Building a home from scratch is exciting, but it can also be a nerve-wrecking experience. You’ll need to navigate a maze of professionals, permits and processes to ensure that your building is compliant and covered.
Wynand van Vuuren, client experience partner at King Price Insurance, says that the home-building journey will keep you on your toes and, the smoother it goes, the sooner it’ll be ready for you to move in. However, he warns, there are a few elements you shouldn’t lose sight of.
To help, King Price Insurance has put together a guide on the experts you’ll need, the necessary inspections, and the insurance needed to secure your investment along the way.
Start on solid ground before a single brick is laid: Check that the seller of the land is above-board and has a solid track record. Then, check that the land is fully transferred, registered, and has essential services, like water and electricity, ready to go. Once these boxes are ticked, consult a land surveyor and secure a geotechnical report to ensure that your future home will have a stable foundation. At this point you may also need to bring a structural engineer on board.
Keep all third parties in the loop: If you’ve bonded your build, the financing institution will need to have these geotechnical and structural assurances and requirements for their records. When you sign for your bond, make sure you know what they need to see, and when. If you’re building in an estate or complex it’s also critical that you keep in close contact with the Homeowners’ Association (HOA) throughout the process. They have the right to halt the work in progress, and also to instruct you to knock-down and rebuild, if their rules aren’t followed to the T.
Assemble your team of experts: Good foundations aren’t only about the concrete under your feet. They’re also about working with a budget-conscious architect, a thorough structural engineer, and a seasoned builder with impeccable attention to detail. Your architect will draft the plans, but an engineer must certify the structural integrity of your project. Builders, who must be registered with the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC), perform and oversee the actual construction. “You should review builders’ certifications to confirm their membership,” says Van Vuuren. And, before appointing providers to install the electricity, gas, and solar systems, you should check their certifications and ensure that they’re able to provide certificates of compliance.
Be hands-on. You should visit the site regularly to check for faults that the builder may have missed.
Who inspects what: To get council approval, your submission needs HOA sign-off (if applicable) and must include detailed documentation: Proof of transfer, land survey reports, structural engineering requirements, architect’s plans, and sometimes also an energy-efficiency model. As you progress, you’ll need NHBRC and engineering inspections at key milestones, such as foundation setting, slab pouring, and roofing, as well as regular safety checks to comply with labour regulations. Remember to send all these documents to the bonding bank as well.
Get insured: The construction company must have contract work insurance in place throughout the building process. This covers the site and materials against loss and damage, as well as their liability for injuries to third parties that happen on-site. But the moment you receive the keys, the insurance responsibility shifts to you. Chat to your insurer well in advance to ensure that your home is covered from this day forward.
“Building is a significant investment of time, resources, and emotions. By partnering with qualified professionals, ensuring that all inspections are completed, and ensuring that you have the right insurance in place, you’ll have fewer worries along the way,” says Van Vuuren.
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Author: Nhlalenhle Dlangalala from ByDesign Communications on behalf of King Price Insurance.
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