Appointing an Architect – Kube

6 Helpful Hints for Renovating your Home

KUBE architecture — Fri, 10 May 2013 07:33:00 +0000

Renovating can easily be an intimidating process so we've put together a couple of handy hints to get you on the right path. The images of the Herlig Residence, by Cape Town Architects, KUBE, are courtesy of Johann Lourens Photography.

Where are discerning home owners investing?

KUBE architecture — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 08:50:30 +0000

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="625"] Breda Street residence by KUBE architecture , Alterations and Additions, Cape Town.[/caption]

Many people have been asking what our impression of the state of things in the South African property and construction industry is. So, here are a couple of thoughts...

There is an upwards trend in the number of inquiries received regarding alteration-addition type projects, while inquiries for ‘new-builds’ remain low.
Real estate values are still dormant and owners who bought at inflated prices have realized that to get a return on their money they need to be patient. The next rung of the real estate ladder will have to wait.

The Value of an Architectural Appointment

KUBE architecture — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 06:51:00 +0000

As property owners you will know that as we are approaching the end of a major recession wherein a number of financial service providers went to ground, the safest place for your money during the last two years was in your property. While other investments plummeted, property value merely halted for a brief moment before increasing once more. For most people a house is the single biggest and most valuable investment you will make in your lifetime. The value of that property is measured by either its resale potential or ability to generate income. The question which you have to ask yourself is whether this is the right place to be cutting costs.

Saving on Architectural Fees?

KUBE architecture — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 10:01:00 +0000

Remember the old adage?
"If you think education is expensive, you should see how much it costs you to go without it.” The same applies to architecture: You may think you’re saving, but does it pay in the long run to build without an architect?

The Value of a Good Architect: What the top estate agents know about selling that the others don’t!

KUBE architecture — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Having an architect on your side will often give you the edge which is required to make the sale. Below I've listed just a couple of ways in which we have helped agents in the past:

Architectural Fees: How much is too much?

KUBE architecture — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 08:57:00 +0000

Whether haggling with a vendor in a third world country or sitting in an architect’s office the question remains the same, How much? The simpler the product or service on offer, the easier the question is to answer. For a street vendor selling soft drinks the price is determined by cost + overheads + profit. For a taxi driver offering a ride the price will either be based on previous trips along the same route or the meter reading. Consulting an architect regarding fees is unfortunately not as simple.

Architecture is an intricate process and most projects are unique meaning that reference to previous work is only useful to a certain extent. This is why prior to providing a fee proposal an architect will conduct a significant amount of research in an attempt to determine the amount of hours which will be necessary to complete a job successfully. That being said, there is a general guideline which is published by The South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP) which most architects will at least refer to. The tariff which is published in the Government Gazette is updated annually and is a recommendation and some architecture firms might choose to lower while others choose to inflate their fees. You can find out more about calculating architectural fees here.