Building Blog

STEP BY STEP ON HOW TO BUILD

We have compiled a comprehensive guide on Home Building. The good, the bad and the ugly side of Building in South Africa today which we hope will keep you from making some painful mistakes along the way. We have avoided long drawn-out monotonous dialogue that usually comes from these HOW TO BUILD manuals and hope you find it interesting and helpful.

If you have any advice to give others regarding a building experience good or bad we might include this in our next Edition with your particulars. Input from Builders welcome.

While every effort has been made to ensure all information and details are accurate we cannot be held responsible for any errors in translation.

STEP 1:

BUILDING YOUR NEW HOME - THE BEGINNING - BUDGET AND BANK MORTGAGE BOND

For the on-going simplification of text and understanding all loan financial institutions will be referred to as: "THE BANK" and so too will all land be referred to as: "THE PLOT."

YOUR MONTHLY BUDGET - INCOME AND EXPENDITURE

Make absolutely certain by working out an income and expenditure schedule you can without a doubt afford to buy a plot and build a new home. You must have an established source of income and the Bank will expect proof of this. You must of course also have a good credit record.

Make allowances Over and above the costs of building and repayment costs there are also the regular monthly overheads such as:

Armed Response, Car installment, Rental, Electricity, Water, School fees, Insurance, Medical aid, Food - sundries, Pet food and vet, Petrol, Garden Services, Maid, Telephones, Cash for emergencies. And there are plenty of other costs to keep you busy if you are raising a loan. THE MORTGAGE BOND LOAN WITH THE BANK There are three ways to buy property. Pay cash for the full purchase price Pay cash for part of the purchase price and use a Bank Loan (Bond) for the balance Pay full purchase price using Bank Loan (100% Bond) If you are not big on surprises then I would suggest you apply to the Bank for a pre-approved Home Loan which will clear the way later on for the real deal and give you a good indication of what amount you can spend on your build.

STEP 2: HIDDEN COSTS AND COSTS INVOLVED - THE BANK

LOAN Here is a list of costs you could and probably will come across during the home loan/building process. A list of monumental proportions you will agree! AGENTS FEE DEPOSIT - percentage of the purchase price ASSESSMENT/VALUATION BY BANK BOND REGISTRATION FEES ATTORNEY/CONVEYANCING FEES DEEDS OFFICE REGISTRATION FEES TRANSFER FEES DEED OF TRANSFER STORAGE FEE STAMP DUTY SCRUTINY FEES plus PETTIES TRANSFER DUTY INTERIM INTEREST DEPOSITS - phone, water and electricity connections ARCHITECTS FEES NHBRC - fee for enrolment (don't start building until building is registered or you will be fined).. QUANTITY SURVEY - if you are using one GEOTECHNICAL FEE - soil analysis ENGINEERS FEE INSPECTION FEES COUNCIL FEES SURVEYORS FEE MONTHLY BOND REPAYMENTS HIRE OF EARTHMOVING EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS SECURITY GUARDS TV AERIAL INSTALLATION DSTV MOVING COSTS PLUS YOUR NORMAL HOUSEHOLD MONTHLY PAYMENTS AND RENTS It makes good business sense to get a written STATEMENT OF COSTS by the Bank/attorney so you are not caught with your pants down in fields of sand and cement. The Bank Loan When applying for a home loan take with you: A copy of your ID Proof of income Schedule of assets and liabilities Approved building plans by Local Authority (if you are building immediately) A full specification of materials and finishes and other erection tenders Copy of your marriage certificate (if relevant) and a whole lot of PATIENCE The Bank Will Also At Some Stage Require Provisional plans or working drawings from your architect, at least 8 copies. A Signed Building Contract between you and your Builder. A Schedule of planning and finishing dates. Proof of registration for your builder with the NHBRC and make sure Builder has Insurance. The Original NHBRC enrolment certificate confirming that the property has been enrolled with the NHBRC (National Home Builders Registration Council) And you can count on there being a stack more. Sit down with your Bank Consultant and go through stages and forms from start to finish otherwise you will find yourself slipping and sliding on paper work and red tape, running hither and thither trying to collect, fill in, keep up with, copy and deliver forms that generally only the very privileged in very high places appear to know how, what and when these endless forms and in what order they require your attention. Choose your Bond Rate and Loan Term. Deposit: 10% or MORE and interest. The more cash you make available as a deposit on the amount you want to borrow the better for you. The more money you owe the Bank the higher the Bond and the longer it will take to pay off and the tighter the noose will feel around your neck... A Bank inspector will be sent to the plot to ensure that it is adequate security for the loan amount. This 'scrutiny fee' is payable by you when and if you take on the bond when it is offered. If the plot is fully paid and registered in your name at the time of applying for the bond then the value of the plot would usually serve as your deposit. It is not possible to buy property without a handy amount of cash available so forget that fantasy here and now. A substantial deposit is always asked for and when an OFFER TO PURCHASE is accepted the buyer usually has to put down a minimum deposit of 10 percent of the purchase price. The buyer will also have to pay attorneys fees, transfer duty, bond registration costs, interim interest, inspection fees, insurance and the rates still owing for the year on the property if not yet paid up and a whole lot more steel sprung charges waiting to hit you between the eyesand will have you on your knees in no time at all stay on top of your paper work. All costs such as deposit, bond and registration costs are required up-front. Once the bond is approved the Bank's conveyancers prepare the documents and register the bond at the Deeds Office.

STEP 3: BOND REPAYMENT

You will be paying INTEREST on the amount borrowed AND REPAYMENT of the ACTUAL amount borrowed. In the initial years installments are used up mostly in the paying off of interest. Much, much, much, much later a more substantial percentage goes toward repaying the actual loan. The bank will typically store the Deeds of Transfer of the property in its safe-keeping until the bond is paid up and there is an annual fee for storing the Deed. The buyer may be given a copy of the deed of transfer concerning the property. After Transfer of Ownership has been registered, the Deeds Office issues the official Deed Of Transfer to you as the new owner but in favour of the Bank in the event you backfire in making the repayments.

STEP 4: PROGRESS PAYMENTS

Progress Payments are calculated so that adequate funds are held in reserve by the Bank in order to complete the new home. Never and not even in a blue moon will a Bank hand the full loan amount to you and wish you well and may all your dreams come true as would be a nice case scenario for sure. What does in fact happen in the REAL world is that the Builder will get under way and get the building up to a certain level or stage of COMPLETED WORK (hopefully you have done your homework and asked the Bank exactly what level of work should be completed before first payment). He will then expect payment for his work done. You will then request from the bank your FIRST PROGRESS PAYMENT. An inspector or evaluator from the Bank will drive out to your site and scrutinize work that has been done and to what extent and he, in his mind-boggling wisdom will estimate that enough FINISHED WORK has been done for him to issue your FIRST PROGRESS PAYMENT and so it will go - to and fro... If your progress payment request is greater than the amount of work done the Bank will only pay the evaluator's estimated amount which could make him a very unpopular man indeed. However be that as it may the Bank will require in most instances the original signed and completed progress payment request form at least five working days prior to the date of expected payment. There are usually several Progress Payments that are made during the contract before your house is complete. Work through a progress schedule so you, the Bank and the Building Contractor know exactly what work must be completed before next progress payment is due. Get this in writing from the Bank. Progress Payments are one of the biggest headaches you will encounter throughout the building process if you are not well-informed. And TAKE NOTE: Boundary Walls have no value during a build as far as the Bank is concerned. You are also legally liable for payment of the work carried out by your Builder. And he can take you all the way to court if you do not pay him the amount he requests for work he has done on site. And for further red tape at various stages throughout the build you will have to get an inspector from various departments and expertise to sign off work done and to a level of satisfaction such as foundations, engineers and so on. All sign-offs and copies of sign-offs kept for safe-keeping as you will find someone somewhere will want a copy of some form that someone signed somewhere during the project. GET FILES and then get a cabinet for the files as you will certainly end up with enough paperwork to pack a cabinet quite solidly. Just to re-iterate Progress Payments are made for COMPLETED work only. Something very large and heavy could hit the fan by which the Bank inspector will not authorize another payment or reimburse you until work is actually finished and there you are battling because you don't have enough funds to complete the work because of a cock-up somewhere between you and the builder and perhaps the Bank themselves. A most exasperating situation I can assure you. Ensure and I cannot emphasize this more, each of the Progress Payments must cover a specific amount of work in total and perhaps a little more but never less. Utilize as much of your own cash in the beginning as you possibly can.

STEP 5: INTERIM INTEREST

FORMS, BUILDERS LIEN AND PRIME COST ITEMS Is payable on progress payments in addition to your loan. Ask your Bank consultant about INTERIM INTEREST so you know what is coming. You could very well find yourself having the biggest shortfall of your life as interest on progress payments sneaks up and kicks you right in the butt at the end of a backbreaking build where funds just aren't available to complete the home. As the final progress payment becomes due the builder will require his last payment. You must then inspect the home and ensure that the completed home is finished to your entire satisfaction. Turn on all things that turn on, flush all things that flush, open and shut things that open and shut, check all doors have their keys and are turning and locking properly. In other words do a TEST RUN on the home. Check nothing is broken or damaged and even missing completely. And if you want to go above and beyond.. spray water over your roof and down the walls and around the windows in case of any leaks which you will otherwise only notice one very dark and lonely night when there is a huge thunderstorm. You will then sign a Letter Of Satisfaction advising the Bank that you are satisfied with the completed home. You will also sign a CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY which is obtained from the local authority. There is so much red tape and paper work involved in building a home that whole forests must have been felled in order to keep up. Put your boots on, secure your false teeth, buckle up - its going to be the ride of your life!!!!! SPECIFICATION DOCUMENTS - SCHEDULE OF FINISHES The Bank will give you a Specification Document which you will fill in which describes lists of items of finishes and their values to be used in building the home, such as type of brick for exterior, type of roofing tiles, type of windows and doors and so on and their estimated cost. If you are not one hundred percent sure about these costs a quantity surveyor will come in handy here although he comes with his own cost! Do not suck guestimate amounts out your thumb as the Bank will have their own costing department and they will question your figures in no uncertain terms and normally their figures are literally 'to the bone'. Add 25% to your total cost. BUILDER'S LIEN AND BUILDER'S WAIVER OF LIEN Your Building Contractor automatically has a 'lien' over your property. A rather inexplicable way of saying he has 'ownership' of the property until he has been paid in full for his work on site. Unless of course you have a Bond/Loan with the Bank. They will require the Building Contractor to sign a Waiver Of His Lien over to them. They will then have 'ownership' of the property if you misfire on repayments. PRIME COST ITEMS - P C I Prime Cost Items are the last essentials in a home such as fitted stoves, ovens, light fittings etc., that YOU can choose for finishes and the last remaining amount that is allowed for in the contract. Clarify from your Builder and Bank about PRIME COST ITEMS and how much they have allowed for.

STEP 6: HOME AND TYPE - THE PLOT

Finding The Right Plot Inspect the plot to define the boundaries. Record all physical features of the plot such as trees, shrubs and so on. Look out for the best view possible from the site and whether this view will always remain the best view if you are buying into an un-built up area. A good view and privacy should be a deciding factor on home placement on site. If you wish to keep any trees or shrubs or feature on site then these must be pointed out to the Builder and even marked. Size does in fact matter if you are building a large home and you like garden space with lots of outdoor living. A plot of 900 square meters is small by standards and would put your neighbors on your doorstep. A plot of 1200 square meters upwards will give you more breathing space. Larger plots will cost more to wall or fence. Plots that are higher up have better views but can be battered by gale force winds, particularly coastal areas. Weather factors must be taken into consideration (especially by the sea and on elevated sites). Main entertainment areas, large windows and entrance doorways should be protected from wind and rain. Make an effort to shelter these areas when planning the home and ask the locals about the weather patterns in the area. The best shape of a plot is either square or rectangular. Steep plots will be expensive to build on. A great deal of time and money will be exhausted on retaining blocks, re-inforcing, earthmoving equipment, piling and access predicaments for delivery of bricks etc. Time wasted in running wheelbarrows with bricks etc. down to site. Discover if there are any servitudes (an underground or above ground municipal works etc. or public access road or path) on the plot such as drains, sewerage pipelines, water mains etc. You cannot build over a servitude, therefore building a boundary wall over these servitudes might cause a dispute further on down the line as council workmen come onto your property (as they have the right) to service the pipes and also digging up your garden and they don't have to restore your garden's former glory either! Get as much information about the neighbours on all sides of your plot and what will be going up next door or what is there already. You could have issues of privacy, blocking of views, encroachment, noise and so on. Do they have dogs that could become a problem to your family and your own animals. Do they have spoilt brats that lark about in the street. Many land buyers don't even look at the neighbors when buying land and yet an offensive or disagreeable neighbor can be worse than any servitude and make your life and the life of your family very stressful. When push comes to shove you might have to move. Ask the Agent who and what lives next door and if possible get to meet them. Visit the plot at all hours of the day. Check on the traffic and crime. Establish if there are any building restrictions in the area. In some instances there can be restrictions of home size and height, roofing, paint colour, animals, plants and so on.

STEP 7: YOUR AGENT - BOUNDARY PEGS AND OFFER TO PURCHASE

Once you have selected your plot, have the Estate Agent clarify from the Municipality that all services have been installed. You should have water, electricity, sewerage and telephone service connections. Make sure the plot you have chosen corresponds with any relevant numbers and any beacons or markers such as roads, paths, street lights, municipal drains etc. on the site map. Get an S.G. DRAWING (Surveyor General's Drawing). Make certain boundary pegs (typically metal poles) are pointed out to you either by the owner, agent or surveyor. The pegs are commonly located in the ground marking boundary of the plot. However they are not always visible above ground. The pegs must be exposed to you without fail before you sign the Offer To Purchase. A good idea is to measure for yourself the distance between each peg and confirm for yourself it is in fact the size you are expecting as per the S.G. DRAWING. After you are satisfied an Offer To Purchase/Agreement Of Sale/Deed Of Sale will be presented to you by the Agent. The Agent will get a commission from the sale and paid for by the seller. In most Offer To Purchase documents the words: (sold "voetstoots") meaning AS IS is written into the document and also means there is no guarantee by the seller that the property is without faults visible or not. Other clauses can be the sale is subject to the sale of the purchaser's property. A description of the property to be sold, the plot (erf) number, the selling price and the date by which it must be sold must be shown on the document. If you are taking a Loan from the Bank, this should be included in the Offer To Purchase as a suspensive condition where the sale is subject to receiving financial assistance if you haven't already approached a Bank and put this down in writing for example This offer is subject to a bond/loan being granted by Bank within a specific period, include all dates from date of the 'Offer To Purchase Agreement.' Ensure the person selling the plot is the legal owner and the Title Deeds are registered in his name and has the plot(erf) number, size etc. on the Title Deed. You can offer LESS than the asking price and if accepted the document is signed by both seller and purchaser who agree to this. You can add certain conditions into the Offer to Purchase. such as a subject to the plot being cleared and you can also not accept any conditions set by the seller on this Offer To Purchase but this must be acknowledged and approved by both Seller and Purchaser. Once the Offer To Purchase is signed by Seller and Purchaser it becomes a valid, legal and binding contract. If you are in any doubt about any sections of this contract seek legal advice before signing. The Deed Of Sale is handed to the appointed conveyancer (normally appointed by the Seller) and he will draw up the necessary documents. Both the Seller and the Purchaser will be required to sign the necessary documents. There are numerous costs involved and one would be well advised to make sure you are aware of them all and in what order.

STEP 8: MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS IN A HOME

You can work on an average of paying R3 - R4 000 per square meter to build an average new home as at March 2006. There are many different ways of building a home and one should look at studying these by taking examples from pictures and put together special features you like and come up with your own PERSONAL STYLE. I honestly do not believe that one can (in these modern days) choose a particular style of home for example VICTORIAN or BALI and reckon it will suit the family and look wonderful against an AFRICAN SKY. These fancy names are used by Estate Agents and developers but in truth some of those houses do not even vaguely resemble the authentic style they mention. It would be in your best interests to gather up a selection of photos of specific elements of other homes you have liked and then work these into your own home. Bearing in mind you want to come up with something that is attractive and have a good re-sale value further on down the line. It is absolutely ESSENTIAL to get your home designed into 3dimension reality BEFORE the build so you can see exactly what it will look and feel like Building a single or double storey will depend upon your requirements. A single storey will not necessarily be the cheaper choice. A lot will depend upon the position, gradient of the plot, shape of the home, finishes, plaster or face brick, flat or timber roof and so on. FACE BRICK or PLASTER: I would reckon on personal taste and budget here. Face brick will not require constant painting BUT will require intermittent SEALING as the brick does dry out and a new coat of sealer is applied to make the bricks look 'fresher' and of course face brick will cost more and take longer to build. One cannot change the 'look' of face brick, once built its there for life AS IS. Plastered and painted walls can be given a new look with a different colour paint but painting would have to be done throughout the life time of the home. One reckons on every three years but in my experience by the coast every single year a wall here or there needs yet another coat. Taking into consideration that paint is one hell of a cost these days. FLAT ROOF versus TIMBER ROOF: The timber roof will require constant maintenance throughout its entire life. Tiles will crack, wind will blow tiles off and fascias will need re-painting. The FLAT ROOF will require water-proofing and will be far more expensive however, having been under a timber roof in a high wind area for three years I personally would go with the flat roof. FLOOR TILES versus CARPETS: Carpets will require constant cleaning throughout their entire life so therefore I must reckon that tiles would be cheaper and more hygienic especially by the coast. However there are a few problems with tiles such as lifting, or cracking after having dropped a heavy object. As you can imagine in this instance one would have to remove the lifted or cracked tiles and then replace with the same tile (if in fact you do have spare or the tile shop still has that type in stock). Spare stock could become a problem unless you re-do the entire room. Something I reckon that is worth thinking about. There are wonderful laminated floors nowadays and can be placed at lightening speed compared to actual tiling and really look equally as nice as tiling but then I would reckon one would have to be careful not to 'scratch' a hole through when moving heavy furniture. TIMBER WINDOW frames versus ALUMINIUM: Timber frames will require maintenance throughout their entire life and having 'pampered' wooden window frames for three years I personally would use aluminium. More expensive but cost effective in the long run.

STEP 9: PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE BUILDING AND SWIMMING POOLS

You will have to get plans drawn up and passed to build a permanent swimming pool by your local authority. The plans will show the exact position of the pool and any existing buildings, pipes or cables and be a certain distance from these. Regulation fencing will have to be built around the pool for safety as required by most municipal laws. PEOPLE INVOLVED - BUILDING PLANS AND ARCHITECTS Fees charged by architects are prescribed by the South African Council For Architects. Ask for a complete run-down on his costs in total and for what service he will be providing you with. Architects design plans for buildings. He completes your new home plan with all the requirements needed for the Building Contractor, the Municipality and so on. The Architectural drawings depict different views of your home facing North, South, East and West elevations. The floor plan illustrates the interior walls and rooms including layout of driveway, boundary walls, roofs, piping etc. Various people involved in the building process will require a plan of the new building. Ask your architect what the distribution is of plans and how many copies are needed and then some. When you visit your Architect for the first time take along some floor plan ideas of your own and plans you have seen that you like with measurements of each room within the floor plan and an overall size of the home. Use your present house or flat as a guide for area measurements. Simply saying vaguely you want an average 3 bed roomed, two bath roomed home is not a good indication of size, family requirements and budget allowance. Areas such as the kitchen might need more space to add on a breakfast nook and thereby not requiring a full-sized dining room making more space for the lounge. Take along pictures you have seen in magazines of other houses you have seen and liked, even if it is just some part of them. Also consider your entire family's needs when you design your new home. Do not hesitate to ask him to re-design certain aspects of the plan in the intermediate stages if you are not happy with it. Ask to see other homes he has designed and what building contractors and sub contractors he recommends. Make the most of your local municipality for their input on reliable and registered builders, architects, plumbers etc. in your area. BUILDING OPTIONS Submit your architectural detailed drawings, specifications and construction specs with the address of site and positioning of the home to various registered builders of choice for Tender. In the best case scenario he will be tendering a FULL CONTRACT for the entire build with a PROJECT MANAGER to report to. The Building Contractor will give you a cost breakdown of the project. Every detail and cost involved from start to finish should be within his tender from materials to labour.

STEP 10: BUILDING REGULATIONS AND SAFETY

There are building and safety regulations pertaining to heights of walls interior and exterior, garage walls and doors that lead into the home, firewalls and doors. These must be adhered to or it could cost you at sign-off. Find out from the authorities the regulations for your region and get a copy of this. THE BUILDER AND THE CONTRACT A FULL CONTRACT with the Builder should include: He will supply all materials Hire all sub-contractors ( such as plumbers, electricians, roofing and so on) Arrange all approvals Work with the architect Arrange inspections by Council Managing start to finish He must pay his employees on due date to avoid strikes and slow work He should have his own insurance cover for theft and breakage of his machinery and tools. Make sure you are not responsible for this bearing in mind of course the security of your site and theft will run it's course if there is no security in particular during the night and in this day and age this is not a guarantee that what is in place will still be there in the morning. Get clarification in Builder's Contract regarding security otherwise it will become an issue, I have yet to come across a single build whereby theft didn't occur. The Builder will SUB-CONTRACT specific work such as roofing, electrical and plumbing and so on. The Building Contractor is responsible for their workmanship. If YOU get in a sub-contractor to do work then YOU will be responsible for work done and cannot hold the Building Contractor liable for quality of work, damages and so on. Never ask the builder to estimate the cost of the project. A complete and written quote is what you require from him. The final figure on the quote in total is what you will be liable for and not a cent more unless an act of God causes unforeseen damage that neither of you anticipated. It is never a good option to choose the cheapest tender, the low cost might indicate a lack of savvy or desperation due to previous sub-standard workmanship. You can then bet he will cut so many corners your will be left with a building that has no end (mainly because you will be spending every last cent you have fixing up the mess the Builder left for you). All Builders should have examples of other homes or building they have completed and it is in your own interest to go and see these buildings and speak to people who own them. Spend some time with each Builder preferably out on site discussing the project and how they will be approaching it. You and your Builder will be spending much time together so make sure you can get on with the man on a daily basis for months on end and that he is willing to put his money where his mouth is. It is a good idea to COST THE JOB yourself or take it to a quantity surveyor then you will have an idea of what costs are involved. A contract between you and the builder can then be drawn up and conditions put down by each party. Your attorney should be able to advise you on contract details here. The contract is a valid, legal and binding document once you and the building contractor have signed it. Subjective witnesses must be present when this is signed. Here I would go with your attorney in the event of a difference of opinion later on. The Bank will not be involved with the Builder and cannot be held responsible for any work done by the Builder. Ensure the Building Contractor is registered with the National Home Builders Registration Council. NHBRC. Ensure the Builder is not black-listed by the Bank BEFORE you sign the contract.

STEP 10: THE NHBRC AND THE BUILDER

The NHBRC protects the owner who builds a new home. They will ensure that work carried out in the construction of the new home is of a high quality and workmanship. Building contractors must register with the NHBRC and maintain this registration every year. If your builder is not registered with the NHBRC and has never been registered and he claims to have been building houses for 20 odd years be on your guard and stay alert. There are a few Builders out there that appear to be the most delightfully witty and agreeable people on the face of the earth BEFORE they get the job but AFTER they have been awarded the job they turn into absentee trolls who will cost you a huge amount of money while they play their dodge-em games with you. Some might even be building two or three other homes at the same time which you knew nothing about and using YOUR items to finish OTHER jobs and YES it has indeed happened. YOUR VERY WORST CASE SCENARIO Building Contractor is never on site Men go unsupervised Men go slow Cannot get hold of Building Contractor phone is off No materials have been ordered Men cannot work and sent home Building Contractor is removing materials from site for his own home It rains for 7 days and 7 nights After you and the building contractor have signed the Contract Agreement the builder will enroll the home with the NHBRC at least 15 days before commencement of construction. An enrolment certificate will be issued. The enrolment certificate must be handed into the Bank. (always make copies of documents for your own records and safety). The NHBRC is paid a fee and please note here that late enrolment will lead to a hefty unnecessary penalty. No building is to take place BEFORE this has been finalized. In the event of a complaint while construction is in progress or up to 5 years thereafter the NHBRC may be contacted if you and the building contractor have a difference of opinion on an issue. An inspector from the NHBRC will randomly visit site ensuring quality workmanship. The NHBRC will at its own cost repair major structural defects where the building contractor refuses or is unable to rectify a fault after a complaint is received up to a period of 5 years. Here is a helpful example of work and standards to be written into the contract with your Building Contractor for signature and acceptance. ************************* The works shall be completed in accordance with the following specifications and conditions: All construction, fixtures and fitting, waterproofing systems, materials and workmanship to be in accordance with the standards and regulations as prescribed by the NATIONAL HOME BUILDERS REGISTRATION COUNCIL, THE LOCAL AUTHORITY AND NATIONAL BUILDING REGULATIONS. All structural work to be to engineers design and specification. Building area on prepared building platform to be soil poisoned by specialist and certificate lodged with local authority. Building contractor to call for all local authority inspections as and when required. Roof certificate to be provided as required. Electrical work to be carried out by a registered electrician. Galvanized Brick-force to be laid every (x) amount of courses. Min double skin brick wall between garage and dwelling taken full height to underside of roofing material. Min 85mm step down to garage from dwelling to be provided. Min one hour rated fire door between garage and dwelling. (If using Face Brick) Exterior Brick to be painted with sealer at finish of project. Drainage Notes: All drainage to comply with National Building Regulations and local bylaws All drainage to be carried out by a registered plumber Inspection eyes to be provided at all bends and junctions And so on Try and specify a date of completion to give you some idea of the time factor involved. In the event of the home not being finished by the date specified in the contract you may be able to claim damages from the Builder in respect of penalties whereby the builder loses money for every day or week beyond the contract time.

STEP 10: PROJECT MANAGER

He is a person who is well-informed regarding the building process from start to finish and can be employed by you to oversee the building contractor and he will be the only person YOU deal with exclusively. All building schedules, orders, deliveries and problems are left in his hands. He shares the responsibility of the project and bears the brunt of issues when they arise. He also deals with the local authorities and is familiar with the procedures and forms that are expected by authorities and at what stage. Employing a Project Manager removes the rather large and heavy burden from your shoulders and will generally act as a buffer from most of the knuckle-grinding situations that will definitely arise. He also manages, works together with the Building Contractor and all work on site. The Project Manager can oversee the entire project or up to a point agreed upon. Depending upon your ability and experience or lack of it I would strongly recommend you get a Project Manager to oversee the building project and the Building Contractor. The fee for his services will however make you sit up and clutch your heart, but could, depending upon your circumstances save you a lot of problems and money going forward.

STEP 10: QUANTITY SURVEYOR

He will be able to work with you, the architect, engineer and the builder and he must be able to give you a complete run-down of all construction costs of the entire build. He draws up a thorough statement of items and quantities required for the completion of the building project. He will also require a substantial fee for his service. Your Project Manager should also be able to do the same (considering the fee you will be paying him). Be assured there is a long and bumpy road ahead for the new home owner/builder and even a modest home could take as long as 8 months to complete. There will also be many times during the building process you wish you had never started, however once on the construction train you are obliged to remain onboard for the entire grueling journey before you disembark. You will be tested to your very limits by people who seem determined to do the exact opposite to what you asked of them and they will try and get away with just about anything they can including workmanship, materials, time and money. Be alert at all times through the months ahead, once the train sets off you will be astounded to see the size and length of it once it gets going! If you need order and perfection in your life then prepare yourself for the opposite.

STEP 11: MATERIALS ON A TYPICAL BUILDING SITE

STEP 12: THE FINISHES ON AND IN A TYPICAL HOME

* GARAGE doors (fitted by company), electrical or manual, fold up, tip up or roll up * DOOR FRAMES - commonly wood * DOORS - ENTRY - Solid, single or double * DOORS - INTERIOR - perhaps hollow core * IRONMONGERY - hinges, locks, handles etc. * WINDOW FRAMES - aluminium or wood * GLASS - windows * PUTTY - for windows * BEADING - for windows * CUPBOARDS - fitted - bedrooms, storage, kitchen * TILES - roof * TILES - floor, walls, showers * GEYSERS * BATHS - and fittings * BASINS - and fittings * SINKS - and fittings * TAPS - and fittings * SHOWER TAPS - fittings * TOILETS - and fittings * SKIRTING * CURTAIN RAILS * CONICES * CEILING BOARD * LIGHT FITTINGS - bulbs * SWITCHES - lights - covers - dimmer switches, down-lights * ELECTRICAL BOARD - * EXTERIOR LIGHTING - driveway entry, driveway lights, garden lights * INTERCOM * ALARM BEAMS AND EYES * GATES - security * GATES - driveway * FENCING - electric, garden, razor wire * WROUGHT IRONWORK - ballustrading * DRIVEWAY - tar, paving or cobblestone * RETAINING BLOCKS * WASHING LINE - poles * PAVING * POOL - pump, cabling, electrical box, backwash pipe, gate and fence

STEP 13: THE BUILD WHAT'S INVOLVED - THE SCHEDULE OF STEP BY STEP

Step 1 Architect Drawings drawn up and approved by council Loan and all necessary bank forms signed and approved The boundary pegs are already found and on view Builder gets all required approvals for construction to begin Your engineer will study the new house plans and specify where you will require certain beams, structures and re-inforcing, particularly with a double storey and sloping plots. The Engineer will draw technical specifications which illustrate where the structural re-inforcing has to be placed and how it is to be designed. A copy of each engineers drawing are handed to the Building Contractor, Architect, Owner, Municipality, (for inclusion with your original drawings). The Engineer will inspect each selected area as it is finished before signing each one off. GEO-TECHNICAL REPORT - The Engineer will require a report on your plot for samples of soil. Depending on soil type, extra foundations or re-inforcing have to be built into the structure for safety. Holes are dug all over the site and at different depths. Soil samples are analyzed. Reports on these samples are given to the Engineer who can then establish where the re-inforcing and strength is required. Get the Geo-tech report done whether it is required or not for the safety of your family and your building in the event of poor soil. Clay is the worst soil type. Step 2 Erect Storage and Security Shelter (if required) The municipality will require a connection fee to erect a tap for you to get connected to the main water supply and thereby water to site Temporary toilet erected in place and connected The site is leveled and cleared usually by a small earthmover Step 3 Site is surveyed and marked out for building foundations with timber and lime. Exact positioning of the home is marked. Step 4 Foundation trenches are dug Plumbing line is dug and run from street to site Step 5 Concrete is poured into the foundation trenches with re-inforcing steel where and if required. Your steel and reinforcing contractor will have drawings from your engineers as well as other plans of your building site. He will know exactly how and where to place his steelwork. Steel normally comes in long rods which are bent and 'tied' together in major areas for support and structural re-inforcing. Also done in Columns which are load bearing and in foundations, decking, boundary retaining walls. Steelwork is an essential element of a building and so too is it an expensive one. If any unusual building is envisaged it normally involves steelwork and re-inforcing specialists. Your re-inforcing Company must come recommended, registered and with good references. Step 6 Foundation brickwork is built up Step 7 Soil dug out of foundation trenches is backfilled and compacted Step 8 Soil is treated with a poison for ants (termites) Step 9 DPC plastic damp proof sheeting is laid. S.A.B.S. green 200 microns minimum Bricks are laid and built up Re-inforcing steel and wire mesh is placed Electrical conduit pipes and plumbing systems are installed and left exposed Cement slab is poured Brickwork is built up Second floor deck is built up with metal plates on scaffolding in a double storey or flat roof home Re-inforcing steel Concrete is poured and left to cure for a few days DECKING If you are building a double storey then a decking contractor will position scaffolding throughout your new home with large metal 'plates'. After the steelwork (reinforcing) is in place on these metal plates, concrete will be poured or pumped onto these and left for a few days to cure for your second level flooring slab. A skilled, expensive and time consuming job. It will include your engineer, the building contractor and his labour force, the steel re-inforcing contractor, the municipality, the decking contractor, the cement contractor and hiring of pumps to relay the concrete up and into. An extremely large deck should be done with a reputable contractor to avoid any weakness in the mix and avoiding a 'cold join.' And brickwork built up Roof trusses are placed on walls Roof Timber is painted with wood preserve Beam fill - brickwork fill between timber trusses Plastic Sheeting placed on roof Roof batons are placed Tiles are placed Waterproofing areas of roof where it requires it There are many designs in timber and tile roofs. It all depends upon taste, budget and weather. If you are having a tiled roof the company delivers the timber trusses complete and made up. They are placed on your walls. Batons are laid across waterproofing plastic and the roof tiles placed onto that. In high wind regions get the roofing company to include in his quote storm clips on your tiles. Inevitably some new tiles will crack and must be changed every so often. Once the roof is finished the roofing company must have in his quote a time period whereby he will come and re-visit and repair the roof at his cost. Additionally get the roof serviced once a year to avoid problems later on. Into his quote put down all water proofing that will be required on and around toilet breather pipes or joins and so on. Another finicky nuisance task especially on a double storey. The roof structure when finished must be SIGNED OFF by the designer of your roof according to National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act and receive a DESIGNERS COMPLETIONS CERTIFICATE (Timber Roof Structure) and your ITC ROOF LOADING CERTIFICATE (Timber Roof Structure). Step 10 Conduit and electrical frames are placed in walls ALL conduit MUST HAVE draw wires visible in each conduit for pulling of electrical wires through to their respective connections. Even if these conduits are not required immediately draw wires must be in place. Areas that must be included in the ELECTRICAL QUOTE are: Conduit from house to gate for lights, gate motor and intercom and any other exterior lighting or power points like alarm systems, pool pumps, electric fencing and so on. The electrical CABLE running from your home to the roadside and connected to the main service MUST be in the quote. The cable is expensive and will come as a shock in the final stages. The cable should be placed at a depth whereby it won't interfere or get damaged at a later date by any digging up of the garden for a pond or swimming pool. Quote must include and install all-weather proof protection boxes for all outside wires and plugs. Included in the quote for telephone conduit with draw wires from the room or rooms where it is to be installed all the way to the road connection. This is often over-looked and can be very painful towards the finish when such a minor but nuisance job has to be done. Include in the quote connecting of ovens and eye-levels, hot plates and other such electrical items. Include in the quote - Covers must be placed on all electrical outlets if they are not being used immediately, including future wall plugs, telephone plugs and electrical boards. These are also forgotten and then YOU have to run around finding the right covers to fit the right gaps. Count all plugs, lights and switches interior and exterior on the electrical plan and make sure they are quoted for in detail. Lighting is inclined to be neglected but is an essential element of your new home and for its smooth running day and night. Your electrician should have a book showing fittings for the home to choose from or you can order light fittings from a store of your choice. Pictures of electrical lighting and lamps can look very different in reality, especially in size and texture. A good word of advice is to go to a store with a large range of lighting fixtures and fittings and see the lamps etc. in the flesh to avoid disappointment. Outdoor lighting must be waterproof and buy the brightest you can afford. The gate lights and outside free-standing lights can be adjusted with an automatic light sensor which turns them on in the evening and turns them off in the morning. Dimmer switches make a pleasant touch in indoor lighting, especially in the bathroom and bedroom. Down lights always look good and the light is good to. Think about where your furniture will be placed, especially televisions and beds. Imagine where you would want a power point and for what. Make sure there are enough power points within each room to avoid using multi-adaptors. Step 11 Floors are screeded - A light cement and sand mixture is placed and 'floated' onto the slab for level flooring Step 12 Window and Door lintels are built in as the brickwork goes up Window and Door Frames are installed Step 13 Exterior Doors are installed Entrance doors must be solid wood. The sculptured doors with different designs on them look beautiful on any home (if you can afford them). One can buy all sorts of different doors but commonly moulded hollow core doors are used for interior. Fire doors are used for entrances from your garage into the home. The carpenter fits the window and door frames to the specified areas. He hangs the doors into the door frames and if necessary uses a PLAINER to shave off pieces of the door top or bottom to fit AFTER the tiler has been and gone. He drills and gauges the cavity for the locks within the doors and fits the hinges, handles and locks etc. The carpenter is a busy man without a doubt and his job is also to cut, nail and wood glue the skirting boards around the bottom of all the walls AFTER the TILER has laid his tiles. A tip is to paint, varnish or stain the skirting boards if they aren't already BEFORE they are nailed down, otherwise some poor soul will have a very long and fatiguing task painting them down on the floor. Step 14 Interior and Exterior Walls are plastered Step 15 Glass is fitted into windows Windows can make a luxurious home look very plain indeed. Send for catalogues of available window sizes and shapes and so on. In most cases you can get windows specially designed for your home bearing in mind frames must be inserted between glass (if it is a large window) for safety and strength. A window sill can be wide or narrow, painted or face brick, quarry tiled, plastered or wood. Aluminium frames are less maintenance and don't rust. A timber frame will look shabby quite quickly unless you are fastidious in the varnishing, sealing and cleaning. Your glassing contractor measures frames and fits glass. Different glass textures can be chosen for different rooms. For example a downstairs bathroom would require a FROSTED GLASS. Glass can be tinted for glare. Step 16 Ceilings are installed Conices are installed If you are having a tiled and timber roof then the carpenter will install RHINO BOARD (ceiling board) onto the walls. He will then plaster this ceiling board with a thin coat of RHINO LITE for a smooth finish. These boards are not large enough to cover the space of an entire room so CEILING BOARD TAPE is used to tape the sections together. The RHINO LITE is plastered over this. This sets very hard and when dry can be primed and painted. The carpenter places the CONICES the (the ornamental moulding) onto the ceiling and the wall. This seals the gap between the two. The conices are nailed and glued into place. If there is a slight gap where the plastered wall does not meet the Conice evenly a FILLER is smoothed into the gaps and once painted won't be noticed. Flat roofs do not require conices (a saving) and only if you specifically want the decorative look of them. Conice fitting is a lengthy, messy job indeed. Step 17 Baths and showers installed Step 18 It is essential to waterproof all showers. Waterproofing a flat roof involves using a bituminous primer which is laid onto the roof and then a torch is fired onto that, melting the primer onto the cement as a waterproofing system. Step 19 Drills holes through ceiling for electrical light fixtures Step 20 Electrician pulls his wires through conduit pipes Step 21 Plumber lays his pipes Step 22 Window sills are placed Step 23 Ceilings and Conices are painted Step 24 Walls are painted inside There are different interior and exterior paints for different areas in the home. Plascon DOUBLE VELVET - for interior walls - a washable non-odor paint which dries quickly. Lasts and Lasts. Gives a really nice smooth and silky texture. Plascon VELVEGLO - for interior or exterior - oil based high odor paint for metal, wood or plastic. A tough long-lasting paint. Plascon CEILING - water based non-odor paint for plastered ceilings Plascon UNDERCOAT PRIMER - an oil based high odor paint for raw plastered walls Plascon WALL AND ALL - for exterior walls Plascon For Exterior Wood Plascon For Interior Wood Plascon Wood sealer Step 25 Walls are painted outside If your home is face brick then a brick sealer is painted over the bricks Step 26 Baths and Basins are installed complete including - toilet roll holders etc. Step 27 Geysers are either placed within the roof on a lintel or inside the home within an area specified on the house plans. The PLUMBER must be responsible for laying the pipes for sewerage, storm drains, drain pipes, down pipes, guttering and connects to the municipal mains at the road verge. He should be responsible for the fitting of your baths, toilets, basins, taps and geysers, including the supporting brickwork/framework around such items. Thoroughly go through his quote making sure he includes everything to do with the plumbing down to the last tap and plug filter. Ensure he is responsible for the 'brickwork' around the bath or shower area. Make sure that the baths fit snugly onto and into the brickwork leaving no movement or hollow sound when the bath is tapped. If this is not supervised correctly your bath will move and when you lean on the bath edges whilst getting out the bath the grouting will crack away from the bath as it moves leaving cracks where water will soak down between brickwork and bath and this could lead to leaks through ceilings in double storey buildings. He must also include fitting of your roof guttering and down pipes and connection to ground pipes. Some plumbers leave this out of the quote and then you end up having to sub-contract to finish the job which becomes a necessary evil. He must also include the connecting of washing machine and dish washer. A finicky connection if you don't know what you are doing. Inevitably sometime during the building process one or more of his pipes will get pick-axed in a digging operation or accidentally cracked. Try and get him to agree to replace or repair accidental damage to the pipes and if so make sure the repair work is to satisfaction (otherwise you may have to fork over some more money to repair the damage to his pipes). Once all plumbing is in place check all taps and pipes for leaks etc. Switch all taps on and off and flush all toilets, see they perform as they should. Get him to show you where and how to switch off the mains water in case of a pipe bursting within your home. Make sure he puts this within your property at an accessible point. Make sure all underground piping is laid in an area where they won't (at a later date) be dug into while building a pond or swimming pool. Do not let the plumber install the exterior sewerage pipes where they will be ON SHOW on the exterior of your boundary wall because he was too lazy to dig a little deeper. Try and get the plumber to lay the pipe through the boundary wall at the bottom otherwise you may have a very long sewerage pipe running down your front boundary wall which might not look as good as it could have. Make sure the geyser is installed according to the safety regulation and even get the plumber to put this in writing. Storm guttering one can use PVC or an aluminium seamless gutter in the round or square shape. Make sure Garden taps are included in his quote and any sprinkler systems you may want. Step 28 Plumber places gutters, gulleys and down pipes Step 29 Plumber connects up Step 30 Floor and Wall tiles Step 31 Curtain Rails are installed Skirting laid down Step 32 Lights and switches are fitted Stoves etc. are fitted and connected Step 33 Electrician Lays cable Electrician connects up Step 34 Kitchen cupboards are installed Get the best you can afford for kitchen furnishings. The kitchen is the busiest area in the home and requires adequate space Step 35 Built-In cupboards are fitted Step 36 Ballustrading, security gates are fitted Get various quotes for metal work you require. Burglar guards, security gates, driveway gates, dog control gates, fencing and automation. If affordable get the biggest and fastest motor for your driveway gate as the cost is negligible and you might want to put in a heavier and higher gate at a later date. All metal work should be galvanized without exception. If not you will have a rust problem very quickly, especially at the coast. Rusting burglar guards are dirty and smelly and become very hard to repair once the rust process has begun. Step 37 The site is cleaned up and rubble removed Step 38 Alarm is installed Step 39 The driveway is tarred Driveway gates are fitted Tar is the most effective for the driveway and probably the cheapest and quickest. A weed and ant poison should be applied to the area before tarring. Make sure the tarring is of the right thickness. Some use too thin a layer of tar whereby not too long down the line blades of grass make an annoying appearance. If you are on a slight slope ensure your vehicle does not scrape as you drive out the gate onto the main road because of incorrect angles. Ensure you have a nice wide entrance from road. Step 40 Washing Line poles are cemented in place Step 41 Landscaping and instant lawn is laid Step 42 A 3 months maintenance period is then lapsed and any defects in the home are rectified. BUILDING FAULTS A new building will suffer from plaster cracks and in most cases are not serious. The dried plaster forms hair-line and perhaps in some cases larger cracks mostly around windows and doorways. Most of these cracks are in the horizonal. A good filler and touch up is all that is needed. However more serious cracks caused by foundation movement are much wider and normally run in the vertical. These should be seen by a qualified person or inspector who will advise you what action to take to rectify the problem. Step 43 An inspector from the Municipality will do a FINAL INSPECTION to see that your house has been erected according to the plans specified and you must give him the original certificates for safe-keeping. (Keep a copy for yourself) he will require: STEP 14: CERTIFICATES REQUIRED * Your Plumber - PLUMBERS COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE completed and signed by your Plumber in accordance with NATIONAL BUILDING REGULATIONS AND BUILDING STANDARDS ACT. * Your Glazing Company - completed and signed by the Glazier a CERTIFICATE OF CONFORMANCE confirming that all glazing to the building conforms to SABS Code of Practice for the Installation of Glazing in Buildings. * Your Engineer - completed and signed a CERTIFICATE OF STABILITY FOR NEW RESIDENCE stating that structural work and storm water drainage for the above project was carried in compliance with the requirements of the relevant parts of the NATIONAL BUILDING REGULATIONS. * Your Electrician - completed and signed a CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE for ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS in terms of the ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION REGULATIONS OF THE OHS ACT. Occupational Health and Safety Act. * Your Roofer - signed off by the designer of your roof according to National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act and receive a DESIGNERS COMPLETIONS CERTIFICATE (Timber Roof Structure) and your ITC ROOF LOADING CERTIFICATE (Timber Roof Structure). * ENGINEERS DRAWINGS: If you have any outstanding. * Any walls that need retaining will also have to be done before the sign off is complete with an engineer's certificate or sign-off.

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