Houses
Generally, houses in Laos are traditionally self-built and
owner occupied. The most common type of house is the
traditional 60 to 90 m2
wooden house, built on columns to
leave a space below the houses for various functions,
from cooking to small-scale industries. This traditional
house has developed into an urban two-story version, with
Building Sector and Housing Situation in Laos
3
the ground floor used not only for living but also for small
retailing shops, storage industries, and workshops.
Construction of the traditional houses uses mostly local
building materials and local labour, which means lower
costs, since transport costs, among others, are very low.
Traditionally built houses often require more maintenance
than modern building, but maintenance is easy since the
building materials are locally available.
It is difficult to use simple techniques, to improve
traditional building methods, to produce cheaper and
more durable houses that conform to the local style.
Nevertheless, this should be the aim, since it leads to
sustainable development.
According to the statistic estimated in 1995 of about
750,000 households in the country, households with
living areas above 40 m2 make up more than 55 % of the
total surveyed households in the urban areas and almost
40 % of those in the rural areas.
People who are living in rural areas can cope with
their own situation even their income is nothing. They just
go to the forest looking for wood and bring to build their
houses. A very few they have to buy accessories to
complete their houses or cottages. In contrast, people who
live in urban areas have to buy every thing even a piece of
wood for fire log. Therefore, only a few and rich people
can afford a new house. Since most of Lao people are not
rich, the new generation families have to live together
with their parents or their relatives. Therefore, only one
Table 1: Housing Condition in Urban and rural areas %
HousesGenerally, houses in Laos are traditionally self-built andowner occupied. The most common type of house is thetraditional 60 to 90 m2 wooden house, built on columns toleave a space below the houses for various functions,from cooking to small-scale industries. This traditionalhouse has developed into an urban two-story version, with Building Sector and Housing Situation in Laos3the ground floor used not only for living but also for smallretailing shops, storage industries, and workshops.Construction of the traditional houses uses mostly localbuilding materials and local labour, which means lowercosts, since transport costs, among others, are very low.Traditionally built houses often require more maintenancethan modern building, but maintenance is easy since thebuilding materials are locally available.It is difficult to use simple techniques, to improvetraditional building methods, to produce cheaper andmore durable houses that conform to the local style.Nevertheless, this should be the aim, since it leads tosustainable development.According to the statistic estimated in 1995 of about750,000 households in the country, households withliving areas above 40 m2 make up more than 55 % of thetotal surveyed households in the urban areas and almost40 % of those in the rural areas.People who are living in rural areas can cope withtheir own situation even their income is nothing. They justgo to the forest looking for wood and bring to build theirhouses. A very few they have to buy accessories tocomplete their houses or cottages. In contrast, people wholive in urban areas have to buy every thing even a piece ofwood for fire log. Therefore, only a few and rich peoplecan afford a new house. Since most of Lao people are notrich, the new generation families have to live togetherwith their parents or their relatives. Therefore, only oneTable 1: Housing Condition in Urban and rural areas %
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