Competent Person

What Are You Required to Do with the NHBRC as an Owner Builder? All new homes, by law, have to be registered with the NHBRC, some RDP houses are exempt from this. As an owner builder you may apply for an exemption from the Housing Consumer Protection Measures Act with …

All About Insulation and Ventilation for Clean, Fresh Air We all need fresh air to live, but how can we ensure that there is always fresh, clean air in the buildings that we live and work in? The answer lies in well-designed ventilation systems that are developed by professionals to …

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. They also deal with retaining walls …

Plumbing Projects You Can Tackle Legally Do you know that almost all the municipalities now require a plumbing COC (Certificate of Compliance) before they will approve the sale of any house in their area. The question is what DIY plumbing work can you do yourself that is legal and will …

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. …

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 the purpose” for which it is intended. Most international building codes, …

How To Be SANS 10400XA Compliant – A Guide New Energy Regulations We get quite a few queries about the new SANS 10400-X and SANS 10400-XA on our website. Here are a few: Q: Hi, I have read through the regulations, but need clarification on whether an application is required …

A Table for Concrete Mixes by Weight in Kilograms, by Bag, and by Cubic Meter, for Various Strengths We have had numerous requests for concrete mix ratios by weight, by volume, and by mass. Here is a table that was released by the Cement and Concrete Institute for trial concrete …

By-Law Definitions for Planning, Building and Zoning These definitions are mainly, but not exclusively, extracted from the Greater Metropolitan Area of Cape Town’s By-Laws Planning and Zoning definitions and explanations. They do and can relate to terms and phrases used nationally by other Municipalities and planning departments. We will be …

The Assessment of Alternate Building Technologies This article from the latest issue of AKHANI, the quarterly magazine of the NHBRC, addresses the use of alternate building materials and the legal process as well as the pending changes to their manuals. It is well worth a read. Assessment of ABT Any …

Environmental Sustainability & Energy Usage in Buildings-Part X & XA In 2011, in an endeavour to make our buildings more sustainable, and to decrease energy usage in South Africa, a new part was added to SANS 10400, The application of the National Building Regulations. Part X deals with environmental sustainability, …

A to Z Glossary of Definitions and Terms Used in the National Building Regulation Code of Practice   Every industry has terms and definitions that are specific to that industry, and the building industry is no exception. These Building Regulation definitions form part of the National Building Regulations and Building …

Stormwater Disposal-Part R, What the Regulations Say Property owners are responsible for the removal of storm water 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 …

Understanding the Concept of Competent Persons & Competency When South Africa’s National Building Regulations were updated in 2008, several new definitions were added to the legislation, and some were rewritten. One of the most important changes was to the term competent person, because a “competent person” is now required to draw …

Some Good Reasons to Owner Build The Pros and Cons of Owner Building: A personal review After updating our ever-popular title, The Complete Book of Owner Building in South Africa (published in 2012 – see book cover, left-bottom right), we were left wondering whether owner building really is a good idea or …

SANS 10400 Governs the Design, planning and supervision of all construction work Each section of SANS 10400, the Code of Practice for The application of the National Building Regulations (NBR) is presented with the relevant extract from the building regulations (which is law), and is then followed by a general …

Take Charge of Your Home Building Venture as Project Manager Anybody who is serious about owner building will want to have a degree of control to ensure that the project stays on track. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to be hands-on. Taking on the role of project manager …

Burst Pipe Plumbing Problems can Result in Water Water Everywhere It was a case of water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink recently, when a burst pipe began to flood our rented home. Tensions were high as water dribbled out from under the fridge. Another appliance was clearly …

A Review Based on Personal Experience Having just finished totally updating the ever-popular title, The Complete Book of Owner Building in South Africa I am left wondering whether owner building is a good idea or not. We’ve completed the exercise three times, and not once made any money, or in …

Good Lighting and Ventilation is Vital for Healthy Living-Part O In terms of the National Building Regulations Part O, all habitable rooms, including bathrooms, showers and toilets (and interestingly enough garages!) must have some form of lighting and ventilation that will enable people to use these rooms safely. The most …