I often get asked whether you need a set of plans to sell your house  here in South Africa.  I also get called a lot to get illegal / 'as built' additions and buildings approved at Council.  Fortunately Johannesburg Council is a lot more relaxed than elsewhere in the world and usually will only order demolition if you have built over a servitude or the building/addition is unsafe or poorly built.

Increasingly banks and mortgage lenders are making it a requirement for a seller to have a complet...

Ever since the 10-story Home Insurance Building in Chicago was called the first "skyscraper" in 1885, architects have been striving to create ever-taller buildings. Ten stories quickly became 20, 20 became 50, and on and on. In 2009 the Burj Khalifa in Dubai became the world's tallest building, with its 154 floors towering above ground level.

So why is the mayor of Portland, Oregon, calling a modest 12-story tower set for completion there next year “a true technological and entrepreneurial a...

Although it might look like the set of a science fiction film, this neighborhood in the Netherlands was built by humans for humans. Dutch artist and sculptor Dries Kreijkamp designed this unusual apartment community, dubbed the Bolwoningen (“ball” or “bulb” homes). Built in 1984, the residential development is comprised of 50 of these futuristic spherical structures grouped together amid winding walkways and tall trees, alongside a scenic canal.
Kreijkamp initially designed the bulbo...

Rice husks used to be considered a waste product good for nothing but fire or landfills, but now enterprising companies are beginning to realize their potential as a sustainable building material. A group of students from the Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering at University of California used waste rice husks to manufacture termite-resistant composite boards with help from a $75,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop and build affordable housing in the Ph...

What makes a house a home? Kevin McCloud discusses the 20 houses on the short list for RIBA's House of the Year 2015 as well as his own ideal property.

You might think, after 14 series, that Grand Desigs would be running out of projects to film; that the pool of families prepared to reveal the details of not just their bathroom grouting but their wallets and marital tensions would be running dry. 

But no. To kick off the latest Channel 4 series of the show – the 15th – the programme-makers ...

The building will act as a symbol of growth and prosperity for the city of Hanoi.

The proposed Hanoi Lotus Centre doesn't just pay homage to the national flower of Vietnam in name only; Decibel Architecture has designed the building to physically resemble a series of young lotus blossoms.

The Centre will be positioned along one of the city’s main roads and, per the City of Hanoi’s request, will sit atop a lake that will act as part of the city’s stormwater control system. The building is ...

A study by the Solar Energy and Building Physics Laboratory in Lausanne, Switzerland finds that straw bale buildings are carbon neutral. Engineer Adrien Chaussinand conducted extensive testing of ECO-46, a straw bale building that houses the Department of Parks and Gardens in Lausanne.

He conducted a life cycle analysis of the building, which accounted for all the energy that went into its construction — from planting the grass to the eventual destruction of the structure. “If all of the b...

Spend five minutes in humid Ho Chi Minh City and you'll probably be running for cover into the nearest air-conditioned refuge.
In the Vietnamese city -- and many developing subtropical countries across Asia, such as Indonesia and the Philippines -- air conditioning (AC) is increasingly being considered a necessity.
But one architecture firm is advocating a different way to keep cool.
T3 Architecture Asia, which has offices in Vietnam and France, specializes in back-to-basics "bioclimatic archite...

Our climate is changing. A shift in the number of wildfires, tsunamis, earthquakes, droughts, and heavy rainfalls has been attributed to climate change. These changes have had an impact on agriculture and wildlife, including the introduction of new pests and depleting habitats.

Humans and our current life style practices remain the leading contributors to climate change, with carbon being the main culprit.

To read more go to :- https://www.bebee.com/producer/@claire-cardwell/green-building-and-...

Right before Donald Trump’s inauguration last Friday, more than four hundred American architecture firms—such as Leers Weinzapfel Associates, Smith-Miller + Hawkinson Architects, Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects, Lake Flato, and ZGF Architects LLP—signed an open letter addressed to the incoming president regarding climate change, writes Allison Meier of Hyperallergic. The campaign was organized by the Chicago-based organization Architects Advocate, which formed in September.

The letter asks...

People working in green buildings think better in the office and sleep better when they get home, a new study has revealed.

The research indicates that better ventilation, lighting and heat control improves workers’ performance and could boost their productivity by thousands of dollars a year. It also suggests that more subjective aspects...

The recent storms and aftermath in Gauteng over the last few days means that it is very important to get a professional to check your roof for damage and any potential problems before  small problems become expensive ones.  Your roof is the first line of defense against rain, wind, hail, fire, ice, snow and extreme heat.

The Institute for Timber Construction - ITC-SA has written an excellent article on this :-
 

The first step is to make sure your Architect/Designer is registered with SACAP (the South African Council for the Architectural Profession) - since 2006 it is illegal to practice Architecture or for a de-registered Architectural Professional to practice Architecture.... The first step is to appoint a SACAP (South African Council for the Architectural Profession) registered Architect/Designer.  A list of registered professionals can be found at www.sacapsa.com.  

1.) Do you think you can wor...

It is a reality that South Africa's coal reserves will probably run out by 2020.  The largest draw on the Electricity Grid is residential homes.  We are all used to turning off appliances that we are not using or lights in rooms that are uninhabited.  Most of us are now using low energy light bulbs and many of us are installing Solar Geysers and Heat Pumps. 

Fact 50% of all your hot water requirements in a new home must be generated from renewable Energy Sources. 

Fact :  Home Owners are be...

In terms of owner builders and the NHBRC, genuine owner builders are not obliged to register with the NHBRC, nor do their homes need to be enrolled with the NHBRC.

The National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) was established in terms of the Housing Consumer Protection Measures Act, 1998 (Act No. 95 of 1998) (the Act). The Council is mainly established to protect the interest of housing consumers, and to regulate the home building industry.

In terms of Owner Builders and the NHBRC, ge...

Many people are not aware of the difference between a Building contractor, a Project Manager and a Bakkie Builder and there is a big difference. In many cases there is a degree of overlap and as with all businesses there are good ones and bad ones all the way through the mix.

Starting with a Building Contractor or Builder. Generally they employ a number of skilled workers and the majority of trades are done in-house. They own a much of their equipment and are able to take on larger projects. ...

WHAT IS AN ARCHITECT?

The Rev. J. Jessopp tells the following anecdote: 
The late Mr. Alexander, the eminent architect, was under cross-examination at Maidstone, by Sergeant, afterward Baron, Garrow, who wished to detract from the weight of his testimony and, after asking him what was his name proceeded: "You are a builder, I believe?" 
 

"No, Sir, I am not a builder; I am an architect." 

"They are much the same, I suppose?" 

"I beg your pardon, Sir, I cannot admit that; I consider them to be total...

ELECTRICAL CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE – NEW REGULATIONS

On 1st May 2009 new regulations came into effect with respect to the issuing and validity of anElectrical Certificate of Compliance.

There are a number of clauses under the The Occupational Health and Safety Act No 85 of 1993, which is administered by the Department of Labour,(initially for workplace safety but extended to residential dwellings), which are now in force and which have an impact on the use and transfer of  houses, dwell...

There are two options that you can follow. The first is to see if you can find out from the current owner who designed the house when it was built, because they should be able to give you a copy of the original plans. If they know who the builder was, he may be able to tell them if they don't know. If the house is an old one then the above is unlikely to be helpful and the only way to get a set of plans is to have someone measure the house and draw them up for you. If you are planning to alte...