ANY new building and any alteration that adds on to or changes the structure of an existing building must be approved by the City in the form of plans or blue prints or as sometimes called House Plans.
Who has to submit building or house plans? The short answer is everyone. Any new building and any alteration that adds on to or changes the structure of an existing building must go to the City’s (Planning) Development Management Department for House plan approval.
If you redecorate your kitchen, or re-plaster your house, you don’t need permission for changes to your house plans, because you haven’t moved any walls around or altered the drainage system of the house plan.
But if you make a change to the structure, for example, add on a carport, or even just move the front door, you do need permission and these changes have to be shown on a new house plan. When you submit a building plan for approval it is essential that you make sure that you have complied with the zoning regulations of the Town Planning Scheme.
What if someone fails to submit house plans? If you’ve chosen to build without having the house plans approved, a building inspector is entitled to enter your property and order construction to stop immediately. He could even obtain a court order for the structure to be demolished, at your expense, and you would be liable for legal costs as well. In serious cases, you could be fined or sent to prison.
What if no building inspector notices your illegal alterations? They could come back to haunt you years later – when you try to sell the house and the prospective buyer asks to see approved house plans.
Where can I get an application form? You can get application forms online (see box on right) or from the building plan submission counters on the ground floor of the Metro Centre, 158 Loveday Street, Braamfontein, between 8am and 3pm.
How do I submit the plan? You submit the completed forms, together with the building plans and supporting documentation to the same counter on the ground floor of the Metro Centre, 158 Loveday Street, Braamfontein, between 8am and 3pm.
What does the council need from me before it considers my plan? The council needs a completed application form, signed by the owner of the property or his/her authorised representative (proof of authorisation is required) together with a copy of the registered title deed.
The title deed can be obtained either from the attorneys who handled the transfer of the property, the financial institution that granted a first mortgage bond over the property, or the Deeds Office.
Where an application for approval is submitted by a company or an organisation such as a school or a church, a letter must be provided by the organisation authorising one person to sign the application form.
A copy of the approved Site Development Plan is also needed, if this is required in terms of the zoning regulations that apply to the stand.
A separate form also needs to be completed by a professional engineer or technologist registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa when structural work such as reinforced concrete floor and roof slabs, special reinforced foundations, and so forth are part of the proposed building.
Different certificates or designs need to be submitted depending on the technical aspects of the plan. You should consult an architect or engineer in this regard.
In the case of non-residential developments (for example, offices, factories, shops, institutional buildings and so on), a zoning certificate with a copy of the most recent Amendment Scheme is to be furnished.
How much does it cost to submit an application? Fees are calculated by the building control counter staff when you submit an application. A standardised set of tariffs applies when calculating the fee payable. Fees can be paid at the adjacent cashier, either by cash or by cheque.
Tariff of charges: The National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act (No 103 of 1977) To consider applications made in terms of Section 4 (1) of the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act, the charges are as follows: In terms of sections 17(3)(a)(ii) and 22 (a) (i) and (ii) of the Local Government : Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003 (Act 56 of 2003) and Sections 21(1) and (3), 21A and 75A (3) and (4) of the Local Government : Municipal Systems Act , 2000 (Act 32 of 2000) as amended, it is hereby notified that the City of Johannesburg has in terms of Sections 11(3)9i) and 75A(1) and (2) of the Local Government : Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (Act 32 of 2000) as amended , read with section 24(2)(c)(ii) of the Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003 (Act 56 of 2003)
What do I require before calling to enquire about my building plan application? Always have the erf number and township description at hand when making enquiries.
Has a building plan been submitted to the council? 011 407 6217 011 407 6058 What is the status of a building plan application in the system? 011 407 6217 011 407 6061 What should I do once my building plan has been approved? Download approval notice I need copies of existing approved building plans
- Records section (Help Line) 011 407 6103 / 6034
- National Building Regulations (NBR) – building plan administration
- National Building Regulations (NBR) – building inspectorate
- Outdoor Advertising Signage
National Building Regulations (NBR) – building plan administration
This unit is responsible for the registration, circulation and archiving of building plan applicationNational Building Regulations (NBR) – building inspectorate
This unit is responsible for the inspection of building work in progress. It takes into account the three statutory inspections that are prescribed in terms of the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act.
The majority of the building inspectors are based in regional offices to be closer to the sites that are to be inspected.
Outdoor advertising
This unit is responsible for the assessment and approval of applications for outdoor advertising signage, as well as the assessment and approval of applications for the erection of cellphone masts.
Where’s my building plan application? Keep track of your building plans online. Click here
Building plans application forms Download the three forms below for building applications. Print them out and fill them in, then submit them to the Development Planning Department counter on the ground floor of the Metro Centre in Braamfontein.
The forms, in Adobe Acrobat format, are:
- Application for approval of building plans
- Appointment of a registered person
- Certificate by registered person (structural system)
If you are looking for more information about House plans why not follow some good links.
