Improving affordable housing delivery through the reduction of rework in the supply chain

Housing has been experiencing inadequate of supply which exacerbated by strong growth in demand. Several factors have contributed to the shortage of affordable housing including lack of investment from public and private sectors, land and regulatory regime and economic fluctuations. As a result of rework, the cost of production also dented the supply of affordable housing. The aim of this study is to explore the causes of rework as an alternative approach to reduce the cost of production in affordable housing. A qualitative research approach based on semi-structured interviews with experts in housing construction industry is adopted to investigate the root causes and barriers to eliminating rework within the entire housing supply chain. Preliminary findings suggest that reduction of rework through improved managerial practices, effective communication and collaboration among contributors in housing supply chain with a support of automation can significantly reduce the cost of housing production.