THE HILLS | AUGUST 2018

I WANT TO BUILD A HOUSE.
WHERE DO I START?
WRITTEN BY LCL CONSTRUCTION
1. CAN I AFFORD TO BUILD ?
Most people can’t build a new home
without a home loan, and yet people start
the process of buying a stand and drawing
up plans without any idea what they can
afford and whether they will be granted a
loan or not. A great deal of unnecessary
expenses and anxiety can be avoided if
prospective homeowners get a loan prequalification
from their banks or through
bond originators such as BetterBond. This
will confirm you budget and your financial
credibility to builders and realtors.
2. WHERE/ HOW DO I GET A
BUILDING CONTRACTOR?
Word of mouth is of course always the best
referral. Once you have met with two or
three builders, it is wise to view some of their
previous work and even some of the current
projects. It is very important to only use a
builder who is registered with professional,
well-known organisations. In South Africa,
there are two primary building associations,
The Master Builder’s Association of South
Africa (MBSA) and National Home Builders
Registration Council (NHBRC). By law, all
home builders have to be registered with
the NHBRC and have to comply with their
building quality standards.
In order to protect your investment and the
overall aesthetics of The Hills, the HOA
maintains a list of contractors who previously
did not comply with the building guidelines
- this can be made available to avoid building
The Hills ISSUE 4 | 2018
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