Municipality – SANS10400.org.za are the Building regulations in South Africa

Can I owner build my own house in South Africa?

Owner Build Your Own House in South Africa: A Comprehensive Guide Introduction: To “Build my own house” can be an exciting and rewarding endeavour, allowing you to design and create a home that perfectly suits your needs and preferences. In South Africa, the process to owner build your own house is certainly feasible, but it…

Blogs | Boundary Lines & Walls | FAQ - In Full | retaining walls | Walls and fences

What are the best SABS 0400 standards on walls?

Regarding walls construction standards, a commonly referenced standard in South Africa is SANS 10400, which covers the National Building Regulations. The specific part related to walls is SANS 10400-N, titled “The application of the National Building Regulations: Part N: Walls.” This standard provides guidelines and requirements for the design and construction of walls in South…

Boundary Lines & Walls | Disasters | Foundations | National Building Regulations (SA) | SANS 10400

Tree Damage to Walls & Foundations – SANS10400-H Annex-D

Danger of Tree Damage to Walls & Foundations – SANS 10400-H Annex-D Cracks and damage to walls and foundations are caused primarily by soils that contract and expand due to moisture content when the soil absorbs water and swells up and then shrinks when it dries out. This puts pressure on foundations, and if not designed…

Implications of Non-Compliant Electric Fencing and Outdated Certificates of Compliance

By Penny Swift Author Electricity is a charged subject that often shocks those who don’t realize how important compliance is. Home Security Just look at all the illegal electrical connections looming over informal settlements. Notice people on social media asking who can do electrical jobs cheaply. Do they even realize that only qualified, registered electricians…

Municipality | National Building Regulations (SA) | Plumbing | Plumbing repairs | Water supply and drainage for buildings

Burst Water Pipes, You Pay For Fresh Air On The Bill

By JANEK SZYMANOWSKI Air Gives False Readings Main picture above: Burst water pipe in Gauteng. Picture courtesy Pretoria East Record Every time a water pipe bursts, there’s a good chance that the municipality will rake in thousands of rands from false water meter readings. This is because air passing through consumers’ water meters and water…

Disasters | Municipality | News | safety

Councils Must be Ruthless with Unsafe Buildings

Councils Must be Ruthless with Restricting Occupation of Unsafe Buildings I think it must be terrifying to be woken at 04:00 in the morning by a thunderclap that makes the whole building shudder. Then, in a confused state, you realise your bed’s still shaking and, no, it wasn’t thunder, it was the building falling down….

Building contraventions | Building Plans | Minor Building Work

Approved Plans For A House Missing – 5 Headings

If you are selling your house, and don’t have approved plans, you could find yourself in a lot of trouble.

Competent Person | Concrete & Masonry | Garden structures | retaining walls | Walls and fences

Retaining Walls

Picture Above: A retaining wall constructed from specially designed, interlocking blocks The Implications of Building Retaining Walls Part K of SANS 10400, Walls in the National Building Regulations (NBR) covers the structural strength and stability of all walls, including those that form part of a house or other building, and both garden and boundary walls….

Building Plans | Municipality | News

DAMS – City of Cape Town Planning Joins Digital Age

City of Cape Town Planning Departments Now Accept Plans On a Memory Stick After at least two years of development, the City of Cape Town has implemented and introduced its new DAMS (Development Application Management System). This new Development Application Management System allows all new development applications to be made and processed through the new DAMS and…

Electrics | Walls and fences

Electric Fences Rules & Regulations

Electric fences are governed by the Electrical Machinery Regulations which are part of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. In addition, local authorities and municipalities have their own by-laws that must be complied with. You can download the Electrical Machinery Regs from the link above. Below is an explanation extracted from the City of Cape Town…

Building Plans | Municipality | Swimming Pools | Walls and fences

Swimming Pools, Boundary Lines and Plans – JHB

A stunning swimming pool picture aboveWould you need to submit plans for a pool like this? See the post below.Pool by Prim City of Johannesburg Relaxes Swimming Pools Plan Submissions The City of Johannesburg’s Planning Department has confirmed that they have relaxed the by-laws relating to swimming pools and plan submissions. These regulations concern the…

Building & Alterations | Building contraventions | Competent Person | Reviews

Balustrade Installation

Ensure Your Balustrade System is Installed Correctly As it currently stands, the individual or professional company commissioning a balustrade sub-contractor has far more responsibility regarding their project than they realise. The Building Owner is responsible for ensuring that their project is SANS-compliant and signed off by a qualified Engineer. The Owner is therefore responsible for…

Building & Alterations | Building contraventions | Municipality | National Standards | Walls and fences

The PAJA: A Law to Protect Your Rights

The PAJA: The SA Law that Protects Your Rights We get questions daily about buildings blocking views, balconies overlooking neighbours’ bedrooms, building approval without neighbours’ consent, developers not putting in correct storm-water drains; complaints that the neighbours wall is on “my” property; the list goes on and on. People also want to know who they…

Building | Building contraventions | Building Plans | Owner Building

Nkandla – At What Cost?

Nkandla is Probably the Most Costly Owner Building Project in the History of South Africa Traditions come and go, and it seems once again to be a growing trend to have extended family living together in one home. But the numbers have grown out of hand at Zumaville, with the President’s brothers, many wives, and…

Disasters | News | Stormwater disposal | Water supply and drainage for buildings

Flood Damage

Is Flood Damage an “Act of God”or a Result of Bad Planningand Shoddy Construction? Pic above: The flooded N2 just outside Somerset West was a veritable river on the evening of 15 November 2013. By Penny Swift, November 16, 2013 As much of the greater Cape Town area and other parts of the Western Cape…

Why national building regulations for this house

Building contraventions | National Building Regulations (SA) | NHBRC

Housing Consumers Protection Measures Act of 2008

The Housing Consumers Protection Measures Act 95 of 1998 Updated 2008 – EXPLAINED 1. Purpose of the HCPA 1. The main purpose of the Housing Consumers Protection Act is to give protection to housing consumers. At the same time it created the NATIONAL HOME BUILDERS REGISTRATION COUNCIL (NHBRC), whose objective is to stand for the…

Building & Alterations | Building contraventions | National Building Regulations (SA) | National Standards | Zoning Schemes

Tshwane Town Planning Scheme 2008

The Town Planning Scheme for the Tshwane Region 2008 Make the right decisions We have included these Tshwane Planning Scheme Regulations to assist you with accessing the correct information so that you can make the right decisions when it comes to planning any construction, building, and renovation or the purchase of property with developments in mind….

Building & Alterations | Building contraventions | House building | National Building Regulations (SA) | National Standards

Municipality, Contact Your Local Authority

How to contact your Local Authority and Municipality in your District Here is the most up-to-date National Municipality Contact list We get requests almost on a daily basis about “How do I contact my local Municipality?”, “Where is my local Authority?”, “Where do I take my plans?”, “Where can I contact the Building Inspector?” Well…

Official Town Planning Scheme 2011 – JHB

Consolidated Johannesburg Town Planning Scheme, 2011 Download the Johannesburg Town Planning Scheme document below We have included this Johannesburg Town Planning Scheme document to assist you with accessing the the correct information so that you can make the right decisions when it comes to planning any construction, building and renovation or the purchase of property…

Building & Alterations | Municipality | National Building Regulations (SA) | National Standards | Walls and fences

Town Planning Definitions

A List of Definitions and TermsUsed in Town Planning Schemes Includes Land Use and Zonings Terms The Johannesburg metropolitan area is the largest, most diverse and most cosmopolitan in South Africa, so we have based this list on definitions from their Town Planning document, see: town-planning-scheme-jhb. These are not only relevant to Gauteng but are…

Temporary Buildings

Temporary Buildings Must be Authorizedby the Local Authority What the term “temporary building” means

National Building Regulations Glossary – Complete

A to Z Glossary of Definitions and Terms Used in the National Building Regulations Code of Practice Every industry has terms and definitions that are specific to that industry, and the building industry is no exception. This glossary of National Building Regulations definitions forms part of the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act (Act…

Competent Person | Municipality | SANS10400-NBR (SA) | Stormwater disposal | Water supply and drainage for buildings

Stormwater Disposal

Stormwater Disposal-Part R, What the Regulations Say Property owners are responsible for the removal of stormwater from their property. They may NOT simply discharge excess water onto adjacent land or into the street unless this is permitted by neighbors and/or the local council or municipality. SANS 10400: Part R Stormwater Disposal The law is very…

Illegal Building Leads to Chaos

Rapid Urban Decay in Jozi Blamed on Illegal Building The City of Johannesburg has lost control of town-planning infringements, according to an article published in The Star newspaper at the beginning of February 2013. It seems they simply can’t stop them from happening. The Accusations In the article, Ros Greeff, the City’s member of the…

Boundary Walls and Fences

Strategic Planning of Boundary Walls and Fences Boundary walls and fences are one of the most controversial topics facing homeowners. We are constantly contacted by people from all parts of South Africa who want advice – or have some sort of problem – relating to boundary walls and fences – often because neighbours have erected…