Building Defects and Maintenance Needs in Transformed Kabuga Public Housing Estate Kano, Nigeria Authors

Abstract

As the ancient city of Kano grows and is being transformed to a cosmopolitan city, its peripheral housing estates over the years are constantly facing challenges of habitable built environment. The inability of government to meet up with the maintenance needs of these houses and provision of basic amenities has affected the standard and comfort ability of those estates’ streets and environs. The paper aimed at assessing building defects and the maintenance needs in transformed Kabuga public estate, Kano. Data for the study were obtained from field survey using questionnaire. The respondents were selected using simple random sampling. A total of hundred and sixty (160) structured questionnaires were administered. The data were analyzed using Mean Score and ranking model. Lack of preventive adequate maintenance plan and insufficient funds were the major factors influencing maintenance in the housing estate. The paper recommends needs for participatory and proactive measures by all stakeholders as a routine check will curb further proliferation of negative externalities in order to improve household satisfactorily and sustainable environment.