Frequently asked questions
What Is Included In A Set Of House Plans?
Each set of
plans that we offer will provide you with the necessary information to build the
home. Plan sets are sold in a standard necessary for local council submission to
any South African local authority.
The
following list shows what is included within each set of plans that we sell:
·
Exterior
Elevations:
Shows all the elevations of the house including exterior materials and
measurements as necessary.
· Detailed
Floor Plans:
Shows the placement of walls and the dimensions for rooms, doors, windows,
sanitary fittings, pipe work etc.
· Electrical
Schematic:
Shows the location of outlets, fixtures and switches. It may be shown as a
separate sheet or be included on the floor plan. (Additional cost for this service)
· Cross
Sections:
Shows details of the house as if it were sliced from the roof to the foundation.
The cross sections detail the construction of the home, insulation, flooring and
roofing.
· Roof
Layout:
Shows the pitch and layout of the roof. (Only on complex designs where this will
be required)
General Specifications:
Provides instructions and information about any combinations of the following:
structural specifications, masonry and concrete work, carpentry and wood
specifications, thermal and moisture protection, and other specifications as
deemed necessary for local authority submission.
DOWNLOAD AND VIEW AN EXAMPLE OF A PLAN SET
DON'T HAVE THE VIEWER
SOFTWARE? DOWNLOAD THE FREE ADOBE ACROBAT READER SOFTWARE HERE.
How Do I Make Changes To A Plan?
If you want
to change the plan you have 2 options:
You can purchase a Reproducible
Media Package from the library in a CAD format and have someone in your local
area make the changes for you. What the local market
charges for this service will vary, so you'll want to shop around. In many cases
your builder can make the changes you want without having to go to the expense
of having the original drawings changed.
You can submit a modification
request to us. Our design team will be able to determine if the changes can be
done and will then be completed within the quoted amount of business days.
Please note that we must get all requests in writing to eliminate any confusion
as to what is actually desired.
How Is The BUILDING AREA Calculated?
Generally,
square metre calculations are made from outside the exterior frame wall and do
not include areas which are not roofed. Other undercover areas will be shown
separately. This is generally true but you can always contact us to verify
exactly how a particular plan’s square meter area was calculated.
Can I Get The Plans With An Architectural Or Engineering certification For My
Local Area?
All our
plans are certified by a SACAP (South African council for the Architecture
profession) approved draughts-person, designer or Architect as is needed by most
Local authorities around the country. An engineering certificate will need to
accompany the plans when submitted to council (if necessary in your area) and
will be for your own account.
Does the Plans Provide Information Necessary For Plumbing And Electrical
Systems?
All our
plans are designed to meet national building standards and will show a standard
plumbing layout but will sometimes need to be modified to suit your specific
site as the site might have significant slope and to have the plumbing connected
to the site provided sewer connection.
A schematic
electrical & lighting layout could also provided at additional cost should it be
required and could be customized to suit your personal needs. Electrical
installations in your new home is something you would discuss with your local
builder or local subcontractors as the building process commences.
How Many Sets Of House Plans DO I NEED?
The number
of sets you will need can vary depending on you and your builder’s specific
needs. Besides a set for yourself, you may need to turn a set in to your
builder, subcontractors, mortgage lender, and local building departments. (For
local council submission anything from 1 to 5 sets could be required depending
on your area.
As the sets
are sold in either Acrobat reader (free viewer) or CAD format and not as hard
copies, these could be reproduced at your own cost for as many sets as you would
require.
COULD I BE PROVIDED WITH HARD COPIES OF THE PLANS?
Due to our
extremely reduced cost plan, we regret that we do not provide clients with hard
copies of plans as courier services and the time & cost factor of
plotting/printing the plans would force us to increase our prices. Clients are
provided with PDF plans sent to their email for easy printing at most Postnets
or other plotting/printing firms.
What If I NEED SPECIAL FoundationS?
Typically,
the appointed engineer will specify the foundations needed for the area you are
building in. Also, check with your builder, most builders can make this type of
change on the building site. If you need a particular foundation specified in
the plans you can modify the plan to accommodate the appropriate foundation for
your area.For your interest also read the article regarding
geo-technical site investigations.
Can library Plans be inverted?
You just
found the perfect plan, but the master bedroom is on the left side of the home
and your lots view is on the right side. Of course the plan can be mirrored! We
will however require one extra working day and a fee for this service will be
levied.
When Will My Plans Be ready?
If a plan
is bought ‘as is’ from the library, it will be sent to you right away as soon as
payment is received. Should changes or an inverted plan be required a few
working days as stipulated elsewhere will be required to complete the set.
IN WHICH FORMAT WILL THE PLANS BE SUPPLIED?
The Acrobat
reader is a free program available for
download from
Adobe. It allows you to read and print PDF files which are the standard for high
quality document exchange on the Internet.
Alternatively, the plans could be provided to you in a CAD format (Typically *.DXF
format) - Depending on the package you choose—for changes to be done by a
designer in your area or other reasons.
do you offer telephonic support?
Due to our
extremely reduced cost plan, we regret that we do not provide telephonic
support, as this will force us to increase costs of our service. Our highly
qualified online staff are standing by however to answer any questions or
queries that you might have.
What Is Your Return Policy?
All
construction plans ordered through this site are provided as is. We disclaim all
other warranties, express or implied, including merchantability or fitness of
purpose. Construction plans may not be returned for credit and/or refund under
any circumstances. We are not liable for incidental, special, consequential, or
indirect damages of any kind, including, but not limited to, loss of anticipated
profits, business opportunity or other economic loss arising out of the use of
services or any construction plans received from us, even if we have been
advised of the possibility of such damage.
It is the
customer's responsibility to ensure the accuracy, compliance with applicable
statute(s) or regulation(s), and fitness of purpose of any plans or construction
information received from us prior to the use thereof. In the event that any
liability is imposed on us, our liability to you or any third party shall not
exceed the price paid for the Dreamhouses House Plans product.
How Do I Contact You?
We are
committed to providing the highest level of customer service. Please feel free
to contact us with any questions or comments.
E-mail
info@dreamhouses.co.za
Or, write
to us at:
Dreamhouses.co.za
PO Box 624
Wapadrand
0050
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