Style, design and wall decoration
In the “Costs” section of the previous article, “The Frontier of the Wall,” we discussed several points that will affect the physical design of your design, including materials. slope terrain and more. Under this heading we will discuss more aesthetic properties of your planned boundary wall.
Different wall styles can be built, such as Tuscan, Victorian, Spanish, as well as more modern styles and designs. It is very important that this wall is emphasized to match or complement the finish and style of the building in order to maintain aesthetic uniformity. A wooden cottage with cast stone walls does not look good and can adversely affect the whole surrounding area.
Materials such as natural stone, cast or imitation stone, concrete, brick pillows, steel and wood can be used in almost any combination to achieve the desired effect. No matter what materials you accept, make sure that it adds the aesthetic value of the house and property.
Consider the height of your walls and how this will affect the view of the house and property on the street. Security and safety measures, such as electrical fencing, are unfortunately part of most of our lives, but try to hide it, and, as already mentioned, make sure that you adhere to the provisions of the local council.
Building codes, plans and approval
Municipal approved plans are required for the construction of any boundary or free wall in your property. These plans must adhere to the rules for designing the rules of NBR *, SANS * and local municipalities.
Since it is not allowed to build anything outside of your own property, no part of the wall or pillars can be projected along the property line. If you are unclear about the boundary line of your property, you should contact a registered land surveyor to redefine and indicate the position of your border.
Any division or demarcation is a common boundary between properties. Therefore, no existing boundary wall or fence can be taken away without the prior written consent of the affected neighbor. Consult with your neighbor first, as the other party has the legal right to object to your proposed change or removal of the common border unit.
Heritage properties have special restrictions and rules that must be respected. If you know or suspect that your property may have heritage values, consult your local municipality or contact the Heritage Board. You can also consider the approach to a private planner.
For border walls and their foundations, the following SABS * rules apply: SANS 10400-K and SANS 2001-CM2. Your architect or draftsman will know or easily get these rules and their practical implementation. Also, visit the SABS website, where they can be purchased.
Many areas have begun to apply their own "Boundary walls and fencing rules."
For the municipality of Stellenbosch, for example, "... the border of the street: - 2.1 m in height, provided that 50% of the height of the wall or the fence of residential zoned objects should consist of open decorative work in order to create transparency consisting of materials as described ..."
and
"Extra precautions such as shaving wire, electrical fencing / wiring, etc., should preferably not be visible from the street and included in the maximum height for walls and fences ..."
The political situation of the city of Cape Town “No continuous boundary wall will exceed 1.8 m in height at the border of the street and 2.1 m in height at the side border, not a single fence of the fence should exceed 2.1 m in height ...”
and
"Relaxation ... ... requirements ... at the discretion of the district manager." as well as “At least 40% of the surface area of the street boundary wall, including the gate ..... must be clearly permeable ...”
Please note that this is only an excerpt from the border and the fence policy for the two regions mentioned. Get a copy of your area in your local municipality.
Common problems
Some common mistakes to be aware of:
Quality of materials used
For example, if you build an unpainted wall, the bricks should be of higher quality, seeing that they are exposed to the elements. If you choose steel palisade or any other metal fence, it is good practice to get it galvanized, especially if you live close to the sea. Wood fines should preferably be solid wood. This list may be endless; bottom line; Do not skimp on materials and spend a little more to make your wall or fence a more durable structure.
The builder who will be used to build the wall
Make sure they know what they are doing. Get references from previous customers and have your friends refer to the brick layers or contractors they used. Keep track of how often the owner or master is in place and, if necessary, address any questions before the date of payment. Some builders will need advance payments. Make sure that you do not overpay them and never pay the full amount of the contract until the completion of construction and finishing.
Local Municipal Rules
As mentioned in the first section of this article, different municipalities have different policies. Approve your plans before you build your border wall to prevent fines and additional costs.
Heritage sites
There are special rules for any site with heritage or environmental value. Make sure you meet these requirements.
Added features
The need for security and privacy led to higher boundaries. Just keep in mind that high hard surfaces of walls can lead to a worldly and hostile view of the street and can also hide criminals from the public. Wall lights and any other decorative work should, firstly, have an external quality, and secondly, should not be overly expensive and be located so that they do not entice vandalism or theft.
These are a few examples, as this list may become inexhaustible.
Methods and processes
Having seen that there are a lot of different materials and styles for boundary knives and walls, it will be impossible to discuss them all. Here are a few pointers:
Servicing a wall or fence:
Keep in mind how often the cost of service on your chosen product ends.
Brick walls:
- Mix small batches of mortar in accordance with the speed of construction, allow twenty minutes for the initial setting. Thus, your waste on cement and aggregates is minimized, saving you money.
- Mix the boundary bricks from different batches to reduce the color mix. It mixes color variations of different batches.
- Fill all mortar joints with a solid and waterproof upper edge of the wall to reduce water penetration.
Painted or baggy walls:
It has often been assumed that the surfaces of unpainted brick walls, which should only be painted, can be made of less durable materials, and in some cases with less attention to craftsmanship than is usually used for unpainted brick wall surfaces. This is simply not true. When a brick masonry wall needs to be painted, the choice of materials, both brick blocks and mortar, as well as the craftsmanship used in building the wall, must be of the highest quality.
Picture:
Carefully follow the specifications and recommendations of the paint supplier. When choosing colors, create swatches and draw 1 mx 1 m swatches on the wall to make sure you choose the right color. If you are comfortable enough, paint the wall yourself to save money.
Wooden fences:
Painted wings can be very tall. Ask your paint supplier for the right product and application method. As far as possible keep the wood from touching the ground.
Where wooden poles are used, apply a concrete block that protrudes slightly above the level of your garden, soak the edges to bend, diverting water from your post.
List of abbreviations:
* NBR: national building codes
* SABS: South African Bureau of Standards
* SANS: South African National Standards
* SACAP: South African Architectural Profession Council
