It is legally required of you in South Africa to get planning permission before you start building, renovating, or extending your home. So, let’s get right to it and look at what you have to do to get the permit and where to start.
Choose a certified professional
No building and renovation will be approved by a local municipality unless the home building plans have been submitted by a registered professional with the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP). That holds true even if you are making minor changes, adaptations, or renovations. So, do not make that mistake, since the building inspector can halt, demolish, and fine you for any building or extension without approval.
Make sure the selected architect has the indemnity insurance
When you find your professional, you should ask him to show you his SACAP registration number and their indemnity insurance. Without either of these, you will not be able to move forward.
Thoroughly brief your designer
One of the crucial steps is not only to have a clear understanding, what do you want to do, but also to present these ideas effectively to your designer, so she can incorporate these ideas into your building plan from the start. If you have to change the building plan after it has already been submitted, this can mean that you’ll have to do it all over again. And that will cost you time and money.
Submit the application to the planning department
Which documents do you need for building plans approval?
If the building plan is in-line with the zoning regulation, it will then go to the building inspectorate where they will check the building’s specifications for statics, energy efficiency, and fire regulations. Depending on the nature of your plan, you may be required to submit additional documentation to the departments of health, fire, traffic, environmental, water & sanitation, and stormwater management.
