House building

About the NHBRC The National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) was established in 1998 as a regulatory body for the home building industry. Their mandate is to protect house-building consumers and to make sure that building industry standards and regulations are followed. Their stated aim is to protect housing consumers …

How to Build a Container House Mads Møller of Arcgency an Architectural office situated in Copenhagen, Denmark. Has come up with a container house concept as he says is  using “Old shipping containers used as the structural framework for the WFH-Huse. This is not just recycling; This is upcycling!”  The WFH …

Great Kitchen Layout and Design Ideas The kitchen, say the experts, will sell the house: an axiom that can’t be proved but which nevertheless rings very true. It is part of today’s house that, more than any other, will yield handsome dividends on your investment – providing you plan sensibly, …

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 …

Definitions that are used in the Home Building Industry Words and definitions that are used in the home building industry are sometimes a little difficult to understand what is meant. Here we have a list of some terms that are used with an explanation of what it is the person …

City of Cape Town Zoning Scheme Regulations We have included this Cape Town Zoning Scheme Regulations document to assist you with accessing the the correct information so that you can make the right decisions when it comes to planning any construction, building and renovation or the purchase of property with …

How to contact your Local Authority and Municipality in your District   We get requests almost on a daily basis about “How do I  contact my local Municipality?”,  “Where is my local Authority?”, “Where do I take my plans?”, “Where can I contact the building Inspector?” Well here is the …

Consolidated Johannesburg Town Planning Scheme, 2011 We have included this Johannesburg Town Planning Scheme document to assist you with accessing the the correct information so that you can make the right decisions when it comes to planning any construction, building and renovation or the purchase of property with developement in …

 An A to Z list of Environmental phrases and words Thanks to the City of Cape Town for providing the basis for this list to which we have added more entries. We will expand the list as and when we find more interesting and useful words and phrases. There is …

What the National Building Regulations say about Alterations and Additions to Existing Buildings In general, the National Building Regulations are not retroactive in their application. This means that if you are adding to or altering a building, you won’t have to ensure that the entire building complies with new regulations …

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, …

Temporary Buildings Must be Authorized by the Local Authority  “temporary adj lasting only for a short time” People often talk about temporary buildings in terms of structures that can be erected quickly and without plans. Some people go so far as to opt for what is advertised as a “temporary building” because …

Building a Masonry Arch Masonry arches can add immense character to homes, both internally and when used as part of the architectural style of the building. For instance in the house under construction on the left, large arched windows follow the same shape as the arched entrance that will welcome …

Electric Cables – What is Legal We get a lot of questions about which electric cables are legal and how they must be installed. So here is a brief rundown of the different types of legal cabling available and the way an installation could be done. There are various accepted …

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 …

Innovative home design, building  and decorating ideas. This is where we will post a selection of good innovative building and home design ideas for you as well as decorating ideas for your house as we find them and pass them on. Western Home Awards explore and give out awards after every couple …

Rapid Urban Decay in Jozi Blamed on Illegal Building The City of Johannesburg has lost control of town-planning infringements, according to an article published in The Star newspaper at the beginning of February 2013. It seems they simply can’t stop them from happening. The Accusations In the article, Ros Greeff, …

Concrete Mixes & Batch Ratios For Different Applications The basic techniques that will enable you to cast a foundation or slab are relatively straightforward. The secret to success lies largely in the correct quantities being mixed together in the concrete mixes you use. Although the principles of mixing concrete  and …

Fenestration and Glazing Guidelines, Procedures and Calculations. The guidelines featured in the pdf below give an idea to anyone wanting to calculate the Fenestration Compliance Procedures in terms of Sans 10400-XA:2011 and SANS 204:2011, what is required and what is involved. There is a step-by-step guide to area (nett floor) …

Glazing for Safety and Security Glazing is a vital construction element in our homes and other buildings. It is important to know how to use the right type of glass, in the right place, to make sure that our buildings are secure and to ensure that people don’t get injured …

Concrete Slab Step-by-Step Whether you are casting concrete for foundation footings to support a simple timber structure, or for a solid slab that will form the floor of a garden building to be built from wood, the principles are exactly the same. Of course, if the slab is to act …

Understanding what’s Underfoot The type of floors specified in building plans will determine the materials required as well as which sub-contractors or specialists are going to be involved in the building project. There are many floor coverings and floor finishes for our homes and buildings, but in construction there are only …

Clearing The Site – Getting Ready To Build Preparation is a vital part of any job in the construction industry, because if site preparation is not correctly done it can jeopardise the building project. Site clearing operations must also be safe so that there is no chance of anybody being …

Water Pipes, Steel Reinforcing and Electric Cable Detector Even though instruments that detect pipes and cables have been around for a number of years, they are, I believe, under used. Pipe and cable detectors are indispensable tools for any contractors in the building industry from plumbers to electricians, and installers …