New-builds come with headaches and highlights – here are just a few.

Many of us harbour the dream of a custom made home, built to your dream specifications and perfectly planned for every part of your life…the allure of the “new-build” is greater than ever.

But is this just a pipe dream of can it be made reality?

The land:

Can (or should) it be sold?

It’s always risky to buy property but more so when it comes to undeveloped land. The risk of fly by night developers going bust or some regulatory step being ignored, impacting the clearance to build is very real.

Title deeds, certificates, council registration, service connections and building/height and boundary restrictions can mean a lot of paperwork and admin before the first shovel even hits dirt.

For a new build, you’ll need to splash some cash.

According to Charlotte Vermaak, a principle at Chas Everitt, Absa, Standard Bank, FNB and Netbank (the four biggest local banks), will only consider financing vacant residential land if it is 120sqm or larger, and within a proclaimed suburb.

Add to this the fact that many financial institutions also only provide a 60% bond on an empty plot, and you will clearly need some liquidity to be able to build your dreamhouse.

For a full discussion on the financial implications of buying land, click here

Lights and Loo’s

It sounds obvious, but this is a very real hurdle you should be aware of Before you can start a build, you will need running water at the sight. So while the local council may have approved and provided services to the development as a whole, you still need to request that you property is connected. You cannot do this yourself, and the process between requesting and connecting service can move at a glacial pace.

About your space:

Don’t fall into a (sink)hole

Sink holes are no joke. Many parts of south Africa can be affected by them and even a stable area can easily become dangerously unstable due to changes in ground water level and other geological shifts. It is usually safer to get a geotechnical survey done to establish the buildable footprint of your land,

Flat to the eye isn’t flat to the builder.

A contour study of your plot will highlight any major discrepancies in elevation that might not look like such a big deal but that can impact to cost and timelines of your build due to unplanned earthwork being needed.

Stick to the rules!

Between getting Surveyor-General diagrams (SG diagrams), providing proof of NHBRC registration and approval, appointing a structural engineer and finally submitting your plans to council, a new build comes with a lot of up-front admin and fees. This doesn’t mean it isn’t completely worth it in the end, but it is something to take into account.

We found this blog very useful in understanding the whole process.

The Building:

Overbudget, underspend.

Be budget savvy and don’t overcommit. As wonderful as a three-story 20 bedroom palace with indoor movie theatre sounds, a well-built, beautifully finished home to share with your loved ones will probably give you just as much joy, and significantly less headaches.

Green from the get-go.

Instead of splurging on the marble bathroom tiles and German shower heads, it’s better to go into this thinking green. Work with your architect to either equip your home with alternative energy solutions from the start, or instead at least create the infrastructure needed to set this up later. The same goes for climate efficient insulation and light use. There are so many worthwhile ways in which you can build your new space sustainably…(Never mind the privilege of never experiencing loadshedding or water shedding again!) Learn more here.

Get the experts (they know the rules and reg’s)

A structural engineer and an architect are two non-negotiable experts, as is a registered and trusted builder or construction company. Once you have these guys on board you should think about getting an attorney on your side as well, to deal with all contractual issues. Unless you will have the time to make daily of weekly trips to the build site in order to supervise the progress, you should think about hiring a project manager as well.

We are not trying to put you off your new build dreams, but it is better to be prepared than to be blindsided and by taking care to follow each step you can ensure that your final home is indeed a dream come true and you can finally enjoy your bespoke space!