A Homeowner’s Guide to Compliance When it comes to owning and maintaining a home in South Africa, understanding and complying with the building regulations is crucial. The South African National Standard, SANS 10400, provides the framework for these regulations, covering various aspects of construction, safety, and sustainability. For homeowners, architects, and builders, navigating this complex…
Building Regulations that Apply to Floors-Part J The application of National Building Regulations governing floors, encapsulated in Part J of SANS 10400, represents a crucial yet expansive segment of the construction regulatory framework. While seemingly concise, considering the extensive surface area floors cover within a dwelling, these regulations have evolved over time to offer a…
The latest version of SANS 10400 in South Africa is SANS 10400:2011, also known as the National Building Regulations (NBR). However, please note that regulations and standards are subject to updates and revisions, and there may have been newer versions released since then. “The National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) is revising its home-building manual…
Site Operations – Part F – Building Regulations Understanding Building Regulations Ensuring safe and responsible site operations remains paramount within the framework of national building regulations. Part F: Site Operations of the National Building Regulations continues to delineate the essential guidelines to safeguard public safety and protect the local authority’s property. This section addresses various…
Design, Planning and Supervision of All Construction Work Must Follow a Legal Process The comprehensive framework outlined in the SANS 10400, otherwise known as the Code of Practice for the Application of the National Building Regulations (NBR), serves as the backbone for ensuring compliance within the construction and building industry. Each section of this code…
Safety and Stability When Doing ExcavationsAre Top Priorities – Part G Part G of the National Building Regulations focuses on excavations and emphasizes the critical importance of safety and stability when engaging in these activities. Even in situations where the ground seems relatively level, excavations are often imperative in the construction of homes. The regulations…
Regulations for Foundations-Part HA Focus on Safety Foundations, Part H, of any structure, large or small, must be built to safely transmit all loads of the building to the ground. If foundations are not correctly built, walls may crack and at worst, could even collapse. While the National Building Regulations specify general requirements for foundations,…
How Construction Laws, National Building Regulations and South African National Standards Affect Homeowners Prior to 1985, various provinces and municipalities in South Africa had their own construction laws and regulations which, although similar, were not the same. Over a period of years, a committee of experts, including architects, builders, developers, and the Bureau of Standards (SABS) professionals researched and compiled…
NHBRC Review of the Technical Requirements A major revision of the Technical Requirements and Home Building Manual will affect the home builders and may affect the rights of housing consumers and those engaged in the housing supply chain. Housing consumers and key players in the housing industry will therefore also be afforded the opportunity to…
NHBRC Review of the Warranty Scheme The NHBRC recently embarked upon a review process of the NHBRC Warranty Scheme which will result in three new documents being published, namely a set of Technical Requirements for issue as regulations by the Minister in terms of the Act; a Home Building Manual containing the technical requirements prescribed…
NHBRC Suspends the Payment of House Enrolment Fees-PA003 The National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) announced at the beginning of November 2013 that the home registration fees, that must be paid on all new houses, will no longer be allowed to be included in the first progress payment that is made to the home builder…
The Photograph above: By Valenciano – Self-photographed, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29802079 Engineers Design Buildings for a Purpose Engineers around the world will design a structure based on the brief given to them by a developer. The basis for any good design is to have a structure that is “fit for purpose” for which it is…
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…
A List of 21 Town Planning 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 of Town Planning Definitions definitions from their Town Planning document, see: town-planning-scheme-jhb. These are not…
Building Regulations Part 3: Part R to Part X & XA As there are a total of 23 parts to the SANS 10400 Building Regulations we have divided them into three sections to improve the ease of navigation, here below is Building Regulations Part 3 The order in which the different parts of the regulations…
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…
Understanding what’s Underfoot The type of floors specified in building plans will determine the materials required as well as which sub-contractors or specialists are going to be involved in the building project. There are many flooring coverings and floor finishes for our homes and buildings, but in construction, there are only two basic types of floor…
Some Good Reasons to Owner Build The Pros and Cons of Owner Building: A personal review Perhaps you see the owner build exercise as a challenge. Or maybe it is an opportunity for you to prove you can do it better than we did. Maybe you’d decide to owner build just because you can! After all…
Building Codes & Regulations Section 2: Part J to Part Q As there are a total 23 Parts to the SANS 10400 Building Codes & Regulations we have divided them into three sections to improve the ease of navigation. The order in which the different parts of the regulations are displayed follows the same order…
Building Regulations Section 1: Part A to Part H As there are a total 23 Parts to the SANS 10400 Building Regulations we have divided them into three sections to improve the ease of navigation. The order in which the different Parts of the regulations are displayed follows the same order as the regulations themselves…
Living in a House With High Ceilings Personally, I enjoy living in a house with high ceilings. They add a sense of spaciousness, at the same time allowing a greater amount of air to circulate around the room. Although of course, this means nothing unless there is adequate thermal insulation between the roof and the…
Building Regulations Part-U Refuse Disposal Part-U of the SANS 10400 Refuse disposal states that ‘Any building, excluding a dwelling house’ that has refuse generated in that building will provide ‘adequate’ storage areas for rubbish containers. Over and above this the planning and building must provide access from the street so that the containers can be…
Even at Home Public Safety is Paramount-Part D Responsible home ownership extends to the safety of visitors and the general public granted access to residential premises, as mandated by the National Building Regulations. The focus revolves around key aspects, including changes in level, pedestrian entrances to parking areas in buildings, ramps, driveways, and the critical…