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HOUSING THE FAMILY IN MANAGEMENT IN LIVING

byWiredufred Published:

 By the end of this post, the reader should be able to:

·         Explain the concept of Housing.

·         Describe types of houses and how they influence the lives of people.

·         Describe factors that influence a house choice.

 

House, Home, Housing

Choosing a place to live is a very big decision and requires careful planning. A house comes in many shapes and sizes, but the atmosphere inside is what makes a house, a home.

housing
A house

A house 

It is the structure built to provide shelter for people. A house offers protection against the weather, and external dangers. OR

A house is a shelter with a roof and four walls to protect you from the weather. It gives the family and its members physical protection and emotional security. The house becomes a home when you live in it, enjoy it, and make the best of it. 

A house may be built on land, on water or in a boat. It may also be a hut in a village or an impressive building in the city.

 

Home 

It is a place or environment in which people share space and household items and live in comfort and satisfaction.


Housing

Is a house, its environment or the community in which it is and the facilities/amenities available that help with the well-being of the people in the area.

Housing deals with the house of the individual and its relationship with others, the neighborhood and the community. Housing thus provides amenities which individuals homes cannot provide for themselves eg. School, hospital, roads, police station, markets, etc.

Good housing, therefore involves the provision of high standard of houses and appropriate amenities in the environment which will enhance the lives of the residents and meet most of their needs.

 For more information, visit this comprehensive housing guide.


Types Of Houses In West Africa

Rural/Urban Houses

Rural houses: Mainly courtyard or compound houses. Houses in the rural areas are built to suit the lifestyle and the activities of the extended family. The house is seen as a place for physical protection and emotional security.

The houses are built using mud and wattle for its walls and roofed will thatch or woven grasses. Designs are simple and may not follow any building code. The basic unit is added on from time to time.

These days, some rural houses are built with modern materials and are specifically designed to suit the owner's taste. These are normally built with cement blocks and roofed with aluminum roofing sheets and are often built by people who have lived outside the village and have acquired some money.

For more details on rural housing, visit Rural Housing Design


Urban Houses

These are usually well planned. There are regulations governing the design and type of house that can be built in certain areas. They are also required to meet certain standards e.g., Ventilation, sizes of rooms, number of windows and appropriate drainage. They are mostly designed by architects or draughts men. These houses may provide facilities such as toilets, baths, and a kitchen in addition to bedrooms.

 For more on urban housing standards, you can visit Urban Housing Standards


In Urban Housing

(i) A wide range of materials are used in building urban houses. Some of these materials include cement, tiles, glasses, sinks, aluminium roofing sheets, timber boards, etc.

(ii) Designs vary. Different designs are used in constructing houses in the urban areas.

(iii) Follow building codes which govern materials, designs and construction. Standards and regulations governing the design and type of houses must be followed or adhered to.

(iv) Urban houses may have amenities such as electricity, pipe borne water, toilet


House Designs (Or Types of Houses)

(a) Courtyard

(b) Detached

(c) Semi-detached

(d) Row terraced houses

(e) Storey building

(f) Block of flats or apartments

(g) Bungalow

 

(a) Courtyard or Compound House

These are found in both rural and urban communities. They are found in the older parts of big towns and cities. All the rooms are arranged around a central rectangle or a square area which forms the courtyard. The courtyard is the main area for most activities e.g. cooking, washing, cleaning and receiving guest. Toilet facilities, bath rooms or the kitchen may be separated from the rest of the rooms and are usually shared. They have many rooms and may accommodate different families or households.

For more information, visit Houzz.

Disadvantages of Living in a Compound House

(i) The environment may be noisy

(ii) They may not have enough space for storage and outdoor activities e.g., space for children to play.

(iii) Co-tenants/families may share space and other facilities e.g., kitchen, toilet, etc

(iv) There is lack of privacy.

(v) Children are exposed to bad and undesirable habits from their friends/ peers.

(vi) Stealing in compound houses may be rampant

(vii) Facilities may be inadequate for the number of tenants.

 

(b) Detached or Bungalow House (Self Contained)

They are simple family houses which usually house or accommodate one family and can be one, two or three storey buildings. All the rooms lead to one another, they do not have courtyard but sometimes the rooms may lead to another space (a yard) which may be enclosed by a wall or fence. The storey buildings will have some rooms on the ground floor and the rest on the upper storey. Does not share a partition wall with another building and most activities are done within the building

 For more information on bungalow designs, visit House Beautiful

Advantages of Self Contained

(i)         They offer more privacy than other types of housing.

(ii)        They can be built or selected to meet the needs of the family.

(iii)       No quarrels with co-tenants.

(iv)       There is space for children to play.

 

(c) Semi-Detached Houses

These are very similar to the detached houses except that in semi-detached houses, two self-contained houses are joined together by a common wall. Each has its own entrance and the houses have similar number of rooms as well as facilities. They can be single storey or two storey. They are common in the housing estates of our cities and big towns.


(d) Flats or Apartments or Multi storey

These are multi-storey flats found in our cities or urban areas. They are built to provide accommodation for many people on a limited or small piece of land. The design ensures that all facilities - bed rooms, sitting room, bathroom, toilet facilities and the kitchen are on each floor. There are usually two or more storeys with two or more flats or housing units on each floor. Each flat has its own entrance which ensures privacy. Unlike the detached house, those living in flats cannot expand their space when there is a need. Another disadvantage of living in an apartment building is that none of the residents is prepared to take responsibility for cleaning shared areas such as corridors and stairways. The buildings are often expensive e.g., SSNIT Flats.


Advantages of Flat/Apartments/MuIti Storey

(i) Less lands used as compared to single family building

(ii) They are often more affordable

(iii) They could be more readily available than the single-family housing.


Disadvantages of Flat/Apartment/MuIti Fence

(i) The environment may be noisy

(ii) They may not have enough space for storage and outdoor activities e.g., space for children to play.

(iii) Co-tenants/families may share space and other facilities e.g., kitchen, toilet, etc.

(iv) There is lack of privacy.

(v) Children are exposed to bad and undesirable habits from their friends.

(vi) Stealing in flat or apartment houses may be rampant.    

(vii) Facilities may be inadequate for the number of tenants.

 

e) Prefabricated Houses

Unlike the traditional forms of housing, prefabricated houses are named according to the type of construction used rather than the design. The individual parts of the house like the walls, floors, parts of the roof partitioning, are imported or made in a factory. The parts are assembled on the building site on an already prepared foundation.

 

f) Row/ Terrace Houses

These are a row of houses joined together. These are very common in the police barracks. They sometimes consist of several rooms sharing common veranda and other facilities.


g) Factors that Influence House Choice/ Factors affecting the choice of a house

i . Economic factors: The type of housing a family builds or chooses depends on the economic status of the family. This means the money available to the family. The high-income family with more money can build big houses, while low-income families can afford smaller or multi-family houses.

ii. Location of the house (site): The family should choose location that is near or easily. accessible to

(i) family members' school

(ii) places of work

(iii) shopping centre, etc.

The location must be safe in terms of health and property.

iii. Size of the family: A large family will require a larger house than a smaller family.

iv. Family life cycle: Every family goes through a cycle. At the beginning stage the family needs a smaller house, at the expanding stage they need a bigger house but at the contracting, stage, they need a small house.

v. Special needs of family members: Some family members may have special needs that will make living in a type of house difficult. For instance, a person with some leg injury might have to live in a bungalow and not high-rise building.

vi. Design of the house: This is the plan or layout of the house. This must suit the family.

vii. Ventilation and lighting: The house should be properly ventilated and have good light. These are important for good health.

viii. Lifestyle of family: This includes the interests and activities of family members. It includes how people live their lives and those things they enjoy doing.

(ix) Neighborhood: People may want a neighborhood where the people have similar values, economic status, lifestyle, taste and have good standard of sanitation and cleanliness.

 

Functions of a House

(i) A house provides physical protection for its occupants. It protects them against hazards of the weather such as rain, wind, storm, heat from the sun and against external intruders such as wild animals and thieves.

(ii) A house also provides its occupants privacy and space for physical necessities of life.

(iii) A house provides members of a family a place to relax and enjoy the company and love of family members.

 


SSCE/ WASSCE PAST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON  HOUSING THE FAMILY

 

1. What is the difference between house and housing

Answer

A house is a shelter with a roof and four walls to protect people from the weather.

OR It is the structure built to provide shelter for people.

Housing is a house, its environment or the community in which it is and the facilities or amenities available that help with the well-being of the people in the area.

Or housing deals with the house of the individual and its relationship with -others, the neighborhood and the community.

 

2.a) Describe four different ways through which a person can acquire a house

(i) Renting a house: Renting a house involves living in a house owned by someone and making payment for that.

(ii) Buying a house: A house may be purchased from an individual or an institution that is a developer. It may be newly built or an old house.

(iii) Building a house: An alternative to buying a house is building one's own house. Building a house could be more expensive depending on the design.

(iv) Inheritance: Someone can own a house through inheritance that is inheriting the house of their parents or close relatives when they die.

(v) A gift or award: An individual may own a house by virtue of a relative or friend giving it to him as a gift or may be honored by the government or an organization for making tremendous contribution to the country or organization or through raffle e.g., best teacher, best farmer, etc.

 

2.(b) Identify four factors that will influence your choice of an already built house.

(i) Cost or price or money.

(ii) Location (site) of the house.

(iii) Facilities around the house e.g., roads, hospitals, market etc.

(iv) Size of the family.

(v) Neighborhood.

(vi) Facilities in the house e.g., bedrooms, kitchen, toilets, bathroom, etc.

(vii) Availability of utilities e.g., electricity, water, etc.

 

EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

1. Explain the following terms or concepts

a) Housing      

b) House         

c) Home         

 

2. Identify and describe the different types of houses and how they influence the lives of people who reside in them.

 

3. Identify and explain five factors which influence 'the location and choice of a house

4. Mention six disadvantages of living in a compound house. (November. 2006)

5. State FOUR advantages of both flats/apartments and a detached house.

6. State three characteristics of each of the following

(i) A compound house

(ii) A detached house (November 2006)

 

7. (a) Explain the term housing.

(b) List eight amenities that should be available in a good housing area.

(c) (i) Outline the three main features of a traditional Ghanaians house

      (ii) Explain the usefulness of each of the following mentioned in (c) (i).

(d) Describe FOUR differences between the traditional / rural housing and urban housing. (November. 2004)

 

8.(a) Differentiate between a house and housing.

(b) Explain any FOUR decisions that should be made in planning a house

(c) Describe any three activity areas in a home.

(d) State FOUR advantages of having a place for laudering clothes in a home.

(November 2003)

 experience the difference it can make in your daily routine.




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