHOULD DO THE RIGHT THING BECAUSE WE ARE WISE ENOUGH TO DO SO. Only robots and fools need to be programmed to do what they ought to do…

    Grenville,
    Chances are that a man who chooses to build a little hut will NOT stock it with exclusive furnishings… but even if he did, then that is his foolish business.

    …. and Peltdown Man, Bush tea’s house is WAY above the code….but even if it blew down FLAT, Bush tea would not need to ask the Government for a pang….

  22. cody Avatar
    cody

    hello there.. i know there hasnt been a post here for a few years.. i dont even know if its still active..but here it goes anyways..

    i am a candian moving to barbados.. been in the house building buisness for 14 years.. specializing in residential foundations.. for the last few years i have been looking into the building and additudes towards building down there and it makes me sick.. for starters, codes arnt there to make the eng. rich or to tell u what to do .. they are there for your safety.. nothing to do with “big brother” ..It should have nothing to do with the cost to make it safe or to code.. i have a way of building concrete houses that would change the way everyone looks at house building on the island.

    i am not sure if this will get seen but its just the start for me

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