Home Damage Resources Windows Doors Ceilings Roofs Walls Services Furnishings Re-building Damaged Homes From The Rubble By Richard Edkins Introduction : The appalling damage to homes from bombing, shelling and deliberate on-the-ground destruction, has been a feature of the wars in 1990 - 2003 in the Balkans, Chechnya and the Middle East. Even in Western Europe, wide-scale destruction of housing tends to be ignored by governments and insurance companies. The victims of such tragedies are left to pick up the pieces and remain destitute for many years. Worst of all, the victims can be so dependent upon modern housing construction, that they live in appalling squalor for far too long. A well-built and well-kept prehistoric or modern African round 'mud' hut, is often healthier than the tents and shipping containers that many are forced to use. Much has already been done in the 'under-developed world' in terms of recovery and development solutions. The Ideas in Action website is a good illustration of this. Very little has been done for the 'developed world', where extensive destructive natural disaster and widespread war damage is becoming a more common hazard. This site concentrates on the 'developed world' and such parts of the 'developing world' where insurance companies, building firms and governments, may not look after the needs of the ordinary householder. This website is intended as a discussion document to highlight where traditional construction - using local materials and reclaimed bricks, blocks, timber and stonework - can be blended into strong and weatherproof structures. The main useful imports would be plastic sheeting, building lime, hand tools, screws and nails and light fittings. Given these, groups of destitute householders have a hope of building good weatherproof structures that can last for years. To use this site : Navigate it by using the links at the top and bottom of the pages. The worse the structural damage, the greater will be the need for repair information. Site Development : It is intended to add further links from the pages dealing with particular kinds of damage repair, to sites or further pages giving illustrated technical information. Suggestions for suitable sites will be welcomed. Suggestions Contact E-mail The writer has been at various times a volunteer Community Adviser and Scientific Adviser and an Emergency Planning Officer with local authorities in the United Kingdom. An interest in self-sufficiency, historical architecture and disaster relief, has driven the writing of this website. If its ideas help with the re-housing of even one family, then it will have been of use. This site is part of an occasional series on Community Civil Defence, intended to help communities affected by extensive war or terrorism damage and widespread destructive natural disasters. Home Damage Resources Windows Doors Ceilings Roofs Walls Services Furnishings © 2003 Richard Edkins. Site maintained by Dalbeattie Internet. Last Updated 16th April 2003.