THE NHBRC HOME ENROLLMENT PROCESS.

The NHBRC enrollment is one of the most important steps in the final stage of the NHBRC registration process. The process involves the submission of approved municipal building plans to the NHBRC for further inspection and approval. This process is done with the sole objective of obtaining insurance cover against minor and major structural defects such as roof leaks and structural collapse for a period of 5 years.

It’s a process that is undertaken collectively by the home owner, builder, architect as well as the structural engineer. In some instances, even a Geo technical surveyor might be involved especially in areas underlain by the dolomite soil conditions. The submission of house plans must be done 15 days before commencement of the home building plans, otherwise any plans submitted when the building process has already commenced, will be deemed as a late enrollment.

NHBRC LATE ENROLLMENT

A late NHBRC enrollment refers to the process, when the actual building plans commence before the house plans have been inspected and approved by the NHBRC. Usually, the NHBRC requires builders to submit municipal approved building plans from a competent structural engineer as well as a Geo technical site investigation before foundation trenches are excavated.

In certain instances, a builder can start be permitted to dig up/excavate the trenches, however, the pouring of the concrete should not commence before a go-ahead from the National Home Builder’s Registration council.

The penalty fees as well as the procedures involved can render your project non profitable. Home builders are therefore, warned and encouraged to submit their municipal approved plans before commencing with the home building process.

HOME ENROLLMENT APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

The following are the required documents to be completed and handed in the NHBRC registration and home enrollment process.

• The NHBRC registration certificate (must be certified and not older than 3 months).
• The correct NHBRC application form dependent on kind of development (See next paragraph below).
• Approved council plans from the municipal council.
• The building contract preferably drawn up by a competent legal person, with price breakdown as signed by both parties (Home owner & builder).
• A title deed of the property together with a letter from the transferring attorney that indicates the values of the land as well as the property details such as erf/stand or sectional title numbers.
• Certified ID copy of builder (Signatory to the building contract mentioned above).
• Structural engineering drawings for foundation, storm water management and drainage management. For plans on dolomite developments, full structural engineering drawings accompanied by a Geo technical site investigation completed by an independent Geo technical engineer accompanied by a B4 certificate which is issued by the council for the Geo technical survey.
• In some rare cases, if the development is for an estate that is to say, a sectional title development, the NHBRC might require for the builder to submit promotional materials, brochures or the feasibility study altogether.

RESIDENTIAL UNIT ENROLLMENT (EF003)

Contractors have to be careful about which form to use when applying for the different types of developments. Contractors involved with the ordinarily residential unit, are required specifically to use the EF003 whereas those involved in the sectional title units or estates, will be required to use the ST003. It is also applicable to multiple storey developments.

COMPETENT PERSON IN THE HOME ENROLLMENT PROCESS (FORM B1)

In terms of the NHBRC registration and home enrollment process, a competent person is the person who signed off the Geo technical site investigation. The competent person is required to be registered with the council for the Geo technical survey. The competent person must at least have a qualification in carrying out soil surveys and must be independent from the builder in terms of the house building project.

The details of this person are required and have to be filled out specifically on form B1 of the application forms. These must be completed by both the competent person as well as the home owner and contractor. In addition to this, the form must also be signed off by the home owner as well as the structural engineer with both using original signatures.

NHBRC ENROLLMENT FEES

As I pointed out, the NHBRC is an insurance designed for the owner to protect him or her from minor and major structural defects. With this in mind, the insurance comes at a cost, and hence, the NHBRC registration and home enrollment processes do attract a once off fee as well as an annual fee should the entire home registration process be a success.

This insurance fee or rather, the home enrollment fee, is based on a sliding scale determined by the value of the land as well as the total building fees which include, labour as well as materials. However, this amount is capped at R 29 824,56. Please note, previously this amount used to be capped at R 34,000 however, ever since the NHBRC de-registered for the Value Added Tax, amount has been drastically reduced by the VAT component.

APPLICATION FORMS

To summaries it for you, below is a list of application forms required by the NHBRC home enrollment process.

• Enrollment application form for the ordinary house, ERF003.
• Enrollment application form for sectional title house, ST003.
• Form B1 for the Geo technical site investigation.
• Form B4 for Dolomite Geo Technical site investigations (When applicable).
• Financial guarantees by bank for sectional title applications, if preferred.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the NHBRC enrollment process is a fairly easy process which can be done by any contractor who wishes to enrol their home with the National Home Builders Registration Council. The trick is to get the right documents in order signed by the correct people and submitted to any of the regional offices of the National Home Building Registration Council.