Information Pages

It is a legal requirement in South Africa to obtain planning permission prior to building, renovating or extending your home, as per Section 4(1) of the National Building Regulations & Buildings Standards Act. 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

This includes all structures including boundary walls, lapas, swimming pools, wendy houses, carports and enclosed patios.  

To sell your home, banks will make require that the building plans are correct and up to date.

A building plan is usually valid for one year from date of approval. If you haven’t commenced the build in that time, you will need to resubmit the plans to council again. The plans may need to be changed to conform to newer regulations and requirements.

Each project is unique in design and requirements. Pricing may therefore vary per project. Contact us for a free consult and project specific quote.

We assist with the compilation of all the relevant documentation and requirements of the local authority, including the electronic submission thereof for approval.

Yes, a structural engineer must be appointed as part of the council submission requirements and oversees the design of all structural elements of a building. This includes, but is not limited to stairs, roof, concrete beams, concrete slabs etc.

It remains the responsibility of the property owner to ensure that he keeps a copy of the approved plans.

All property owners should ensure that the council has a record of their plans and if not, it is the owner’s responsibility to have the built structures on the property measured and plans drawn up.

A copy of the previously approved building plan is required in cases where a property owner wants to make changes to a structure, such as extensions, additions or alterations, or when selling a home in order to provide proof that the building has been approved by the municipality.

Property owners can obtain a copy of an approved building plan by contacting their local municipal building control office.

Copies of building plans will not be provided without the authorisation of the property owner. A formal request is to be submitted and fees may apply.

The National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) is a regulatory body of the home building industry.

Established in 1998, in accordance with the provisions of The Housing Consumers Protection Measures Act (Act No. 95 of 1998) the NHBRC’s mandate is to protect the interests of housing consumers and to ensure compliance to regulated building industry standards.

The Act requires all home builders to enrol every new home with the NHBRC at least 15 days prior to construction.

The South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP) is a regulatory and governing body for the architectural profession in South Africa. It is illegal to provide architectural services of any nature without being registered with the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP).

Registration verifies that a registered professional has met all the requirements expected from a professional person. 

NO. The National Building Regulations Act states that :
“Any person who, having obtained approval in terms of the Act for the erection of any building, deviates to any material degree from any plan, drawing or particulars approved by the local authority shall, except where such deviation has been approved, be guilty of an offence.” and the local authority may forthwith order the building process to be stopped, ordering the owner to rectify or demolish the building in question.

Should the deviation be approved by the building control officer, the architectural professional’s services can be engaged to draw up a set of new plans, loosely referred to as “as-built” plans.

An Occupancy Certificate is a document issued by the Building Control department of your local authority, in accordance with the National Building Regulations to certify that a building has been completed in accordance with the approved building plan and all other relevant City Council requirements.