BISF was an association of steel producers formed in 1934 and was responsible for the national planning of steel production during the war. It later became key in the Emergency Factory Made post-war housing programme by the Ministry of Works.
Produced by the British Steel Homes company, the BISF was a successful design in numerical terms, thanks to the backing of its trade sponsors, who could ensure a supply of steel. The BISF also benefited from a guaranteed order of 30,000 units given directly by the Government in 1941.[2]
Design
Aesthetically, the BISF house is of a conventional design, with simple architectural devices of projecting window surrounds encasing and differing cladding to the upper and lower stories deal with the junction between components in an understated fashion. Traditional materials could be incorporated or simulated, for example a brick cladding to the lower storey, or steel sheet profiled to match timber weatherboarding to the upper. The houses used Crittall Hope windows.[3]
The main structure is of steel columns spaced to take standard metal windows between them. The central spine of the building which supports the first floor beams is carried on tubular steel columns. The framework is clad on the lower storey with rendering on metal lath. The outer cladding of the upper floor is of steel trussed sheeting fixed by angles to the steel columns. The inner cladding and the partitions are constructed of timber framing faced with plasterboard or hardboard. The upper floors are of tongue & grooved timber and the ceilings are finished with plasterboard or fibreboard. The outer walls and ceilings are insulated with glass quilting.[4]
BISF Houses were built as permanent homes with a similar expected lifespan to that of a traditional brick built house.
Confusion with temporary house types
BISF houses are often confused with other prefabricated houses built in the same post-war era. They are often wrongly referred to as temporary dwellings and incorrectly classified as such due to their visual similarity to the aluminium BL8 and Arcon temporary bungalows which did have an expected lifespan of just 10 years.[5][6] This can cause problems because many of the other types of prefabricated housing are listed as Defective Housing and potential buyers can not obtain mortgages. BISF houses however have never been listed as defective and continue to be mortgageable.
