A HOME OFFICE HAS BECOME A HOME ENTERPRISE
Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape, South Africa Since my earlier article in 2020 regarding Home Offices in Nelson Mandela Bay, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has introduced their new Land…
DO YOU NEED APPROVED BUILDING PLANS FOR TEMPORARY BUILDINGS?
A temporary building must have a “start” and “end” date, but throughout the world, over the years, temporary buildings have become permanent. Often, buildings are erected to provide temporary accommodation…
ALTERATIONS & ADDITIONS TO SECTIONAL TITLE PROPERTIES?
When planning alterations and additions to a building in a sectional title scheme, approval is required from the Body Corporate for the Building Plan Application. What owner’s may not be…
WHY SHOULD YOU GET YOUR PROPERTY ASSESSED?
As Architects, we are appointed by property owners to assist them to enhance and add value to their properties. It’s usually one of the biggest investments and whether, residential or…
WHY SHOULD YOUR ARCHITECT SUPERVISE THE CONSTRUCTION?
In a recent article in “To Build”, by Pretoria Architect Ulrich Pieterse, he motivates why a property owner should use an architect to oversee construction. He explains the following valid…
IT’S A SECOND DWELLING, NOT A GRANNY FLAT:
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality have introduction their new Land Use Scheme. Now, there is no such thing as a granny flat, or flatlet. In the previous PE Zoning Scheme,…
NEW LAND USE SCHEME?
WHAT IS THE NELSON MANDELA BAY MUNICIPALITY’S NEW LAND USE SCHEME? The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has introduced a new Land Use Scheme, which replaced the previous 12 zoning schemes.…
WHEN SUBMITTING BUILDING PLANS
WHY IS A COPY OF THE TITLE DEED REQUIRED? In simple terms, all fixed property (land) is registered at the deeds office, which in South Africa is an entity of…
DRAWINGS FOR RECORD PURPOSES
NELSON MANDELA BAY, EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA. If you don’t have copies of the approved building plans for your property, what do you do? Building plans could be requested by…
HOW LONG ARE APPROVED BUILDING PLANS VALID FOR?
NELSON MANDELA BAY, EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA. When a building plan application is submitted, it’s processed by the NMBM Building Inspectorate, circulated and if in accordance with the title &…
WHAT IS THE NHBRC AND WHAT BUILDINGS MUST BE ENROLLED?
NELSON MANDELA BAY, EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA. The National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC), was established to protect the interests of home owners, ensuring that builders comply with building industry…
WHAT IS AN AMENDED BUILDING PLAN AND WHEN IS IT REQUIRED?
When building plans are submitted to the municipality for consideration, if they are not in accordance with the Building Regulations, Town Planning Conditions, or By-Laws, they won’t be approved. The…
FIRE, FIRE, FIRE!
Is your home protected from fire? To protect your home and belongings, you need to check that some basic measures are in place. There are many potential risks. Some may…
CAN RESIDENTIAL SOLAR INSTALLATIONS BE AFFORDABLE?
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa In South Africa, the electrical blackouts or load shedding, have had a devastating impact on all sectors. Large industries and businesses can…
NEW SWIMMING POOLS WILL NOT BE APPROVED
by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has reintroduced the ban on the construction of new swimming pools. They announced in July…
WHAT ARE THE INSURANCE IMPLICATIONS
When storing your possessions in a thatch lapa, or outbuilding. Property owners use freestanding outbuildings for storage and for other purposes, such as home offices, or accommodation. The structures are
WHAT’S AN OCCUPATION CERTIFICATE AND WHY’S IT REQUIRED
In the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa An occupation certificate is issued by the local authority to confirm that building works have been completed in accordance with…
WHY MUST BUILDING PLANS BE SUBMITTED AND WHAT IS REQUIRED
In the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa If you’re planning to build a new building, or to alter an existing, you are required to submit building plans…
SELF BUILDING
I recently took on a self-build alteration project to our house. I have some building knowledge and skills, but I’m not a builder. Taking on a self-build, whether a small…
IS A FLATLET A GRANNY FLAT?
Or is it a second dwelling? There are a number of reasons why you may consider building a flatlet on your residential property; You may have an elderly family member,…
WHAT SHOULD YOU CONSIDER
When installing an inverter in your home? The unreliable electrical supply in South Africa is a concern for homeowners. There are many options for alternative power being offered, for example;…
WHY AN ARCHITECT SHOULD SUPERVISE
The construction of your building project? An Architect’s roll is not only to design a building. A substantial amount of time is spent on site managing the construction process. A…
NOTICE OF UNAUTHORISED STRUCTURES
In the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa The majority of properties in Nelson Mandela Bay, and probably South Africa have some form of illegal structure, without approved…
THE COSTS WHEN BUYING A PROPERTY
Be aware of all the additional costs over and above the purchase price/strong When buying a property, there are a number of costs, which a buyer needs to be aware…
CORRECT ADVICE
In the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa If you want the correct advice on your property matter, ask the correct people – The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality…
KERB APPEAL
The exterior view of a property can either attract or deter potential buyers Kerb appeal is an American term, but appropriate to residential property wherever you are. When selling a…
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
In the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa You’ve probably heard this many times and your tame estate agent will tell you, it’s the most important consideration, when…
HOME SECURITY, PART 1
It’s more than just a lock on the door Property owners should evaluate their safety and the security of their property in a holistic approach. It’s not simply installing the…
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HOMES STREET APPEAL
Some simple suggestions Do people use your home as a landmark, when directing others to their home? Or are you the one saying, “You know the house with the fantastic…
HOME SECURITY, PART 2
A layered approach discourages burglars Part 1 of Home Security touched on Personal Safety and introduced the layered approach to Home Security. Part 2 expands on the layered approach and…
HOW LONG ARE APPROVED BUILDING PLANS VALID
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa Property owners in South Africa may not be aware that approved building plans are only valid for one year, from the date…
UNAUTHORISED USE OF A PROPERTY
In the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa South Africans are quick to take the initiative and start a new venture. Often, there’s little thought given to the…
LOAD SHEDDING AND WATER RESTRICTIONS
There are options for property owners Electricity and water are hot topics. If you have some time to kill, just mention load sheading, or water restrictions and you’ll have people…
COVID 19 & THE LOCKDOWN
The impact on the South African construction industry The construction industry started feeling the effects of the coronavirus outbreak in China well before the Lockdown in South Africa. The export…
WHEN IS A SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN REQUIRED
In the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa Why must a Site Development Plan be submitted? Municipalities require Site Development Plans (SDP) at an early stage to determine…
RESTRICTIVE CONDITIONS
In the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa In an article published in February 2020, I spoke about the removal of Restrictive Conditions, but when is it necessary…
SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN APPLICATIONS (SDP)
Standard operating procedures for the COVID-19 period The Covid 19 pandemic has impacted municipal services. The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s Town Planning Directorate is operating, but on a rotation basis.…
IS THERE A GRACE PERIOD, OR MORATORIUM FOR SUBMITTING BUILDING PLANS
To the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, South Africa In Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) has not given property owners a grace period to…
WHAT INSURANCE?
If you apply for a Home Loan, the bank will insist that you insure the property The reason for taking out insurance on your home is; if the building is…
SPATIAL PLANNING AND LAND USE MANAGEMENT ACT (SPLUMA)
In Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape, South Africa SPLUMA is a national regulation, which affects those applying for land use amendments, or selling a property. The act which came into…
RELAXATION OF BUILDING LINES
In the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa Has your neighbour built their thatched lapa against your boundary wall, with the roof overhanging, so that the rain washes…
RELAXATION OF PROPERTY BUILDING LINES
In the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa Properties have building lines, which determine how close buildings can be to the boundaries. They are town planning tools to…
WHY SHOULD YOU GET A LAND SURVEYOR
To check the position of your property boundary? When considering additions to your existing home or business, it’s important to check exactly where the boundaries to your property are. Particularly…
HOW TO IDENTIFY ILLEGAL BUILDINGS ON THE BOUNDARY
In the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa If you are looking to buy a property and there’s a building on the boundary, or your neighbour has a…
HOME OFFICE, OR AN OFFICE ON A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY
In the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa Many small businesses start from home and also, due to the current economic conditions, it’s more cost effective to operate…
INSTALLATION OF SOLAR PANELS
In the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa Due to the regular implementation of load sheading in South Africa property owners have been forced to look for alternative,…
REMOVAL OF RESTRICTIVE TITLE DEED CONDITIONS
In the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa Property owners in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropol, which includes Port Elizabeth, Uitenhage & surrounding areas, have been frustrated by…