The 491 unit Department of Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA) Lerato Park development was recently completed in Kimberley, and homes have now been handed over to those who were successful in their applications for RDP homes here.
In this development the 491 low cost houses comprised 135 double storey units, 116 semi-detached and 240 single free standing units.
This project was “enhanced RDP housing” pilot programme in what is hoped to be many more, said Dries Botha, National Group Procurement Manager for the construction company chosen for this project, Motheo Construction. This is one of the first RDP developments to have full plumbing, ceilings, plastered walls, tiled roofs and electricity in each unit, he said.
“When choosing products for a home of this kind,” said Bothta, “one has to bear in mind the future upkeep of the home and the affordability of doing so. Those who qualify for low cost housing earn R3 500 a month or less, so it seems obvious that the products chosen had to be those that did not need any further (or the minimum) upkeep after it was installed,” he said.
PVC Ceilings SA products were used in all the homes here (the area of PVC ceilings installed was ± 17 320m²), using their gloss finish board with PVCSA cornices. These products need no paint, which assists in two ways when it comes to cost control – firstly, the actual installation, where the contractor saves on time and money (in paint) and later, secondly, where the owner of the home will never have to paint the ceilings, said Botha.
“We chose this product specifically for the fact that it does not need painting. If you consider the costs of three coats of paint for 491 houses, plus the labour costs, the saving is substantial,” he said. “Apart from this saving, however, PVC Ceilings are also lightweight, easy to handle and store, they are fully waterproof and the thermal properties are good. This product is very cost effective compared to a conventional painted ceiling. An added advantage is that they are fairly easy to install once our team were trained.”
PVC Ceilings SA have various products on offer, which include matt and gloss coated boards 3.6m, 4.7m and 6m lengths and 250mm wide. PVC ceilings have additional features, however, said Pieter van Heerden, managing director of PVC Ceilings South Africa.
They are also have antifungal properties, are corrosion resistant, fire retardant (B/B1/B2 SANS 428), termite proof, waterproof (no more damaged ceilings from burst geysers), easy to clean, and no further maintenance is necessary after installation.
This practical ceiling system is suitable for any indoor area requiring a fixed, non-porous, non-fibrous and non-absorbent ceiling. PVC Ceilings are very versatile and can be applied in just about any indoor environment, said van Heerden. They have the added benefit of being efficient insulators in summer and winter, due to the hollow core structure of the panels, and can reduce energy consumption in the home by eliminating the need to heat or cool it.
“In choosing a product for low cost or RDP housing, therefore, this seemed the right choice because of its various cost saving and insulation properties passed down to the owners,” said Botha.
