The construction industry in belfast 1800-1914

This thesis examines the construction industry in Belfast during the nineteenth century. A broad definition of construction is used, which includes speculative development, building and civil engineering contracting, and building supply. The development of professional groups and the contractual basis of contracting are also examined. This study shows that there were a number of differences between the industry in Belfast and the image of construction presented in previous studies. Property development and housebuilding in Belfast were generally efficient, especially in the provision of low-cost terraced housing. Urban development was assisted by the ready availability of land, whilst council bye-laws regulated the construction of most houses. Speculative builders and building construction and both types of building firm were larger and survived longer than other studies have indicated. Construction activity, especially new building work, fluctuated in Belfast, but the impact on firms was moderated by the range of activities they undertook. These included jobbing, speculative building, building contracting, civil engineering contracting, specialist sub-contracting and building supply. Competition lowered costs without reducing standards. Most construction work utilised contracting procedure, which introduced an element of quality control provided by Belfast's architects, civil engineers and quantity surveyors. By the 1840s most construction work in Belfast was designed and supervised by professionally trained individuals. The supply of building material was efficiently organised both by specialist firms and by building firms. Technical developments in brickmaking and the processing of timber and stone reduced construction costs. The nature of construction work changed to meet the needs of the industry's clients and stimulated developments in professional practice, in contracting and in construction technology. Change, organisational and technical, became a feature of Belfast's construction industry during the nineteenth century.