Content Page: Model Building By Laws

  • Trenches Close To The Buildings

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    No excavation or trench for building purposes shall be made closer to a building than a distance equal to one and one-half times depth of the excavation or trench, or, 1,25 meters, whichever is greater, unless the local authority is satisfied that the stability of such building will not be impaired thereby.

  • Underpinning And Support Of Adjacent Buildings And Structures

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    Where an excavation is liable to cause consequential damage to adjoining buildings, structures, or property, regard shall be had to the provisions of Part II of Chapter 2.

  • Undesirable Excavations And Cavities

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    Where an excavation, ditch, pond watercourse, made-up ground, or similar condition adjoins or is on or adjacent to the subsoil on which any building is to be erected, and, in the opinion of the local authority, is likely to impair the stability of the building- a) the foundation of such building shall be constructed at…

  • Ants’ Nest And Termites

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    (1) Where the nests of ants and termites are encountered, or the roots of trees have to be removed, during excavations for the foundations, the resulting holes shall be refilled and consolidated to the satisfaction of the local authority. (2) Where the local authority considers that there is a danger to timber from insect pests,…

  • Made-up Ground

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    (1)No foundations shall bear on fill or other made-up ground except where the local authority has- a) been provided with a thorough report on the state of the ground; and b) approved precautions proposed to ensure the stability of the proposed building. (2) Any precautions approved in terms of subsection(1) may be enforced by the…

  • Collapsing Subsoils

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    Where a collapsing subsoil is suspected at the building (as where loose fine sands or soft damp silty sands, of altered Aeolian origin or from the decomposition of certain granites, are present in the subsoil), the local authority- a) may require a report to be submitted with the building plans, specifying and justifying the measures…

  • Heaving Subsoils

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    Where a heaving subsoil is suspected at the building site ( as where shattered or micro-shattered desiccated cohesive subsoil is present) or where previous experience in the area concerned indicated the presence of such a condition, the local authority- a) may require a report to be submitted with the building plans, specifying and justifying the…

  • Narrow Foundations On Non-Cohesive Soils

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    Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (1),(2),(3) and (4) of section 5, the maximum allowable bearing pressure for non-cohesive soils where the least lateral dimension of the foundation is less than 1 meter shall be ascertained by the formula- maximum allowable bearing pressure = P x b kilopascalswhere-P= the maximum allowable bearing pressure for that type…

  • Maximum Allowable Bearing Pressure On, And Maximum Safe Bearing Capacity Of, Subsoil

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    (1) Empirical values.- The net loading intensity applied to the subsoil shall not exceed the maximum allowable bearing pressure of the subsoil, and such maximum allowable bearing pressure shall in no case exceed the maximum safe bearing capacity of the subsoil. (2) In the absence of tests or other supporting evidence, and subject to the…

  • Definitions

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    (1) The definitions set out in Chapter 2 are intended to apply throughout these by-laws (2) Terms which are defined in other chapters are, prima facie, applicable only to the chapters in which they are defined, but they may be considered as having persuasive force in construing similar terms in other chapters in which such…