Structural Component Defects of Low Cost Housing: A Case Study at Taman Bandar Perdana, Sungai Petani, Kedah, Malaysia

School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia

^a Corresponding author: mzailan@usm.my

Abstract

Building defects are defined as building or house flaws, or design mistakes, that reduce value and cause dangerous conditions to their occupants. According to the National Building Agency, defect occurrences are caused by poor design, low quality workmanship, and quality of materials. The purpose of this paper is to identify the types of building defect that frequently occur in low cost housing. In order to do so, this paper looks into the major causes of these defects. The case study selected is at Taman Bandar Perdana, Sungai Petani, Kedah. The methodology used in this paper utilizes a literature review, interviews, and visual inspections involving both public and private sectors, in decreasing defects in buildings. The findings show that most low cost housing defects are caused by cracking, peeling paint, damp, leaking pipes, timber decay, sagging, fungi, termites, broken tiles, and electrical faults. It is widely accepted that the contributing causes of these defects include weak designs, poor workmanship, and quality of materials.