All building plans have to be submitted to the relevant Local
Authority for approval.
The National Building Regulations & Building Standards Act (No.103 of 1977)
stipulates that no person may erect, alter, add to, or convert any building
without the prior approval of the Local Authority.
If you want to obtain a copy of the National Building Regulations & Building
Standard Act it can be purchased from the SABS online store here .
To find details of building guidelines and regulations online is a mission
itself. There is no one single place that you can access this information
from your relevant Local Authority. Some websites are exhaustive in their
content, supplying you with all the necessary forms, whilst others having you
running around in circles.
In the Before you Build section of this website you will find a
list of websites and contact people to assist you in the “planning” phase of
your building. (It is by no means a complete list and All About Building
would welcome additional contact details and information from the relevant
departments, architects, builders, in fact anyone who can shed some light on
easy and quick access to information so that all the relevant material can be
found in one single place.)
If you are undertaking renovations or
putting in a pool you
will require plans. Whenever the nature of the work involves excavation of
land, electricity supply, plumbing and drainage, you must contact your Local
Authority to find out exactly what is required.
If you are intending to erect a boundary
wall, Council approval is required.
If you are putting in a swimming pool, there are rules and regulations that have
to be complied with and a plan is required.
If you have decided to add
another storey to
your existing dwelling you will require an engineer’s report and plans must be
submitted.
Another very important aspect is if your building is going to be used by the
public you will require a fire
protection plan.
Generally you don’t require plans for internal renovation provided you are not
knocking out load-bearing walls – walls that are integral to the support of
the building. If they are support
walls,you will require planning approval.
Internal remodelling like putting in a new bath or revamping the entire kitchen
do not require plans, but if you are putting in a fireplace you
DO require approval as there are fire regulations involved.
It is very tempting to use someone who has a basic knowledge of
drawing plans - like your cousin’s friend who completed one year of
architecture at uni or tech, because it is so much cheaper. But the
ultimate cost of not using a professional person (an architect or
draughtsperson) who can “walk” the plans through from concept to council for
submission and ultimately obtain that final approval can be a costly mistake.
You should look at examples of various architects' work and contact their
clients to get references. Drive around new housing estates and look at
the houses being built. Get contact details and telephone numbers of those
architects whose designs appeal to you.
First and foremost discuss fees and get it in writing.
If you are planning to submit your plans yourself once they have been drawn,
check that you have everything in place. It can be very frustrating to
submit your plans thinking everything is in order only to find yourself facing
extensive delays, for example, the engineer’s form. But, if you do
decide to do the submissions yourself you will need the following:-
In
(Please see the Useful Contacts page in the Before you Build section of this
website for some useful contact details.)
You or your architect/draftsperson must prepare one set of
building plans for submission by colouring in the plan as set out in the
National Building Regulations.
If, for example, your building is hanging off a cliff, or on a
steep slope, or requires any kind of structural engineering work, then a person
who is Registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa must sign the
drawings and also sign a form (obtainable from your local authority) taking
responsibility for the structural engineering work; this form must also be
completed by you (the owner of the property, who is the "applicant").
A copy of the Title Deed must accompany the application, as well as a completed
application form and a Zoning Certificate.
If your building project is anything other than a residential house, approval
should first be obtained from the Fire Department, who will stamp the drawings.
If the zoning certificate stipulates that a Site Development Plan is approved
prior to the commencement of building work, then the approved Site Development
Plan must be submitted as well (if this process has not been followed, it is
necessary, then, to employ a Town Planner to submit a Site Development Plan to
the Land Use Management Department for assessment and approval before you can
submit a building plan).
A fee for submission of the plan will be calculated on presentation. The fee
must be paid to the cashier immediately. You will then be given a receipt
for the payment.
Waiting for approval is an exercise in patience!
The waiting time for approval is approximately six weeks. Phone and
request updates from your architect or draughtsperson or, if you have submitted
the plans yourself, it is advisable after about four weeks to phone in and ask
for an update, just in case something has been forgotten and your file laid to
one side. This can cause extensive delays, so make sure you find out that
they have everything they require and that the plan is moving through the
relevant department. All you require is your reference number given to you
when you submitted the plans or your erf number.
The City of
The National Building Regulations require that the following be
submitted:
Layout drawings (layout drawings include
plans at each level, sections through the proposed building(s) and elevations;
drainage must be indicated on the layout plans).
At various intervals in the building process compulsory building
site inspections are required. They are:
If you have contracted a builder to do your building, all of
these requirements will be seen to by the builder. If you are owner-building,
make sure you contact your local municipality and speak to the building
inspector there and ask for all the necessary information.