10 Lessons - Part 6 - Drawings
Hi, and welcome back to part 6 in our 10 part article series on the 10 things I have learnt about property development, while navigating construction and property investing in South Africa.
For this article I would like to talk about building plan drawings. If you are building a new building, extending onto an existing building or adding a back yard structure to your property, you need to submit building plan drawings to council for approval. I spoke about the importance of having these plans in my 1st article on paperwork, and here I will delve a little deeper into the information included on, and requirements to obtain approval for, your drawings.
According to SANS10400 Building Regulations for South Africa, permission is required to build any structure, even if it is classified as "Minor Building Work", which renovations and the like are generally considered as. This is a big topic of debate and essentially means that a Site Development Plan (SDP) should be submitted for every type of building, addition or external renovation that may be envisioned for the property. Most people would probably tell you that's not the case, but the only way to get permission is to submit a plan for scrutiny by the various municipal departments, on which they will provide comments on the proposed improvements. This for example would quickly show if there are any boundary or servitude problems with the proposed position of the building. To be clear, you don't have to submit building plans for minor building work like renovations (internally), but bigger structures like garages, cottages, swimming pools etc., do need building plans submitted. General rule of thumb is If there is a foundation, it must have a building plan.
To submit an SDP to Council for approval, you need a plan that is drawn and signed by a registered architect. To submit building plans to Council for approval, you must have an architect and structural engineer sign off on the drawings, as they will be held responsible for the overall design and safety, should the building fail in any way.
To make a good deal with a property, it is important that all of the correct drawings and approvals are in place. Be sure to get the approvals that are needed to succeed from the very beginning, because it is those things, when left unresolved, that trip deals up when it comes time to resell the property. .
One last comment on drawings, as individuals you should aim to learn to understand the detail in the architects drawing and what has been included on the drawing. By this I mean, are they standard windows and frames, did he allow for recessed lights or hanging pendants. It is important to understand this so that there aren't some nasty cost surprises because the price difference between one size of item and another can be significant, and equally so when it’s a question of quantity. Knowing what is on the drawing means being able to double check the builders quote that he isn't charging for obvious extra items. I'm also not insisting on having an in depth knowledge of reading drawings and all of the technical information on it, but simply to understand the basic symbols and measures used, to not get ripped off.
There you have it, part 6 of the 10 lessons I have learnt about developing property through being a project manager. I hope that you have gained some insight from this article that will help you to make more informed decisions on your next building project.
Be sure and keep an eye out for my next articles on the remaining lessons, and leave a comment with any questions or topics you would most like to hear about next. You can also sign up to our mailing list and receive our articles direct in your inbox so you never have to miss an issue.