Useful links
https://www.theconcreteinstitute.org.za/
http://www.publicworks.gov.za/
FAQ
Does PnB Consulting Engineers have the necessary professional indemnity in place?
PnB Consulting Engineers has all the necessary accreditation and Professional Indemnity Insurance in place. PnB Consulting has a clean record with no claims ever submitted against us or our insurers.
Do I have to register my new home with NHBRC?
Yes. In terms of the Housing Consumer Protection Measures Act (Act 95 of 1998) all the housing developments need to be enrolled with NHBRC. Give us a call and we can assist you.
Are you registered with NHBRC?
Yes. We are registered with NHBRC as a Competent Person (another term for an engineer). You will need also a registered home builder in order to enrol your home or housing development with NHBRC.
How the engineering fees are calculated?
Engineering fees used to be regulated by the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA). However, South African Competition commission found that the publication of the engineering fees are deemed noncompetitive and subsequently ECSA halted the publication of the fees.
Nevertheless, many professionals and individuals in South Africa still refer to the ECSA rates.
The ECSA rates differentiate between various methods of fee calculation, which may be too complicated to discuss in detail on this platform. But herewith the abbreviated version.
Fees based on Time and reimbursable costs.
The time required to complete the tasks are determined prior to commencement of the project. The price per hour is also agreed with the client. This will form the basis of the financial agreement. Any additional hours that need to be spent should be motivated to the client first and necessary agreements to be obtained from the client.
Fees based on Cost of works
The Engineering fee is calculated as a percentage of the Cost of Works (the total construction value). There are various factors that determine the fee percentage. Amongst others these include the type of work, economy of scale, complexity and risk. Typically the fees are calculated at 4% of the total cost but then the percentage can be lowered or increased depending on the intricacies of the project.
Agreed fees
The ECSA fee guidelines also make provision for a simple fee agreement between the parties.
What deliverables should I expect?
The engineering consultants typically deliver a variety of the products. The final product is the reports, designs and drawings that the engineers produce. However, there is a lot of other activities and interactions that happen before the outcome is reached. For a full description of the products that P&B Consulting offers have a look at our services.
How would my project develop and progress after I appoint PnB Consulting Engineers?
The duration of a project depends on many factors such as Scale, Complexity, availability of information, regulatory requirements and so on. Hence the project duration can vary.
However, for a typical project we can identify 6 Stages that the project will progress through.
Stage 0: Pr-feasibility Planning
The scope planning and preliminary costing are of utmost importance as it will set the tone for the life of the project.
Stage 1: Initiation
This stage the team will establish the requirements of the scope and confirm that the requirements are valid.
Stage 2: Feasibility planning
The Conceptual planning of the project and the provisional financial considerations are developed during this stage. Basic concept reports, drawings and costing are developed at this stage.
Stage 3: Preliminary Design Development
The design and preliminary costing are finalised at this stage. By end of this stage, the process of applying or engaging with various stakeholders, regulatory bodies and relevant authorities should be underway.
Stage 4: Documentation and Procurement
The procurement of the contractor and all associated documentation are developed in this stage. By the end of this stage a contractor should be appointed.
Stage 5: Construction and monitoring
This stage is the highlight of the project and many activities happen in this space. The construction drawings, inspections and quality assurance happen at this stage.
Stage 6: Close-Out
The Close-out stage is the administrative completion of the project and typically the project is handed over to the client.
Do your fees include inspections?
Our fees are inclusive of inspections at critical stages of the construction. However, our fees do not include full time site supervision or full-time quality assurance. These services can be offered at additional cost.
For complex projects or projects that there is a high pace of construction we recommend full time supervision.
How far in advance you need a notice for site inspection?
Please give us at least 48 hours advance notice for inspection of critical structures so our engineers can schedule and plan the visit accordingly.
Do I pay VAT ?
No. We are not VAT registered at the moment.
For any additional queries contact us at info@pnbconsulting.co.za