As you leave Yung Shue Wan headed towards Suk Kwu Wan you begin to pass a lot of free-form construction methods in the houses. In this particular house it didn’t appear that the floor lined up from room to room. There was also a strange piece of cement that cantilevered towards the path, but had no access to it. Maybe the ground washed away from underneath it. The steps also were built without a form, so the edges weren’t quit squared, and the tread was different step by step. Houses like these were allowed and no code requirements or inspections were required until the early 1980’s. At this point the government stepped in and did a census of all of these houses. From that point on no new houses were allowed, and only repairs on the existing houses. Currently in the New Territories, the locals are getting a little over zealous and have a taken “repairs” to a whole new level. After some repairs, their houses have climbed to 5-6 stories tall. And in one case, a repair included building a large swimming pool!
Haha, that is one heck of a “repair” job 5 – 6 stories, too funny. Plus swimming pool…haha. Is that even allowed?
It’s not legal. But it took the inspection department 2 years to respond to the neighbor’s complaints. By the time they showed up the pool was done and the owners swear it was there when they moved in. They got to keep the pool. 😉
How convenient…haha 2 years , so much for lodging a complaint.