A Comparative Study of Expectation Against Actual Performance of Some Recently Constructed Residential Buildings in Calicut

A study was undertaken to evaluate the actual performance and the satisfaction to the user of a number of recently constructed residential buildings in Calicut.

Twenty-five residential buildings of various types covering high, middle and low income groups and situated partly in the R. E. C. Compus and surrounding ares and partly in Calicut city were selected for evaluation. The evaluation was based on a study of the plan and specifications of the building and its actual performance as revealed by a detailed personal inspection. Dialogue with the occupants was used as a means of obtaining the extent of satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Dialogue with the architects, engineers and contractors associated with the building were used to obtain information on any points not revealed by the plans and personal inspection.

The study has indicated that users are generally satisfied with the architectural design; their chief complaint is about the poor quality of construction arising from poor supervision leading to the use of poor quality materials and poor standard of workmanship. There may be scope for effecting economy by reducing foundations. R. C. Roofs can be so constructed as to be leakproof and dampproof even in a heavy rainfall area such as Calicut.

The study has proved useful in understanding the causes of greatest annoyance and irritation to occupants and in showing the way of eliminating or reducing them.