Basic Principles For Designing Your Dream House

Before setting your mind on a particular choice of plan or architectural design, take the time to read through the following pointers as set out below, subsequently you will be able to make a more knowledgeable decision in plan design & style choice.

SIZE

The size of the proposed house will often be determined by budget for most 1st time builders in South Africa but other factors will also play a big role.
Local municipalities will always stipulate a certain coverage and height restriction for a site in a particular area. Read through your title deed for possible servitudes (areas as set out by the municipality for other uses eg. Electrical or sewerage services) or other restrictions before planning is started as these might also greatly reduce buildable area on your erf.

Take a look at the following typical example:

You have just bought a lovely stand at the coast with a great view towards the sea. The size of the stand is 600sqm (20m X 30m) with a 3m building line all around. You contact the local authority or estate architect and find out that only a 40% coverage is allowed for this stand and that the 1st floor may only be 30% of the groudfloor area to not restrict sea views for the neighbouring houses.

You might be surprised how limited your building area has become with the above parameters: The stand’s building area is reduced to 336sqm by the building line alone, furthermore the coverage only allows for a 240sqm max. building footprint with a 72sqm upper floor. Therefore the building limit for this stand would be 312sqm. Read the rest of this entry »

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Wooden Summer Houses – All the Information You Need

A wooden summer house is so much more than a shed, yet to the uneducated they are remarkably similar. They both have four sides and a roof, they are both located in the garden, both have a door from the outside world, so what I hear you ask, is the difference? A wooden summer house is an extension to a house, a place that can be visited to relax and to entertain, not merely to store rusty tools like the garden shed.

The other main difference of course is the price, for wooden summer houses are not cheap. They cost a substantial amount of money so it’s important to choose one with a design that will appeal for a number of years and also is made out material that will withstand the harshest of winters.

Regardless of whether you build your own wooden garden house or buy one in, you will probably need planning permission. Every local authority is different so depending on your location you may get lucky, but either way it pays to double check before the building begins. There would be nothing worse than wasting all that money by having to pull the summer house down on the orders of the local council.

It’s important that you think off all the various factors before you start the build. Below is a list of key points to consider:

Regulations – As mentioned above, always check local building regulations with the relevant authorities.

Foundations – Regardless of size, all wooden summer houses will need foundations. This will help prevent the floor from rotting and also give it a slight elevation. Read the rest of this entry »

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Home Maintenance Tips You Can’t Afford to Ignore

Without a doubt, buying a home can be the largest investment you’ll ever make. With the average home costing approximately $190,000, many homeowners take great pains to ensure that all cosmetic and structural repairs are attended to. However, the truth is that many expensive repairs could be avoided by simply sticking to a routine maintenance schedule. Routinely checking your home for emerging problems will prevent larger, more expensive problems that leave homeowners scrambling for a quick repair–rather than a cost-effective one. Clearly, regular home maintenance is something you can’t afford to ignore.

When to Inspect

Spring is a good time to begin assessing your home for any damage or repairs that need attending to. A good rule of thumb is to check your home at the same time you change your fire alarm batteries–at the beginning (spring) and end (fall) of daylight saving’s time. Doing so will ensure that minor repairs don’t turn into major expenses. Some components of your home may require less-frequent monitoring (foundation), and some may require more (changing the furnace filter). However, taking a walkthrough of your home twice yearly is a good rule of thumb to begin with.

Who Should Inspect

If you feel unqualified to asses every crack and unidentified water leak in your home, feel free to hire a handy man. Not only will he be able to spot any problems, but he can also advise on repairs and costs right on the spot. Do you want a thorough evaluation? Hire a home inspector. Do keep in mind, however, that home inspectors cost much more (around $300) and may not necessarily find every problem. Read the rest of this entry »

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