THE PERFECT GUIDE FOR CONTRACTORS, HOME OWNERS AND PROFESSIONALS

APPOINTING AN
ARCHITECTURAL
PROFESSIONAL

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APPOINTING AN ARCHITECTURAL PROFESSIONAL
Drawings for any proposed structure can only be
prepared and submitted for approval by a S.A.C.A.P.
registered architectural professional. This legislation is
enforced for good reason; architectural professionals
have been trained to provide a crucial service in a
building project.
The architectural profession in South Africa is
governed by the Architectural Profession Act of
2000, which requires practicing professionals to be
registered and provides four categories of registration:
• Professional Architect (Pr.Arch)
• Professional Senior Architectural Technologist
(Pr SArch T)
• Professional Architectural Technologist (Pr Arch T)
• Professional Architectural Draughtsperson (Pr
Arch Draught)
No person may practice as an architect or any other
one of the above categories nor hold him or herself
out to be an architect unless he or she is so registered.
This hierarchy is determined by the professional’s
qualifications and skills.
3
You And Your Architectural Professional
The process of designing and building can be very
exciting and there’s nothing quite as satisfying as
a successfully executed and completed building
project. But, it’s important to understand that a major
part of this success lies in the professional, business
and personal relationships between the home owner
and the architectural professional.
Successful projects that achieve the desired results
for both the homeowner and the architectural
professional result from well informed homeowners
working with a skilled professional that form a solid
relationship that’s professional, business orientated
and very often personal.
Building is complex and any project requires numerous
different skills and products. Your architectural
professional understands the complexities and
works alongside you to design a viable solution to
your requirements. Once the design is completed,
your architectural professional will work with all the
different suppliers and ensure your project successfully
transforms from design to a final product, your home.
Summary of the services an architectural professional
would undertake.
Stage 1: inception
• Receive, appraise and report on the client’s
requirements with regard to:
• the client’s brief
• the site and rights and constraints
• budgetary constraints
• the need for consultants
• project programme
• methods of contracting
Stage 2: concept and viability (concept design).
Prepare an initial design and advise on:
• the intended space provisions and planning
relationships
• proposed materials and intended building services
• the technical and functional characteristics of
the design
• Check for conformity of the concept with the rights
to the use of land. Review the anticipated costs of
the project.
• Review the project programme.
Stage 3: design development
• Confirm the scope and complexity.
• Review the design and consult with local and
statutory authorities.
• Develop the design, construction system, materials
and components.
• Incorporate and co-ordinate all services and the
work of consultants.
• Review the design, costing and programme with
the consultants.
Stage 4: documentation and procurement.
• Prepare documentation sufficient for local
authority submission:
• co-ordinate technical documentation with the
consultants and complete primary co-ordination
• prepare specifications for the works
• review the costing and programme with the
consultants
• obtain the client’s authority and submit documents
for approval
• Complete construction documentation and
proceed to call for tenders:
• obtain the client’s authority to prepare documents
to procure offers for the execution of the works
• obtain offers for the execution of the works
• evaluate offers and recommend on the award of
the building contract.
• prepare the contract documentation and arrange
for the signing of the building contract.
Stage 5: Construction
• Administer the building contract.
• Give possession of the site to the contractor.
• Issue contract documentation.
• Initiate and/or check sub-contract design and
documentation as appropriate.
• Inspect the works for conformity to the contract
documentation.
• Administer and perform the duties and obligations
assigned to the principal agent in the JBCC
building contract, or fulfil the obligations provided
for in other forms of contract
• Issue the certificate of practical completion
• Assist the client to obtain the occupation
certificate
Stage 6: Close Out
• Facilitate the project close-out including the
preparation of the necessary documentation to
effect completion, handover and operation of the
project.
• After the contractor’s obligations with respect to
the building contract are fulfilled, the architectural
professional shall issue the certificates related to
contract completion.
• Provide the client with as-built drawings and
relevant technical and contractual undertakings
by the contractor and sub-contractors.

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4
Professional fees
SACAP publishers Professional Fee Guidelines on its
website. These schedules should be used to assist the
professional and client in establishing a fee.
There are a number of important factors, which can
impact the outcome of the design and should be
considered during the design process.
• Client requirements
• Property rights and town planning
• Budget
• Site conditions
• Orientation:
• Local architectural guidelines
• Functionality
• Layout
• Size and shape
• Style
• Regulations
Architectural Professionals and SACAP
If you are a property owner and need to hire an
architectural professional in order to ensure that your
investment into a new building or structure makes it
attractive, safe and brings you a good return, then
make sure that professional is properly qualified
and competent, and legally registered to perform
architectural work by the South African Council for
the Architectural Profession (SACAP). Selecting the
right architectural professional is much easier if you
are aware at the outset that the professional must
be registered with SACAP. It is your guarantee that
the professional has the minimum qualifications
and competencies to perform the scope of work
you have identified and is up to date on the latest
building practices through their participation in
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities.
SACAP professionals are also required to adhere
to a professional Code of Conduct and its Legal
and Compliance Unit helps the public to identify if
a Registered Person is guilty of improper conduct
according to this Code and will impose a sanction
when necessary. More information has been provided
at the end of this article explaining the process of
lodging a complaint with SACAP. As the official
architectural regulator in South Africa, SACAP sets
high standards for professionalism and ethics. Its
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roles and duties are determined by Parliament and
the Department of Public Works. It is impartial and
performs its duties without fear, favour or prejudice.
Investing in a SACAP registered professional’s fees
goes a long way to ensure you complete the project
in a way that is legal, safe and feels satisfying. At the
start of your building project (be it a completely new
structure, or an addition or alteration to an existing
structure), architectural professionals conceptualise,
design and draw up plans that the Municipality
will pass, helping you avoid issues that delay the
completion of your building process. This professional
also helps you If you want to view SACAP’s register
which lists bona fide architectural professionals and
their registration category, you can access it via
SACAP’s website. SACAP’s website also lists VAs under
the Stakeholder section and they can assist you by
providing you with information on their members’
work, as well as a list of practices and information
regarding the appointment of a professional.
One of the stipulations within the SACAP Code of
Conduct is that professionals enter into a written
agreement with clients. There are various building
contracts available, such as the one drafted by
the Joint Building Contracts Committee (JBCC). This
kind of written contract clearly spells out what the
professional does and what you as the property
owner does, in order to avoid misunderstanding
and dispute.
Any member of the public may lodge a complaint
against an architectural professional who is registered
with SACAP to determine whether any disciplinary
action should be taken against a professional found
guilty of improper conduct. The Professional Code
of Conduct and the Architectural Profession Act
2000 (Act No. 44 of 2000) are available on SACAP’s
website. To file a complaint against a SACAP
Registered Person you need to submit it in writing, by
way of lodging an affidavit under oath and emailing
it to SACAP’s Legal and Compliance Unit: legal@
sacapsa.com. This affidavit template can be found
on SACAP’s website, together with a list of the kind of
additional documents SACAP will require.
http://www.sacapsa.com/