In this article we introduce our new educational series called Bridging the GAP.
We provide a complete walk through of the thinking behind the series, specifically focusing on:
- Who we are
- What BRIDGING THE GAP is about
- Why we are doing it
- The role‐out plan
WHO WE ARE
Brothers Taariq and Raazik Nordien are the Founding Members, Principle Architects and the beating heart of the team that is UF Architects.
Together the brothers have over 35 years of experience within the Architectural and built environment sector.
The purpose of the above table is to highlight the number of years of experience which enables us to guide you through the BASICS of Property Rights and the construction process.
Now with over 20 years of Professional Architectural experience at its highest level, spanning across large-scale developments with big budgets, extremely complex multiple project Role-out programmes, to small renovations that allow property owners to maximize their space and on their investment.
We’ve been part of big design teams that have conceptualized buildings and cities where budget was of no consequence, we’ve helped governments construct educational facilities on tight budgets with tight time constraints, and we have helped home owners with extremely tight budgets and time constraints.
From residential to commercial properties, we have had the privilege of gaining the experience, now allowing us to adapt easily to the different needs of our various types of clients.
What BRIDGING THE GAP is about?
Bridging the Gap is an education series produced by the Architect Brothers of UF Architects.
The series will provide insight, details and information to help you understand all elements related to the development’s rights of a specific property.
We are going to take the years of lessons learnt and condense them down into simple tutorials which will cover all the basics one needs to know.
Why are we doing this?
As we are Empowered, so do we Empower others.
Over the years we have noticed a common thread throughout our clients. This thread exists in projects of all values, from a R100 000 renovation to a R150 000 000 new commercial build, it exists.
The thread being knowledge of the property already owned.
Property ownership is an onerous investment, in most cases it’s a liability rather than an asset.
Owning property is a dream for many, but if you’re not well versed in the city’s stringent planning and zoning by-laws for the particular suburb or sub-suburb in which you intend to buy, it can all go horribly wrong. - (Lew Geffen, Chairman of Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty)
.....and horribly wrong it often went and we found ourselves needing to help our clients out of a jam, which we have been very fortunate that we have always managed to do so.
Over the years, it became a re-occurring theme through our standard process of research that people just don’t know or understand what they have purchased in terms of the property they already own.
If we then look at a typical home or property owner and consider when they might have had an opportunity to be taught this information or have learnt it, one soon realizes that at no point through your typical owners life span would they have been able to gain the required property development rights basics without being part of the built environment in some way and even then, still not.
They say prevention is better than the cure..........
It is for this reason that we have developed service tools for the public’s use:
The Property fact sheet
- A complete development rights summary report of a specific property
- We develop this for you at your request.
A Feasibility study
- A detailed study of a property’s potential vs your brief
- Rights are confirmed
- Your idea/brief is tested
- Potential cost and programme. Bridging the Gap
- Educational series discussing all the development/architectural and built environment elements which all property owners should know.
The main purposes being:
- to guide,
- fill the gaps,
- educate or up-skill
- prepare
Generally, to provide information and assistance when it comes to understanding a property and its associated development rights, from a home and property owners point of view but through the eyes and knowledge base of two experienced architects.
At this point it must be strongly advised that the information provided is the basics which will help you understand the environment as a whole. It is not done with the intention to mitigate the need for a professional but rather the inverse, and highlight the critical need for professionals to assist and guide you through the finer details of the building process to a successful outcome.
The role‐out plan
The Bridging the Gap education series will cover the following topics which make up the basics:
- Understanding the Property fact sheet
- What are your property development rights and why do they matter.
- Understanding the typical development process and programme.
- Understanding the potential costs involved
- Understanding the feasibility and why it can help you save money
- Why an Architect matters
- Natural light and well being
- The professional team, when each consultant is needed
- The Tender process
- Council submission and approval process
- XA - the cities new energy regulations explained
- Construction documentation unpacked
- Understanding the contractor
- Drawings (Plans, Sections, Elevations) - the built environment communication tools explained
- Standard documents required for home owners
- The need for As-built drawings
- Supporting documents - Title deeds – what to look for
- Supporting documents - SG diagram + land surveyor – what to look for
- Supporting documents - Zoning Certificate – what to look for
- Zoning explained
- ERF Number, address, council municipality explained
- Site area / Floor factor/ PFA (permissible floor area)
- Primary/ Secondary use rights explained
- Bulk, GBA , GLA explained
- Coverage
- Building line setbacks
- Height restrictions
- Parking + Access
- Lightweight Steel construction and the advantages
- Container construction and the advantages
Each video will help you get one step closer to being properly prepared to take on the responsibility of owning a property and protecting/ manage your investment.
“Knowledge is power, empower yourself”
