Resident’s Voice DO YOU HAVE CABIN FEVER?
OCTOBER 2020
BUILDING WITHOUT APPROVED PLANS?
This magazine is designed & published in partnership by :
A division of GLOVent Solutions www.glovent.co.za | chandi@glovent.co.za
Important Numbers Estate Contact details Do home improvements add value? Do you have Cabin Fever? Recipe of the Month No one will know if I erect a braai on my property without written approved building plans, right?
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ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Tel: 072 386 7347 E-mail: advertise@blackmarblemedia.co.za Next Newsletter: DEC 2020
Disclaimer: This eMagazine is produced especially for residents of Wierda Glen Estate to provide updates and useful information. It is produced by GLOVent Media & black marble media on behalf of the Wierda Glen Estate . Although every effort is taken to ensure accuracy of content, Wierda Glen Estate HOA and/or the Publisher, cannot be held liable for any inaccurate information, and may not agree with all opinions expressed in this publication.
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
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Important Numbers Estate Office: Estate Office Cellphone:
012 653 0746 082 853 4220
Security: Control Room-East Gate:
012 653 5109 066 443 2849
ESTATE CONTACT DETAILS Operations Manager: Gerhard Eybers (boardroom@wierdaglenestate.co.za) Commercial Officer & Company Secretary: Laurike Fourie (fincontrol@wierdaglenestate.co.za)
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OFFICE HOURS Mondays - Thursdays: 07:30 - 16:00 Fridays: 07:30 - 15:00 Office Cellphone Number: 082 853 4220
Accounts: Jolanda Badenhorst (accounts@wierdaglenestate.co.za) Reception: Vanita Roets (office@wierdaglenestate.co.za)
DO HOME IMPROVEMENTS ADD VALUE?
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FIND OUT WHICH HOME IMPROVEMENTS WILL ADD THE MOST VALUE TO YOUR HOME. BY ILONA BRAY, J.D.
Renovating, remodelling, and improving your home can be great ways to give it a makeover, gain extra space, or otherwise make it possible for you to stay in one place longer. But will they increase your selling price? The day may come when you want or need to sell. In preparation for that possibility, realise that not all home improvements are created equal. Some will increase the value of your home, and some will actually make selling more difficult. Here’s how to tell the difference.
https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/do-home-improvements-really-add-30020.html
Projects with the Highest Resale Value Certain projects add more resale value than others. Here are some that generally have the best financial impact. • Kitchens. People like to see modern conveniences and styles in the kitchen. Especially in older homes, kitchen improvements tend to add value. • Bathrooms. Second to kitchen remodels are bathroom remodels. Again, modernizing older styles or appliances usually results in good return. • Outdoor improvements. Your house makes a first impression quickly, so sprucing up its outdoor appearance is a smart investment. • Roofs and windows. Roofs and windows are expensive to replace, and buyers expect these to be in good condition. Unfortunately, that means that while replacing them won’t dramatically increase resale value, not replacing them could significantly decrease it.
Projects That Can Negatively Affect Resale Value. Almost any project has the potential to negatively affect resale value. A general rule is that the more personal your choices are - meaning they’re made to suit your particular lifestyle or taste - the less likely they are to have a positive effect on resale value. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do the project. It just means you shouldn’t expect it to add value to your home and should anticipate that your home may be more difficult to sell as a result. For example, while a soundproof music studio might be your dream come true, it won’t be practical for a young family looking for an extra bedroom for their new baby. These types of buyers won’t pay the premium it cost you to
build the studio and they may be turned off by it. Here are some general indicators that a project might have negative resale value. Luxury upgrades. While no one wants to see the absolute cheapest renovations in a home, the highest-quality upgrades often don’t have the return of mid-range ones, unless you’re in a very high-end home. Rooms that don’t fit with the floor plan. Converting the back patio to a family room may be a perfect way to add more space to your home but, if your dining room window now looks into the family room, it probably won’t be well loved by buyers. Garage conversions. Garage conversions can give homeowners much needed space, but buyers like having garages, so converting this space usually won’t increase value. A swimming pool. A pool may seem like the ultimate luxury to you--but when it comes to selling it could be more of a hindrance than a help. It may be seen as a safety hazard by parents with small children. Consider also whether it’s usable most of the year. Your upgrades should be in sync with the rest of the house. Focusing narrowly on only one room--the perfect master suite, for example--can be a mistake. If the rest of your house was last updated 30 years ago, it will look even shabbier in comparison to the upgraded suite. 6
Do you have
CABIN FEVER?
We have all experienced cabin fever by this point in the lockdown. By the second month in lockdown, we all wished to do any activity that is not between the four walls of your house or online! Luckily we are in level 1 of lockdown and that means things can slowly get back to normal.
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Your Property Professionals
Herewith a few fun ideas that you can do to shake off that cabin fever: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
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Hazel Food Market, Menlo Park, Pretoria Mustang Sally’s, Hatfield, Pretoria Pretoria Botanical Gardens, Brummeria, Pretoria Pretoria Zoo, Daspoort, Pretoria Rietvlei Game Reserve, Centurion, Pretoria Acrobranch at Red Barn, Irene, Pretoria Clay Café at Red Barn. Irene, Pretoria Hennops Hiking Trial, R511, Pretoria Groenkloof Nature Reserve, Christina de Wit ave, Pretoria Harties Horse Trial Safaris, Silkaatsnek Nature Reserve, R511, Hartbeespoort Ludwig’s Rose Farm, 61 Haakdoornlaagte, Pretoria Pretoria Farmer’s Market, 665 Moreleta Street, Pretoria Irene Market, Silverton, Pretoria K1 Karting (Go Karts), Upper level of undercover parkade, Kolonade Shopping Centre Rosemary Hill Farm, 257 R964, Pretoria (MTB Trials,
• • • • •
Acrobranch, Horse Riding, Trial Running, Hiking, Wellness Centre) Market @ The Sheds, Arcadia, Pretoria Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve, 520 Kromdraai Rd, Kromdraai, Krugersdorp Adventure Zone Cullinan, Cullinan Bounce Inc, Menlyn Maine, Menlyn Maine Central Square, Waterkloof Glen, Pretoria Fun Company Menlyn Park, Menlyn Park Shopping Centre, Menlyn, Pretoria
We suggest that residents call and confirm if there are any entry fees and what the Covid-regulations are before visiting the attraction.
Remember your cloth face mask & sanitiser!
in Wierda Glen Estate
Contact
us for:
•Property Valuations mariestolz1965@gmail.com •Rental Valuations •Property Rentals •Property Sales Magda von Berg Marie Stolz 082 786 3857
073 147 4214 magda@remaxinfo.co.za
Rensia Keeley 082 571 3206
rensia@remaxinfo.co.za
INFOGLOBE
RECIPE OF THE MONTH :
EASY PEASY PIZZAS With summer around the corner, lazy weekends by the pool are slowly coming closer. Why not make Sarah Graham’s Easy Peesy Pizza this weekend, it’s easy, fun and delicious.
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https://sarahgraham.co.za/recipes/easy-peasy-pizzas/
RECIPE OF THE MONTH: WHAT YOU NEED: For the Pizza Dough • 1 x 7g sachet dried yeast • 1 tsp sugar • 2 Tbsp olive oil • 500g flour • 1 level tsp salt For the Topping • 1 tin chopped tomatoes, juice drained • 4 zucchini, thinly sliced • 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese • 1 cup roughly crumbed feta or goats cheese • 1 Tbsp each chopped fresh basil and mint, to serve • 1 tsp lemon zest, to serve
1. Add the yeast, sugar and olive oil to a large jug along with 300ml lukewarm water, stir and leave to stand for a few minutes. 2. Sieve the flour into the bowl of your stand mixer (with the dough hook attached), add in the salt and then slowly add in the liquid, mixing slowly and continuously for at least 5 minutes or until you have a smooth ball of dough. 3. Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise in a warm spot in the kitchen for at least an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. 4. Remove the dough, ‘knock it back’ by gently kneading to knock out the air and divide into 4 equal portions. 5. Pre-heat your oven to 200°C and roll out each portion on a lightly floured surface until about half a centimetre thick. 6. Cover each base lightly in chopped tomatoes, scatter over the sliced zucchini along with a drizzle of olive oil and then scatter over the cheeses and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden. 7. Remove from the oven, add an extra drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle over the fresh herbs and lemon zest and serve immediately.
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NO ONE WILL KNOW IF I ERECT A BRAAI ON MY PROPERTY WITHOUT WRITTEN APPROVED BUILDING PLANS
RIGHT?
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Erecting any building without written approved plans, be it as small as a braai or a structure covering the braai area, may be guilty of an offence. If you live in an estate, it is more than likely that someone will notice that you are erecting a structure on your property, as the Homeowners’ Association (“the HOA”) has strict building guidelines and you may be found guilty of an offence.
Every HOA has applicable building guidelines which are stipulated in a Constitution or Memorandum of Incorporation (“MOI”) which every homeowner should be made aware of, read and understood. The guidelines will differ from estate to estate and it is important for the homeowners to adhere to these provisions.
When one wants to erect a building structure on one’s property, written plans have to be lodged with the Homeowners’ Association for consideration. The plans must be within the building guidelines provided for in the Constitution or MOI and based on that, the HOA together with their architect will make a finding. If one erects a structure without these plans, a complaint may be lodged with the municipality and one may receive a notice to obtain written approval for the authorised building work following a summons to appear in court.
If the homeowner fails to comply with the notice, the following procedural step will be a Summons in a Criminal Case. The charges may be based on the contravention of S4(1) of the Act, which states that no person shall without prior approval, in writing, of the local authority in question erect any building in respect of which plans and specifications are to be drawn and submitted in terms of such Act. In addition, Section 4(4) of the Act which states that any person erecting any building in contravention of Section 4(1) shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding R100 for each day on which he was engaged in erecting such building.
The notice to be served on a homeowner who has erected any building, excluding a temporary building, is being or has been erected without prior approval Due to the homeowner failing to comply with the from the local authority shall be served with a notice, notice first served, he/she will then be charged with calling upon him/her to obtain the approval, in writing, the contravention of Regulation A25 (10) of the Act as required by The National Building Regulations and as well. In essence, he/she would then be charged with Building Standards Act No. 103 of 1977 (“the Act”), by the Count 1, the contravention of Section 4(1) and a date specified in such notice. Failure to comply with Section 4(4) of the Act and Count 2, contravention of such a notice may constitute to a criminal offence in Regulation A25(10). terms of Regulation A25(11) of the Act. 13 https://www.phfirms.co.za/NewsResources/NewsArticle.aspx?ArticleID=3082
The penalty awarded to an accused if found guilty will be decided on a case-by-case basis. The Court may consider the nature and the amount of the penalty, the aim of the penalty, which is to compel compliance with the Constitution or the MOI. The Act makes provision for a general penalty clause where any person convicted of an offence under this Act in respect of which a fine or imprisonment is not exceeding R600 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 6 months and Section 4(4) of the Act makes provision for a person to be found guilty of an offence and may be found liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding R100 for each day on which he/she was engaged in erecting such building. However, the court may reduce the penalty to such an extent as it deems equitable or reasonable in the circumstances. It is clear from the above that the consequences of erecting a structure on one’s property without approved written building plans could be hefty and is something that can be easily avoided when one exercises a bit of patience.
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