Guideline for Improving a Prefabricated Temporary Housing as Knock Down Model for Construction Workers : A Case Study of Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited

Abstract

In general, construction companies are responsible for the provision of temporary housing for construction workers. Companies usually select housing area near the construction site in order to facilitate their employees and provide welfare benefits for them. Nowadays Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited has used prefabricated temporary housing to reduce expenses in the long run and to relocate easily. Nonetheless, it has been found that many workers remodelled their places causing damages to temporary housing.

This research aims to study the physical changes of temporary housing in order to understand types of accommodation, related problems, and reasons for remodelling. The research methodology is to survey physical changes of 147 units and collect data by interviewing sampling residents of 35 units covering supervisors and construction workers. Then data were analysed in order to propose solutions.

The results show that physical changes that affected temporary housing when moved to new locations included expanding awning, clothesline, roof flashing, and skylight cover, installing shelves to the wall, and adding partitions in each room. The reasons for remodelling included 1) to expand internal and external room space and 2) to solve issues related to living in temporary housing, modification, relocation, and living environment, causing damages to temporary housing before the break-even point is reached.

This research is beneficial to business and enterprise. The findings can be used for developing temporary housing and increasing the quality of life of construction workers. This contributes to an increase in work efficiency and the upgrade in construction industry.