Abstract
This research study investigated and modelled low-income housing construction quality. The
primary aim of the research was to model to what extent community leadership, strategic
planning/policy, occupant participation, material procurement, government support,
implementation of standardization, and construction workmanship predict the low-income
housing construction quality. These were classified as the exogenous variables. A conceptual
integrated holistic housing construction quality model was developed based on the theory
developed from the literature review and the Delphi Study findings. The questionnaire survey
was conducted for the purpose of validating the conceptual model. The survey was conducted
in Gauteng Province of South Africa. Results from the investigation pertained to three broad
areas. The first results related to theory on quality studies. The findings were that the study
addressed the lack of theoretical information relating to which factors are most significant in
predicting housing construction quality in low-income housing. The findings also revealed the theory that low-income housing construction quality is multi-faceted and that the latent
variables thus lead to housing construction quality outcome variables which could be used for
housing construction quality measurement.
The second set of findings relates to the Delphi study. The findings from this study were that a
number of factors (community leadership and material procurement, amongst others), are
considered to be paramount determinants of housing construction quality in South Africa lowincome
housing. Further findings from literature and the Delphi study indicated that lowincome
housing construction quality could be a seven-factor model defined by the influence of
community leadership and material procurement, amongst other classified exogenous
variables. The last set of results pertained to the field questionnaire survey. Generally, the
findings were that the hypothesis could not be rejected. Hence, it was found that material
procurement and the other exogenous variables predict low-income housing construction
quality. The regression model with the test results and statistical significance of parameter
estimates for the hypothesised model fit to the sample data.
The study’s contribution to the body of knowledge is significant because it addresses the lack
of theoretical information (historical literature data) about which factors are most significant
in predicting housing construction quality in low-income housing. Also, the study developed a
new holistically-integrated housing construction quality model for the prediction of housing
construction quality in low-income housing. The current integrated model advances that
housing construction quality is a seven-factor construct, with the inclusion of two new
variables, namely government support and implementation of standardization. Previous studies
have tried to model quality using other variables without the inclusion of the present two
additional variables. This study has thus shown that there is more than one factor that
influences housing construction quality in low-income housing. Another noteworthy
contribution to the body of knowledge is in the methodology adopted. The literature review
revealed a lack of evidence, suggesting that a mixed method of using the Delphi study and
principal components analysis had not been used before in South African housing studies.
Hence, this study offers a base for other researchers to use as a follow-up for future studies.
Therefore, the study recommends that governmental, corporate, institutional and community
policy makers should consider the empirically tested factors as they plan for and implement
low-income quality housing programmes designed to enhance the quality of life of the poor
and low-income groups. The factors that increase housing construction quality should also be
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taken into consideration in future planning. Consequently, housing planners, designers and
other stakeholders will be able to contribute to ways of improving the low-income groups’
quality of life and level of fulfilment by carefully regarding the factors that determine housing
construction quality. Furthermore, the future of low-income housing construction quality in
South Africa should be responsive to the seven-factor model and especially to government
support and the standardization implementations, as these are considered vital in the total
quality housing provision. Thus, the development of low-income housing projects should take
into account that the standards are implemented despite the fact that housing construction is for
the low-income group.