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Building Plans in Johannesburg

Free building plans quotes from draughtspersons and architects serving Johannesburg, Gauteng. One request, no obligation.

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A house under construction with face-brick walls rising on a concrete slab, a stack of bricks and bare roof trusses, in an older suburb in Johannesburg

Ready for council37.3 m² · 1:100

Building Plans, JohannesburgDwg PL-03 · JOH
Suits
New builds, additions and conversions
Popular here
Subdivision cottages, backyard rooms in Soweto and inner-city flat conversions
Who draws them
Draughtspersons in most suburbs, architects in Parkhurst, Melville and the city centre
Approved by
City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality
Turnaround
Measure-up in a week, plans in 3 weeks, council often 30 to 60 days or longer

Getting three draughtspersons to look at your stand in Johannesburg takes calls and weeks. Send one request instead, with the rooms, the stand and what you have now, and we pass it to draughtspersons and architects who work in Johannesburg and nearby areas of Gauteng.

Building Plans in Johannesburg

Registered draughtspersons and architects in Johannesburg prepare building plans for the local municipality and know what its building control office looks for. Give the erf number and the suburb so the quote covers Gauteng submission requirements, travel to the stand and the engineer's visits.

New to this? Read the building plans guide for the choices and the questions worth asking before anyone measures up.

Plans & approvals in Johannesburg: local notes

Johannesburg plans go to the city's building control through regional offices, and a Parkview or Houghton stand may also carry title deed conditions or a scheme limit on coverage. Houses in Melville, Auckland Park and Orange Grove are often older than 60 years, so heritage permission may be needed before alterations. Ask your draughtsperson whether the Johannesburg town planning scheme allows a second dwelling on your erf before you design anything.

Homes and buildings in Johannesburg

Johannesburg is a patchwork of building types, and the plans differ with each one. In Parkview, Emmarentia, Melville and Linden, old stands of 1,000 square metres and more are being subdivided or filled with garden cottages, while Braamfontein, Maboneng and Jeppestown have offices and warehouses turned into flats. Soweto's Dobsonville, Meadowlands and Orlando West see families extending RDP and four-room houses, with backyard rooms for tenants. The ridges of the Witwatersrand give sloping stands, and mining ground in the south needs care. Plans are drawn by local draughtspersons, architectural technologists and architects, who quote you directly once your request reaches them.

A building site in South Africa with new face-brick walls rising on a concrete slab and a stack of bricks beside it in daylight
A building site in South Africa with new face-brick walls rising on a concrete slab and a stack of bricks beside it in daylight

Typical building plans requests in the area come from:

  • Families building a new house: a complete set for a new house, with the forms and drawings council needs to approve it
  • Owners adding or changing rooms: plans for an addition or a garage conversion, showing old and new work for council
  • Rental and granny flat investors: plans for a backyard rental room or an extra dwelling that meet the zoning and parking rules
  • Developers and builders: submission sets for several units, with the site development plan and engineer's details
  • Estate agents, sellers and landlords: approved plans to complete a transfer, or new plans where none exist or work was done without approval
  • Shops, offices and restaurants: plans for a shop, office or workshop, with fire and access notes and change-of-use details
  • Churches, schools and crèches: plans for a church, crèche or hall that meet the fire, access and toilet requirements

Local tips for Johannesburg

Plans for Johannesburg are mostly drawn like this: draughtspersons in most suburbs, architects in Parkhurst, Melville and the city centre. The requests that come up most: subdivision cottages, backyard rooms in Soweto and inner-city flat conversions. When you ask for quotes, ask for the stand's zoning and any title deed conditions before the first sketch.

Jobs range from small outbuildings to large houses. Here, families building a new house lead the requests, typically for a complete set for a new house, with the forms and drawings council needs to approve it. One local point to raise: ridges and mine ground in the south: ask about a soil report and engineer's footings.

What to include in your request

  • The erf number, address and municipality
  • New build, addition or conversion
  • Floor area, or rooms wanted
  • Whether the title deed and SG diagram are on hand
  • Whether submission and follow-up are included

The more detail you give, the more accurate your quote will be. The brief below sketches the rooms and works out a floor area for you.

Service area: Johannesburg and surrounds

Draughtspersons and architects on our network work in Johannesburg and surrounding areas, including Sandton, Randburg, Roodepoort, Soweto, Rosebank, Fourways, Melville. Give the suburb or erf number so the quote can include the site visit, travel and the local submission process.

Frequently asked questions

What do building plans cost in Johannesburg?
It depends on the size of the building, what must be drawn and whether it goes to council. A published rule of thumb: R60 to R160 a square metre for the drawings. Send your request and a draughtsperson serving Johannesburg will quote you.
What turnaround should I expect in Johannesburg?
For building plans: drawings in 2 to 6 weeks, then council. Locally: measure-up in a week, plans in 3 weeks, council often 30 to 60 days or longer. Ask the draughtsperson for a written timeline with each stage, from measure-up to the approval letter.
Who approves building plans in Johannesburg?
City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality. Ridges and mine ground in the south: ask about a soil report and engineer's footings. Ask for the stand's zoning and any title deed conditions before the first sketch. For the full process, see building plan approval in Johannesburg.
Who will actually quote me?
No. We don't draw, sign or submit plans. We pass your request to independent draughtspersons, architectural technologists and architects, who quote you directly. Give the stand, the rooms or size, and what exists now so the quotes are easy to compare.

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Write the brief the way a draughtsperson would ask for it: the project, the rooms or the size, and where you are. Draughtspersons and architects who work in your area quote you directly.

Client briefDwg PL-03 · scale 1:100

01The project

02The plan (optional, it sizes the job)

BLOCK PLAN · NOT TO SCALE

Floor area
-
Rooms
-
Storeys
-
Drawing fee
-

Choose the rooms to draw the plan. It is a sketch for the draughtsperson, not a design.

Extras

03Stand and timing

04Drawing list (optional)

  1. L01
  2. L02
Up to 12 lines: drawings, views or visits.
Needs and options

05Your details

Free and no obligation. By sending you agree that we may share your request with suitable draughtspersons, architectural technologists or architects. See our privacy policy.

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