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Building Rules and Regulations
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This Months Most Frequently Asked
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The Facilitators Newsletter.

Keeping you up to date regarding the NHBRC and building regulations that might effect you.

Dear Valued Customer

Welcome to our February Newsletter.

The good news this year so far is that The SA Reserve Bank has decided not to hike interest rates for the time being which means that the prime interest rate is to remain unchanged at 14.5%. This is a welcome boost for us in the building industry.

"Unless a man undertakes more than he possibly can do, he will never do all that he can"
- Henry Drummond

NHBRC Building Rules and Regulations: Did you know?

In our January Newsletter we discussed what are considered Causes of Defects by the NHBRC? Today we will look at Design and Construction Requirements (Part 1 Section 2).

2. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS

2.1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
In the first instance, the design and construction shall ensure that all housing complies with the relevant requirements of the National Building Regulations and in the second instance with those requirements laid down by the NHBRC.

The NHBRC's rules oblige all registered NHBRC Home Builders to provide the NHBRC, including its employees, agents or consultants, with such information and reasonable assistance as may be required to assess whether the Home Builder complies with his obligations under contracts, the Standard Home Builders Warranty and this Home Building Manual.

Such information and reasonable assistance includes the provision of adequate information in order that the NHBRC can easily locate an erf on which a new home is being, or has been constructed. Failure to satisfy this general requirement will be deemed to be an issue of non-compliance with this Home Building Manual as well as a breach of the NHBRC's rules.

2.2 NHBRC REQUIREMENTS

2.2.1 Structural strength and stability

2.2.1.1 General
All housing units and any structural element or component thereof shall be designed and constructed to provide strength and stability, for the lifetime of the structure, in accordance with current, accepted standards of good practice. All timber to be used in a building shall comply with the requirements of SABS 05, and shall bear the certification mark of SABS or the acceptable certification mark of any other standards authorities.

2.2.1.2 Foundations (Substructure)
Foundations shall be designed and constructed to transmit loads from superstructures to soil horizons safely and without causing excessive movement or distress in the elements, which they support.

2.2.1.3 Floors and Stairways
Floors and stairways shall be designed and constructed to carry their own dead loads, in addition to any live loads which they are likely to be subjected, safely and without undue deformation and distress.

2.2.1.4 Walls (Superstructure)
Walls shall be designed and constructed to safely withstand any load to which they are likely to be subjected without impairing weather tightness and without undue deformation and distress.

2.2.1.5 Roofs
Roofs and their components shall be designed and constructed to safely resist any forces to which they are likely to be subjected and without the roof construction or covering becoming detached from its respective supporting structure.

2.2.2 Serviceability.

2.2.2.1 General
All housing units and any structural element or component thereof shall be durable water penetration and prevent condensation which may adversely affect fitness for purpose and withstand any loads to which they are likely to be subjected without undue defection, distortion or cracking, over the lifetime of the structure.

2.2.2.2 Foundations (Substructure)
Foundations shall be designed and constructed to resist differential displacement and to prevent the passage of moisture to the interior of housing units.

2.2.2.3 Walls (Superstructure)
Walls shall be designed and constructed to resist the penetration of water into the interior housing units.

2.2.2.4 Roofs
Roofs shall be designed and constructed to resist rain penetration and to avoid accumulation of rainwater thereon.

2.2.3 Behaviour in Fire
The combustibility and fire resistance characteristics of all floors, walls, roofs and ceiling assemblies shall be appropriate to the location and use of such elements.

2.2.4 Materials
Materials used in the construction of housing units shall be sufficiently durable and of suitable quality for the purpose for which they are to be used.

2.2.5 Drainage
Drainage installations shall be designed and constructed so that the installation is capable carrying the hydraulic design load and of being easily maintained.

2.2.6 Stormwater Disposal
Suitable means, preferably of a fail-safe nature, shall be provided for the control and disposal of stormwater in a manner which does not result in soil erosion or flooding which detrimentally affect the structural performance of housing units.

This Months Most Frequently Asked Question

Question (Home Builder \ Home Owner)

What is the catches/loop holes which one needs to look out for when a builder wants you to sign a contract when you want to buy one of his town houses?

Can he sell it "voetstoots"?

What warranty must he allow for or must be included in the contract?

Answer: 

Yes, a contractor can insist on selling a house as "voetstoots" when it is an existing home. Only in a case where you have a new home built and there is a building agreement between the owner and builder it will not be "voetstoots".

Voetstoots, means that you purchase the house as you see it. It is a good idea to add a clause to your agreement that you have a period of at least 14 days to submit a "Snags List" which will be fixed by the seller, at his expense within a certain period (say 14 days after receipt of the list).

In the case of a new home, the purchaser must make sure that the house is enrolled with the NHBRC and also obtain the "ORIGINAL ENROLMENT CERTIFICATE" on that specific property. This certificate is also your warranty on structure for 5 Years and roof for 1 year.

Please feel free to Ask a Question or visit our Frequently Asked Questions Page.

Notices and News

  • The NHBRC's offices in Belville, Cape Town has moved to a New Location.

Thank You for your Continuous Support

I Hope you find our newsletters useful. Please let us know if you have any suggestions if you think we can improve our content to add more value to you as a Subscriber.

Kind Regards

Andrea van Rooyen

The Facilitators
Tel: 086 123 6765
Email: newsletter@the-facilitators.com
Web: www.the-facilitators.com

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