Discover Why it's So Important to Get a Building Permit

There are many reasons why you should obtain a building permit and required inspection for your construction project.

Obtaining building permits in Ghana is not easy. However, building permits are very important. Undertaking construction without a permit can result in fines to the property owner. In addition to fines, building inspectors will want to ensure that proper procedures were followed when constructing the building. The inspectors will inspect the building and order changes if necessary. Fixing permit violations in addition to the fines can be very expensive.

Building Permit Increases Property Value

One of the main reasons for obtaining permits before construction is for insurance and real estate value. Building that does not have a permit is non-existent in the eyes of insurance firms and banks.

If you construct a building without a permit, insurance firms will not cover the building. In addition, you will not be able to sell the house for as much as you would be able to had you obtained the permit. Property insurers will not cover work or damages caused by construction projects that lack proper permits.

Building Permit Makes Selling Property Easier

When selling property in Ghana through multiple listing associations, the owner is required to provide details about the property including improvements and repairs made and whether building permits and inspections were obtained.

Banks and other financial institutions will not finance a building purchase that lacks proper permits. If you decide to buy a building in Ghana that lacks proper permits, you may be required to obtain new permits, which may be quite expensive.

Building Permit Improves safety

Building permits allow building inspectors and construction project managers to reduce the risk of unsafe construction to provide for safety, public health and welfare. By obtaining building permits, your completed project will meet required standards for the safety of your family, friends and any other occupant. Building permits complement the contractor’s experience and act as a system of checks and balances that helps create safer projects.

It is financially sound to obtain a building permit as required by law. Your home or business building is your investment. If your construction project does not have a permit, the value of your investment is reduced significantly.

Are You Looking for a Home Construction Loan in Ghana? 6 Simple Steps to Follow

Owning a property is probably the greatest investment that you can make in life. Besides the fact that the real estate increase in value with time, it is also a very safe way to invest your money as you can always and easily track the value of your property in the market. Now, if you are looking to build a property, update or renovate it, or you just want to add some eco-friendly features to your home, there are high odds that you will not have all the cash that you need for the project upfront. And since home construction can be expensive, a construction loan is a great way to get the money you need for the project. So, what are the steps to getting a home construction loan in Ghana? Find out below!

Step 1: Figure out how much money you need

The amount of money that you need for the project will be determined by whether you are constructing a new home, remodeling the existing one or you just want to add some green features to your property. Regardless of the type of the project you want to undertake, you will need to get a cost estimate from your contractor.

As a prospective borrower in Ghana, knowing the amount of money you will need for the project will help you in deciding the type of loan that is best for your situation.

Step 2: Choosing the proper lender for your construction loan

You now know the amount of money you need for your project. The next step is to choose the bank or company that will handle your loan. Currently, lending rates in Ghana are extremely high, but there are banking institutions that offer better rates, such as HFC Bank Ghana, eco-bank transnational and eco-bank Ghana.

Step 3: Collect the required documents

Some of the important documents that you may require when applying for home construction loan include:

• Two proof-of-address forms
• Two forms of personal identification
• Credit reports
• Proof of income
• Recent banking statements among others

Step 4: Signing the agreement

Before signing a loan agreement, make sure that you are familiar with the terms and conditions as provided in the contract. You should be aware of each and every item included in the agreement, such as the payment dates, loan amount, and transaction fees among others.

Step 5: Sending in your application
You can submit your application through an online platform, or you elect to take them in person to your lender.

Step 6: Waiting for disbursement of money

The approval for your loan could come in faster or take few days, depending on your lender.

Following the above steps will greatly ease the process of getting a home construction loan in Ghana.

Electricity Outages In Ghana: Causes, Effects & Solutions

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Ghana has for several years been experiencing massive power blackouts popularly nicknamed 'dumsor,' which means on & off in one of the local dialects. Although intermittent power is common in most developing African countries, the energy situation in Ghana is already spiraling out of control. Some areas lack electricity for hours on end; others receive multiple power cuts (about five) each day. Sometimes, the blackouts last for extended periods, some lasting longer than 24 hours.

If the current trend is anything to go by, soon Ghana will be wallowing in pitch darkness.

Causes of power outages in Ghana

According to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), most of the power outages should be blamed on inadequate supply of gas from Nigeria. The government has maintained that the current supply is unstable and they can only supply what they get.

On the national front, the government maintains they are doing everything they can and that various projects currently underway will ease the situation by the end of the year. For most Ghanaians though, these are just empty promises that they have heard too many times before.

Peering closer into the energy situation in Ghana, it's clear to see that the sector is marred by lack of direction, mismanagement of resources and a narrow conservative mindset that does not auger well with the energy needs of the 21st Century.

Effects of the power cuts

In the last few weeks, thousands of Ghanaians have taken to demonstrating in the streets to show their displeasure at the power outages. Some of these protests have been violent.

In the deeper context of the matter, the consequences of the power outages are vast. Business owners are no longer attaining the production levels they desire, their profits have dwindled and thousands of people have lost their jobs.

The industrial sector, with its massive energy needs, has been the worst hit. Manufacturers are cutting losses and investors are withdrawing. The economy is ailing and the weakening national currency is portraying that all too well.

Way Forward

1) The country should stop over reliance on Nigeria for its gas supplies. At the minimum, it should store enough gas reserves for contingencies.

2) The country should exploit alternative energy solutions such as wind energy and solar energy.

3) Ghana should privatize the energy sector. This will de-monopolize the industry and allow competition from private companies. Doing so will increase energy supplies, improve on quality and reduce costs in the long run.

Most importantly, president Mahama's government should wake up to the realization that the energy sector is the lifeline of any economy, especially that of an emerging nation.

Do You Have What It Takes to Build A Home Like A True Expert?

Let's build a home. Follow along with these instructions and you will be living in your new home in no time. The first step in any successful project is planning. Before you start building, weigh out your options for location carefully even if you already have land. The worst thing is to build a home in an area where you won't enjoy living. There are several factors to look into when selecting a location:

• Price of land
• Neighborhood
• Utility Availability
• Road
• Traffic
• Schools

Once you have found the right location, discuss options and select your house plan or draw up a custom house plan. Hire a professional to save time, hassle and money down the road. Communication is the key here. Make sure the architects know exactly what you want, but also listen to the advice they give you.

Begin a budget. This is a temporary budget at this point. As you go along, you will finalize this budget. Expenses such as permits, insurance and material costs will have to be figured out. The best way of figuring out actual cost of your project is to get a Bill of Quantity and Material Schedule from your local professional quantity surveyors.

Every fun project has some unwanted steps. Here come the unwanted steps of gathering permits. No matter the location, there are likely building permits that will need to be obtained. Always discuss local laws and regulations with your contractors and city officials.

You are now ready to break ground. After the site is excavated, you can begin your foundation. First you will need lay out the concrete foundation to build upon. Building lines will need to be set up to square up and level the foundation.

Now you need some walls, begin walling after the foundation. Your material schedule (if you have one) should tell you how many blocks or bricks you will need to complete the walls. Be sure the block or brick laying job is done well and are secured properly. Marks for roof trusses can now be placed in the correct locations. Sub-facia board must be nailed to connect ends of rafters. You will need to install a good moisture barrier to protect against the Ghana weather. Finish up your exterior by installing doors, windows and your final roof. Install whichever type of floor you have chosen.

Now it is time to head inside your new home. Here you will be installing things like pipes, electrical wires and insulation. This is where you can save some money by doing inside work yourself. After the professionals do the bulk of the wiring, walling and piping, you can begin work on the necessities.

Installing a bathtub, for instance, is something that can be done by a homeowner. It may also be cheaper to purchase or import fixtures and some materials yourself. Woodwork like cabinets and shelving can be done or contracted out, depending on your know-how. Choose appliances that are energy saving to help keep living costs down.

Paint your new house. Consult with your local painting professional to determine the appropriate exterior and interior paint will you will need. Get professional estimate to determine if you need to contract out the painting job or to do it yourself. Now you are done and ready to move in.

Remember, the first step in building the home of your dream is to purchase a home plan from Ghana House Plans. We can discuss your wants and needs, then supply you with affordable choices and plans. Talk with one of our experts today.

Home Construction on A Budget: 10 Tips From The Professionals

Looking to build a new home or maybe even renovate your current home? That is great, but before you rush right into your new project, there are some things you will need to know to save some money.

1. DIY (Do It Yourself) Okay, so not everybody is a wiz with tools or can rebuild a staircase by hand. The things you can do can still save you quite a bit of money.
2. Go Over Plans Line by Line In the beginning, your contractor should discuss the build plans with you thoroughly. During this early planning, make sure to go over everything in fine detail. Be sure to ask questions about things you are unsure about.
3. Budget in Extra Money Some projects can be most expensive than at first thought. If these issues arise and you do not have some sort of buffer in place, you will only be hurting yourself.
4. Get Your Own Materials In many cases, it may be cheaper for you to purchase the materials needed than it would be to go through your contractor. You cannot buy all materials yourself, but things like blocks, cements, roofing sheets, tiles, and counter tops may be cheaper from a major home improvement store.
5. Reclaimed Materials While you are looking for good prices on building materials, keep an eye out for reclaimed materials. Habitat for Humanity ReStore for example, is a great place to check for commonly reclaimed building materials.
6. Finalize Your Home Plan The first step in planning a building project is the planning stages. After all of the time and work you put into this planning, don't make last minute changes.
7. Hire a Licensed Contractor When you hire a licensed contractor, you are ensuring quality work. This will avoid having to redo the work yourself, or hire another contractor.
8. Put Off What You Can You may want to get everything done all at once, but there are plenty of things that can be put off until after the main construction.
9. Green Makes Sense Go Green! It is not just a recent fad, but a great way to save money. Try new Energy Star appliances or ask your contractor about structural changes to help save energy.
10. Build Off Season Raining season is a slow time of year for contractors and builders. Start shopping around during raining seasons for lower estimates and start your project off raining season.

For a House Plan to help you plan and know exactly how your home will look like, how much it will cost, browse our huge assortments of House Plans here and let us know of your selections.

How To Register Your Land In Ghana

Land is a valuable asset, which appreciates or increases in term of price, as time goes on. It is therefore very important that, when you are able to acquire a land, it is registered appropriately and accordingly with the land agencies involved to avoid future land disputes and forfeiture.

In Ghana, recently, acquisition of land has become tiresome and very expensive, especially in elite areas of Accra. This gives more reason why it is vital that the land is registered as this would also give the owner full rights over the land and in its development as well as save the owner from litigation.

7 Steps to Register Your Land in Ghana

1. Background Checks - Carrying out thorough checks about the land is important, as this will enable the future land owner gets to know if the land is available to be acquired. In this process, the prospective land owner can also consider the services of a land lawyer to research the land and prove its availability; such as if it has already been sold out. Checks must also be done with other government land overseers, for example; the Tema Development Corporation (TDC), to ascertain if the land had been earmarked for any developmental projects. One would also be told if the land is not suitable, say if it is a water-logged area, and therefore, not advisable to be purchased.
2. Acquisition and Negotiation - After the availability and suitability of the land has been established, the interested buyer or lessee negotiates with the actual owner of the land for sales. It is important to be reminded that the interested buyer must deal with the rightful owner of the land because the use of middlemen is not advisable. An agreement is reached and documents made to its effect.
3. Document Endorsement - Three copies of the agreement documents would be needed for endorsement by a land lawyer, who will have to sign the back of each of the copies with his practising stamp duly fixed. Each copy of the documents must have a site plan attached, together with two extra copies of site plans, all making 5 documents. The back of the site plan would also be needed to be endorsed by the owner and the buyer of the land; after which they (the site plans) are to be certified by the stamps of a licensed surveyor and the regional surveyor with accurate date.
4. Witnesses - These are people who would testify to the proceedings so that in future whenever there is anycase of challenge about ownership of the land, they would be called upon for assistance. It is therefore required that at least, 2 qualified persons from both parties – the seller and buyer sides must sign as witnesses. The two witnesses signing on behalf of the buyer or lessee must do so with their full names, addresses and original signatures.
5. Land Commission - After the endorsement of the documents, it is then sent to the land commission, together with processing feesfor of processing and registration of the land to begin. After the processing is completed, the documents are released to the Land Valuation Board for stamping and certifying.
6. Internal Revenue Authority (IRS) - The IRS sees to the taxes associated with the registration process. From the land valuation board, the processed documents are then released to the IRS for tax clearing of the land to be made. When this is complete, the applicant, or buyer is given a tax clearance certificate. The documents are from here, taken back to the land commission for final registration at the deeds registry.
7. Original Copy - From the deeds registry, the buyer is given an original copy of the land title document.

It is advisable that persons who seek to register their lands go through the above processes to have their lands registered accurately and the documents original and recognized. Failure to do this, and employing unauthorized means to go about the registration process or use of “short cut” as it is popularly termed in Ghana, could lead to serious land issues in the future. The land title document must also be kept in a secured place to prevent loss or damage.

7 Ghana Real Estate Laws You Should Know

In Ghana, as in other developing and advanced countries, there are laws governing the building of houses, and construction in general. These laws, when conformed to, brings sanity into the construction industry, ensuring that all laws are obeyed and buildings built in a way to secure good living for human development.

One needs not be told the effects or consequences of living in a poor quality building – there is the high possibility of collapse, fire, and flood. For this reason, the government, governmental and non-governmental organization (NGOs) in the building sector, international organizations, and individual players in the building sector, have devised ways to put the Ghana real estate laws in check and to ensure that real estate developers and builders in the country comply with these laws.

The Ghana Building Code (GBC) was last reviewed in 2012, during an “African Adaptation Programme on Climate Change” conference, in which it was held that the GBC be reviewed to attain “Risk Reduction In Physical Development”; in a bid to reduce -if not fully eradicate –disasters related to building such as collapse and fire.

Some of the most important Ghana Real Estate Laws that builders need to apply in their projects are as follows:

1. Land Title - One must first have a land, and with a clear title. This should be the foremost step in starting a building. Failure to obtain a land title from the agencies involved, such as the Lands Commissions and the Town and Country Planning will lead to the loss of the building without any monetary compensation.
2. Building Permit - It is rightful and very important that a builder obtains a building permit before he embarks on the process; this is compulsory even if the building has a legal support. The building permit must be obtained from the city authorities, district, metropolitan or municipal assembly under which area the building will be situated. Examples are the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and Tema Metropolitan Assembly. Failure to get a building permit before starting a building would lead to a huge monetary fine or total demolishing by the government or city authorities.
3. Building Materials - The Ghana Building Code (GBC) expects that builders employ good quality building materials in their construction works. The Code does not allow the use of poor quality, harmful or toxic building materials; because they are a threat to human health which could cause severe ailments and even death. Conformity to this law brings to memory the tragic incidence of the collapse of the Achimota- branch of Melcom, a super-market with branches across Ghana, in which about 8 people were reported dead and several others injured. Therefore, the use of good quality building materials including electric cables for wiring, blocks and bricks is advised.
4. Emergency Precautions - When putting up a design for the building, it is required by law that the building must have emergency features such as exit and assembly points in case of fire, flood or any other disaster. The builder is also required to include structural means in the plans to prevent disasters.
5. Excavation Requirement - Environmental factors must be considered when building. These include the depth of water tables, and sub-soil drainage must have a legal backing before excavation begin. This would help check pollution of water bodies and fertility of soil, especially in building in crop-growing communities.
6. Financial Requirements - According to this law, a builder must spell out how they intend to fund the building process. Is it by personal or group funding; or loans from a mortgage company? One must also be in good standing to be able to have access to loans if that would be the means of financing the building.
7. Completion Time - It is expected by law, that builders meet certain timelines in their building process. Typical of such timelines is the completion of the foundation and walls within a period of 2 years. Also, the builder must be able to meet the entire completion time that they have already indicated in the building document.

Buildings are essential structures of every human’s life, and therefore must be constructed with utmost care and good quality materials. It is therefore vital that foreign investors, real estate developers, and individual builders take these laws into consideration when embarking on building projects, for a fulfilling and better standard of living in Ghana.