Your roof: Getting it right

Your roof is a structurally important and very costly component in any construction project. The average cost of a roof as a component of the final building cost can easily exceed 25% of the total cost. The cost of repair or replacement will be more than this quoted percentage due to the additional work that…

The benefits of pre-fabricated timber roof trusses

The Institute for Timber Construction (ITC-SA), South Africa’s professional body and regulator of the engineered timber structure industry, offers insight into the benefits of pre-fabricated roof trusses and how to prevent costly and potentially dangerous situations arising from having a non-compliant, site-manufactured roof installed by an erector that is not ITC-SA accredited.  

Regulations and nail-plated timber roofs

The Institute for Timber Construction (ITC-SA) offers some important information regarding regulations and nail-plated timber roofs. When placing your truss order confirm that the truss fabricator holds the current year’s ITC-SA Certificate of Competence. This should be displayed in the office premises. Ensure that the timber is stamped with the designed structural grade value (e.g.…

Beware: Fraudulent engineering certificates

The Institute for Timber Construction-SA (ITC-SA) frequently receives complaints regarding failing roof structures. Normally, the resolution of a complaint is fairly easy where an ITC-SA Fabricator, Erector, Inspector or Accredited Engineer employed to oversee the project is a current member of the Institute. However, in recent cases in KwaZulu-Natal, the ITC-SA found that fraudulent engineering certificates were issued over some residential timber roof…

ITC-SA becomes a SAQA Professional Body

The Insitute for Timber Construction (ITC-SA) has been awarded Professional Recognition by the Board of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). This was after a comprehensive process of evaluation by the SAQA Board to confirm that the ITC-SA meets the set Policy and Recognition Criteria as part of the SAQA mandate, and which is, inter alia, to…