Architect Fees In South Africa: What Does It Cost To Hire An Architect?

Why hire an Architect?

Hiring an architect is more than just putting plans together. This is why architect fees in South Africa make up such a large portion of the construction cost.

It is a legal requirement in South Africa to obtain planning permission prior to building, renovating or extending your home, as per Section 4(1) of the National Building Regulations and Buildings Standards Act. Apart from drawing up your plans your Architect will obtain this permission for you.

A building inspector has the right to visit your home and halt development if you have made significant renovations or construction without sufficient planning. Before building can resume, you can finish the process of getting plan approvals. Alternatively, you can get a court order requiring you to destroy the building on your own dime. You would be responsible for any related legal fees if this were to occur.

Necessary requirements:

Stands have limitations governed by the relevant Town Planning Scheme, and or the Title Deeds. A good architect will find out what the requirements are and how to address them. These regulations generally cover aspects like:

1. Zoning – regulate and control property for complementary uses.
2. Dwelling density – measuring how many buildings/dwellings per size of land. Density determines how crowded or built-up a neighbourhood is.
3. Floor area ratio – the measurement of a building’s floor area in relation to the size of the land that the building is located on.
4. Height restrictions – the number of storeys you can build.
5. Coverage – the amount of land you may cover with your building.
6. Building line restrictions – the distance from your property’s boundaries that may not be built on.

It will be up to the architect to conduct the necessary study to identify these constraints. For this reason, it's critical to decide on the architect fees in advance.

Advantages of hiring an architect in South Africa

Guidance – an Architect’s knowledge can not only streamline the approval process but will also make the home easier to build, and easier for your contractor to price by eliminating unknowns resulting in fewer questions on site which will reduce construction delays.

Design – an Architect has been trained to select the best location on a site to utilize the site’s sun lighting, natural shading, views or other site features.

Budget and materials – the level of quality and finish of materials can vary widely and can significantly affect the final cost of construction. There are many areas where an experienced Architect can help guide your selections to maximize your budget.

Contract negotiation – An architect has knowledge in evaluating contracts and proposals from contractors. An architect can examine the contractor's proposal to ensure that all necessary details have been included and that no contractor has been given an undue advantage by the bid allowances.

Finding the right Architect

Now that you have a better understanding of the architect fees in South Africa – it’s time to find the best Pro for the job. Luckily for you – Kandua has 100s of Architects.

Here are our top tips to help you find the right Architect for your installation:

All you need to do is:

• Answer some questions about the job
• Share your contact details so no more than 5 Pros can contact you directly
• You’ll be contacted with quotes or a request for more info by affordable, experienced and trusted Pros
• Read their online reviews

Remember, it’s not always about finding the cheapest option, especially with drywall installations. Stick to these tips, and take into account, the entire package, Pro reviews, your experience in dealing with them and then, of course, the cost. architect fee