https://www.bebee.com/producer/@claire-cardwell/top-8-design-strategies-for-smaller-homes


Herron Island Cabin by First Lamp Architecture, Seattle, USA

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http://bdjbuilding.co.za/2016/09/19/cheap-quotes-good-news-bad-news/

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http://hometimes.co.za/2016/07/home-improvement-projects-that-actually-improve/

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http://northcliffrealestate.com/real-estate-blog/senior-proof-your-home/

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https://www.bebee.com/producer/@claire-cardwell/should-i-rebuild-or-renovate



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https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-does-take-stay-construction-business-howard-betts-cardwell?trk=pulse_spock-articles

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https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/avoid-bad-building-experience-claire-cardwell?trk=pulse_spock-articles

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https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/manage-your-home-renovation-budget-claire-cardwell-claire-cardwell?trk=pulse_spock-articles

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https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-things-you-need-know-when-building-new-home-claire-cardwell

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https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-much-my-home-renovation-going-cost-claire-claire-cardwell

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https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/7-ideas-designing-tiny-house-claire-cardwell-claire-cardwell

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https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/should-i-rebuild-renovate-claire-cardwell
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Many people are not aware of the difference between a Building contractor, a Project Manager and a Bakkie Builder and there is a big difference. In many cases there is a degree of overlap and as with all businesses there are good ones and bad ones all the way through the mix.

Starting with a Building Contractor or Builder. Generally they employ a number of skilled workers and the majority of trades are done in-house. They own a much of their equipment and are able to take on larger projects. ...

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You will need sign off from the Building Inspector in order to get your Occupation Certificate.  Your local authority will furnish you with the Building Inspectors contact details, you will need to phone them before 10am as they are only in the office between 7am - 10am.  Building Inspectors need to be contacted when you are digging the foundations, they will need to see the foundations for a trench inspection before you pour the concrete. You will also need to arrange appointments with your ...
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ELECTRICAL CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE – NEW REGULATIONS

On 1st May 2009 new regulations came into effect with respect to the issuing and validity of anElectrical Certificate of Compliance.

There are a number of clauses under the The Occupational Health and Safety Act No 85 of 1993, which is administered by the Department of Labour,(initially for workplace safety but extended to residential dwellings), which are now in force and which have an impact on the use and transfer of  houses, dwell...

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It's best to consult an Engineer to determine how deep your foundations must be and whether there needs to be steel reinforcing.  This is all dependent on what the soil conditions are and whether you intend building a single or multi-storey building.  The minimum requirements for a foundation are 230mm deep x 600mm wide concrete footing, with 5 course of brickwork (reinforced with brickforce every course) to floor level.  However I can not stress enough the necessity of getting advice from an...
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Good supervision on a building site will prevent mistakes and pre-empt problems and thereby save you money.  Having to rectify mistakes is always costly and time-consuming.  Supervision will also reduce the amount of  waste on a site by keeping an eye on what is happening and making sure that the builder runs a tidy site.  The flow of building materials must keep going so that the contractor is not waiting for anything.  This will reduce down time and labour costs of time extensions.  If you ...
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Brickforce is the steel reinforcing that strengthens a wall.  It is placed in the cement between a course of bricks.  Brickforce is used in every course of the foundations and every course above lintol height (2140mm).  Otherwise brickforce is used every fourth course in between the foundations and lintol height or a concrete slab and lintol height.
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It is best to have a concrete floor in a garage to consistently take loads and it is easy to clean.  However you can get away with paving so long as the ground beneath has been well compacted and a surface screed has been laid to discourage weed growth.  I believe that a concrete floor is going to be the cheapest and simplest option long-term. 



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Building directly onto the boundary is not generally permitted; in terms of the National Building Regulations, you may not build a habitable room or structure on your property Boundary. Covered entertainment areas, lapas, garages, carports, lean-to shelters and temporary structures like shadeports etc. are usually allowed. However you will need your neighbour's consent and Council approval - dependent on the location, aesthetics of the structure and use thereof.  Bear in mind that you are not...
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This issue is controlled by the municipal zoning regulations for your particular area and may even differ between streets, let alone towns.  Generally there is a 1m gap called for between a pool and any structure, but with structural engineering design this can be relaxed to zero, as it all has to do with the proximity of the foundations of the other structures around the pool. The zoning regulations supplied by your local Council building department would be able to give you guidelines for y...
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