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Frequently Asked Questions

Kevin Els Architects / Frequently Asked Questions

A home, a lodge or a place of work is one of the most significant things you will ever commission. It should feel unmistakably yours, and the process of creating it should feel as considered as the result.

These are the questions clients ask us most before they begin.

Do I need an architect, or will a draughtsperson do?

By law, building plans in South Africa must be submitted by a professional registered with SACAP, and for simpler projects a draughtsperson can meet that requirement. Meeting the requirement and creating a building you love are two different things.

An architect designs for the life you want to live in the space: how morning light reaches the kitchen, how the house opens to its view, how it holds its value and its beauty twenty years from now. If the building matters to you, the design deserves an architect.

How do your fees work?

Every commission is different, so there is no flat rate. Fees are set against the scope of work in line with SACAP guidelines.

Once we understand your site and your brief, you receive a written fee proposal setting out each stage before any work begins. You know exactly what you are investing in, and what you receive for it, from the start.

What does your full service include?

Everything between the first conversation and the day you take the keys: initial briefing, concept design, design development, council submission and approval, construction documentation, contract administration and supervision on site through to handover.

One practice carries the design from the first sketch to the finished building, so what was promised on paper is what gets built. Read more about our architectural services.

How long does the process take?

It depends on the scale of the project, the pace of your decisions and the local council, as approval times vary from one municipality to the next.

At our first meeting we map out a realistic programme for your project, stage by stage, so you can plan your life and your finances around it with confidence.

Who will I work with?

Kevin Els. He founded the practice in 1988 and remains personally involved in every commission, from the initial brief through design development, council approvals and construction.

Your project is led by the person whose name is on the door. Read more about the practice.

Where do you work?

We have studios in Johannesburg and in the Cape Winelands, and completed projects across South Africa and internationally, including a private residence in Grand Cayman.

Wherever your site is, the approach is the same: we design for the land, the light and the way you want to live there. See our portfolio.

Can you manage the build as well?

Yes. Through our project management service, Kevin acts as principal agent and your single point of accountability, coordinating the engineers, quantity surveyor and contractors through every phase.

You have one person to call, and the design intent stays intact from drawing board to completion.

What is SACAP, and why does registration matter?

SACAP is the South African Council for the Architectural Profession, the statutory body that registers and regulates architectural professionals in South Africa. Kevin Els is registered with SACAP, and with SAIA and PIA.

Registration means your architect is qualified, bound by a professional code of conduct and legally able to submit your plans. It is the first thing to check before you appoint anyone.

How do we start?

With a conversation. Tell us about your site, how you want to live or work in the space, and what you have always imagined for it.

Get in touch to discuss your project with Kevin directly.