Homes & Building
Pool construction should plan for ground and groundwater
An empty pool can face forces that are easy to ignore when it is designed only to hold water.
Built Report
Homes & Building
Practical residential building, renovation and architecture.
Homes & Building
Accessible entrances must work from the pavement to reception
A compliant ramp is of little value when kerbs, gates, drainage grates and heavy doors break the route before a visitor reaches i…
Homes & Building
Retaining walls should manage the water behind them
Water can increase pressure and carry soil through weak joints.
Homes & Building
Boundary walls need foundations and movement joints
Long walls are exposed to wind, soil movement and concentrated gate loads.
Homes & Building
Home additions must connect old and new structures carefully
Most extension problems occur at the line where new work meets an older house.
Homes & Building
Why a Cape Town certificate of occupancy is more than a final piece of paper
The certificate closes the loop between approved plans, completed work, compliance certificates and lawful occupation.
Homes & Building
An accessible entrance should begin at the pavement
A ramp at the front door is not useful when the path, threshold or gate remains impassable.
Homes & Building
Emergency access should shape informal-settlement upgrading plans
Paths, addresses, water points and turning space influence how quickly emergency services can reach a fire or medical incident.
Homes & Building
Fire separation matters in attached homes
A townhouse boundary can fail when later services create unsealed openings.
Homes & Building
Natural ventilation needs an air path not only a window
A room with one blocked or rarely opened window may not achieve useful ventilation.