Concrete brick manufacturer Cape Brick manufactures an eco-friendly product as part of the company's long-term commitment to manufacturing a sustainable environment-friendly product, says Cape Brick sales director Jean Tresfon.
He says that Cape Brick is the only local manufacturer of truly environment-friendly bricks.
"Our recycled bricks are engineering grade, load-bearing, and structural concrete masonry units, that have been approved by the CMA. They hold the lowest embodied energy content of all the bricks manufactured in South Africa," states Tresfon...
..."We were confident that the tests would prove satisfactory, as the SABS conducted a thermal test on our behalf in 2001. However, the NHBRC was concerned that units could vary over time, or that units from different companies might not have the same properties. This is why they have stipulated that each manufacturer must submit its own product for testing," states Cairns.(Read More...)
Laura Tyrer
www.engineeringnews.co.za
Friday, 15 February 2008
Thursday, 14 February 2008
Country Aims to Clear Slums by 2014
Housing delivery will continue to be fast tracked with the objective of accommodating all those seeking homes in formally planned settlements by 2014, says Health Minister Manto Tshabalala.
Speaking at the Social cluster briefing in Cape Town Thursday, the minister said the Department of Housing's focus in the coming financial year will be its programme of slum eradication...
...The National Homebuilders Registration Council (NHBRC) will continue to adhere the minimum standards set by government and will have the authority to stop any contractor who does confirm. (Read More...)
BuaNews (Tshwane)
Vivian Warby
Cape Town
Speaking at the Social cluster briefing in Cape Town Thursday, the minister said the Department of Housing's focus in the coming financial year will be its programme of slum eradication...
...The National Homebuilders Registration Council (NHBRC) will continue to adhere the minimum standards set by government and will have the authority to stop any contractor who does confirm. (Read More...)
BuaNews (Tshwane)
Vivian Warby
Cape Town
Monday, 11 February 2008
It now costs less to build than buy
Residential building activity has slowed significantly on the back of higher interest rates and a softer housing market, placing would-be homebuilders in a good position to negotiate tender prices with contractors.
FNB property strategist John Loos says residential developers are facing tough times as demand for new housing as well as alterations and additions continue to slow. Building plans passed for residential alterations and additions have already dropped by 3% in the three months to November 2007 (y-o-y). Loos expects residential building completions to be 5% to 10% lower in 2008 than last year.
Increased competition among developers and building contractors for new business is already placing pressure on profit margins. FNB's Residential Building Cost index - based on tender prices - shows that building cost inflation slowed to 4,7% in fourth quarter 2007. That is sharply down from a peak of close to 39% in third quarter 2006. Loos says it now costs R5 264/sq m to build the average, middle-sized house (excluding affordable and so-called RDP houses).
He expects pricing power to continue to suffer over the next six months. Although that is bad news for developers, it does of course create opportunity for consumers to negotiate more competitive prices with contractors. In fact, latest data from Absa Bank show that it already costs less to build a new house than to buy an existing one. (Read More...)
www.property24.com
FNB property strategist John Loos says residential developers are facing tough times as demand for new housing as well as alterations and additions continue to slow. Building plans passed for residential alterations and additions have already dropped by 3% in the three months to November 2007 (y-o-y). Loos expects residential building completions to be 5% to 10% lower in 2008 than last year.
Increased competition among developers and building contractors for new business is already placing pressure on profit margins. FNB's Residential Building Cost index - based on tender prices - shows that building cost inflation slowed to 4,7% in fourth quarter 2007. That is sharply down from a peak of close to 39% in third quarter 2006. Loos says it now costs R5 264/sq m to build the average, middle-sized house (excluding affordable and so-called RDP houses).
He expects pricing power to continue to suffer over the next six months. Although that is bad news for developers, it does of course create opportunity for consumers to negotiate more competitive prices with contractors. In fact, latest data from Absa Bank show that it already costs less to build a new house than to buy an existing one. (Read More...)
www.property24.com
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