Owner-building can be managed in a number of different ways with the assistance of a variety of different professionals. If you are not sure which way to go it may be useful to make several copies of your plan and put them out to tender with various providers to get a good idea of the costs involved.
If you want to avoid the vast majority of the horror stories that are told by people who have had a bad building experience then this bit of advice is for you. Follow this structure designed to protect you and still give your builder every chance to complete your project within the terms of his quote.
I often use the analogy of the difference in approach when someone seeks to invest say, R3m on the Stock Exchange and consider the amount of investigation they engage in regarding on the stocks that they are interested in, etc., but will quite happily give the same R3m to a builder without batting an eyelid and then still expect a good return on their investment.
Building a house is a huge investment that hopefully will grow to well beyond what you paid. Like your investment manager, your architect has the responsibility of giving you a return on that investment both financially and in lifestyle. The first issue that your architect should be dealing with is your choice of building style.
The vast majority of people who contemplate building or altering their homes are not aware of the content or the implication that the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 (as amended) has on what they are doing. The purpose of this article is not to scare anyone but simply to make you aware of the existence of the legislation and what it means to you.
Any building work is an investment that could improve your lifestyle and be a pleasant experience or it could be something that you would rather forget about. How you approach it will determine which of the two it will be. The first thing to do before you even start your planning is to have a look at the Title Deed of your property
Any building work is an investment that could improve your lifestyle and be a pleasant experience or it could be something that you would rather forget about. How you approach it will determine which of the two it will be
Many people are unaware that all architectural practitioners are bound by law to be registered with the South African Council for the Architectural Profession, (SACAP) before they may practice and are thus bound by a Code of Conduct aimed at giving you the client, a good professional service.
Whether you want to build a new house, alter or extend your present home, it makes sense to consult with a professional. The professional will need to manage any or all parts of the design and construction process.
The vast majority of people that I speak to who have had bad building experiences could have avoided them if only they took note of a few simple things at the start of the journey. If you are working to a tight budget then what follows is even more important to take note of.
