A two bedroom house is where many South Africans start: a first home on a modest stand, a cottage for a retired couple, or a pair of rental units on one erf. Most land between 55 and 90 m², small enough to build on a tight budget and big enough to live in comfortably. Tell us the stand, the rooms you want and your budget, and draughtspersons and architects in your area quote you directly for the drawings and the council submission. It is free, with no obligation.
How big is a two bedroom house?
Most two bedroom houses measure 55 to 90 m² under the roof. A rough split for a 70 m² layout: two bedrooms of about 9 to 11 m² each, a living area and kitchen of 22 to 26 m², one bathroom and a passage. Cut the passage by opening the bedrooms straight off the living room and you gain usable space without adding a brick.
The choices that change the size most are one bathroom or two, an open-plan kitchen or a closed one with a scullery, and a stoep or carport under the main roof.
Planning for a third bedroom later
Many owners build two bedrooms now and want a third when the family grows or money allows. Say so at the start. A draughtsperson can draw the full house, build the first phase and leave a wall, a door position and the plumbing ready for the extra room. That is cheaper than breaking into a finished house, and the whole design is checked against building lines and coverage on day one. When you are ready, extension plans only need a small amendment.
Low cost and rental layouts
Keeping the cost down is mostly about shape. A simple rectangle with a single-pitch or low-pitch IBR roof and standard window sizes needs less wall, less roof timber and fewer details than a house with corners and offsets. Wet areas that share a wall, kitchen against bathroom, keep pipe runs short.
On a wide stand, a semi-detached pair of two bedroom units shares a party wall, one foundation line and a single set of drawings. Check the zoning first: not every stand allows two dwellings. For one small extra unit, see granny flat plans.
What the drawings must show
A council submission includes a site plan, floor plan, elevations, a section, drainage and the SANS 10400-XA energy notes. Ask the engineer about foundations if the soil is clay or the stand slopes. Whoever signs the plans must be registered with SACAP, and the category limits what they can sign, so ask. Approved plans are also what a bank or buyer wants at transfer.
What to include in your request
- The stand size, erf number and street address
- One bathroom or two, open-plan or closed kitchen
- Whether you want to add a third bedroom later
- Your budget and roof type, such as IBR sheeting
- Whether the drawings must go to council
2 Bedroom House Plans for different clients
- Families building a new house: a first home on a modest stand, drawn small and ready for a third bedroom later
- Owners adding or changing rooms: an old two-roomed house reworked with a proper bathroom and an open-plan living area
- Developers and builders: a repeatable two bedroom unit for a row of low cost houses or semi-detached pairs
- Estate agents, sellers and landlords: approved plans for a small house about to be sold, or a clear layout for the listing
- Shops, offices and restaurants: staff housing for a small business, drawn as compact two bedroom units
- Farms, smallholdings and rural homesteads: a simple two bedroom farm cottage or village house with a covered stoep
- Churches, schools and crèches: a two bedroom caretaker's or minister's house beside a church or school
- Rental and granny flat investors: two bedroom rental units on one erf, with separate entrances and meters
Frequently asked questions
How much do 2 bedroom house plans cost?
Can I use a stock 2 room or low cost plan?
Does a two bedroom house need one bathroom or two?
How long does it take to get the plans drawn?
2 Bedroom House Plans by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg