Building plan guides
How approval works in Gauteng, who may draw plans, selling a house with unapproved work, and the rest. Each guide names its sources.
How to get building plans approved in GautengThe steps from idea to approved plans, in the order they actually happen, and where each one goes wrong.Building plan submission checklistPick your project and your council for the list of documents a building plan submission needs. Print it or keep it on your phone.Selling a house without approved plansWhether you need approved plans to sell, what the courts have said about it, and how to sort it out before it costs you the sale.How long does building plan approval take?What the law says, what councils have published about their real times, and what you can do to avoid the usual delays.Zoning and building lines explainedWhat your zoning allows, what building lines and coverage are, and when you need a relaxation, consent or rezoning before plans can pass.Getting copies of your approved building plansHow to find the approved plans for your house in the council archive, and what to do when they are missing.Can you submit building plans online in Gauteng?Which Gauteng councils take building plans online, which still want you at the counter, and what you can already get by email.Who can draw building plans?Only SACAP-registered people may draw and sign plans, and each category may only take on certain buildings. Here is what each one covers under the 2026 rules.SANS 10400-XA energy rules for housesWhat the energy part of the building regulations asks of a new house or extension: hot water, insulation and windows.NHBRC enrolment for a new houseWhen a new home must be enrolled with the NHBRC, who does it, how the fee is worked out, and the owner-builder exemption.Building without approved plans: the risksWhat the law says about building without approval, what Gauteng councils charge to regularise it, and how to fix it.How to get an SG diagramWhat an SG diagram is, why your building plans need one, and how to download it free from the Surveyor-General.How to get a zoning certificateHow to get a zoning certificate from Tshwane, Johannesburg or Ekurhuleni, what each charges, and what to check on it before plans are drawn.Building line relaxation in GautengHow to get permission to build closer to a boundary in Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane: who applies, the neighbours' part, documents and fees.SANS 10400 Forms 1, 2, 3 and 4 explainedThe four national forms that go with building plans: what each one is, who signs it and when.