Some 300 wooden houses to be built next year by Duravilla

…90% of homes currently being built are concrete

By next year, Guyana can be ready to see some 300 timber-styled houses which will significantly promote the use of more eco-friendly homes throughout Guyana.
CEO of Durable Wood Products and Vice Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Rafeek Khan, made this disclosure a day ago during the Guyana Dialogue Show.
The reasoning behind the building of these houses stem from a recent statistical report that 90 per cent of current houses being built in Guyana are concrete-styled, while only 10 per cent are timber-styled.
“I am hoping that this year we can do about 200-300 homes in Guyana, and when I say this year, over the next 12 months to be able to do that.”
According to Khan, this major number will create a dent in the high percentage of concrete houses seen.
However, he stated that most times when timber houses are being built in Guyana they are used as addons and not entirely built structures.
“We are hoping to make a dent in that. There are not many homes that are using timber, most of the homes that are using timber are mostly renovating homes, those that are renovating their existing wooden houses, and those that are looking to put up something on their existing structure.”
Meanwhile, Khan mentioned that the main factor behind persons preferring to buy concrete infrastructures in Guyana is due to a lack of them not knowing the benefits in which timber provides.
Guyanese timber is commonly used in the construction industry for various purposes, including structural beams, roofing, and decking. Its strength and durability make it an excellent choice for buildings that need to withstand harsh weather conditions.
“I think one of the primary reasons is lack of education, many people think that a wooden home would not stand up to the elements, I find that people think that if you have a wood house, you have a cheap house, and then some people would think that wood is more expensive but if you were to carefully look at the value of timber and if we were to use more of this timber in the right way in Guyana, you would be seeing and getting a better buy so education-wise, we need to educate the consumer.”
This marks a pivotal step towards promoting eco-friendly living and aligns with the Housing and Water Ministry’s goal of utilising the country’s resources to build homes. In May 2024, Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal stated that the government is supporting the village economy, so the construction of hinterland houses and the locality of available materials are being taken into consideration. In early May 2024, Minister Croal highlighted that in Region Nine, persons can expect to see the implementation of clay block houses.
The Guyana Government also stated that this is because the community has the soil type to produce blocks as part of their economic growth. In communities such as Barima-Waini, wood has been used to construct houses due to the wide availability of timber.
Some 30 eco lodges were already built by the company and was set to be completed for CPL 2023 games to accommodate for tourists. However, there were several delays. The homes were handed over to the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) in 2024. (G2)