Estate Paving Rules | Body Corporate Paving Approval

First, whose paving is it?

In a sectional title complex, paving on common property, such as shared driveways, visitors' parking and walkways, is usually the body corporate's responsibility, managed by the trustees. Paving inside an exclusive use area or a section may be the owner's. In a homeowners' association estate, paving on your own stand is usually yours, but the HOA may still control what it looks like. The scheme's rules and the HOA's governing documents decide. Read them before you spend money.

Dainfern, near Fourways, gives an example of the structure: it is managed by the Dainfern Homeowners Association, which was registered in 1991 and operates under estate rules. Many estates around Johannesburg follow a similar model.

Sources: Dainfern, Wikipedia

What estate rules often cover

The paver type, colour and pattern, especially where paving is visible from the street.
Whether a drawing or a sample must be submitted for approval.
Contractor registration at the gate and working hours.
Deposits against damage to estate roads and kerbs.
Rubble removal and where skips may stand.
Storm water: where your paving may and may not discharge.

Rules vary from estate to estate. Ask the HOA or managing agent for the current version.

For trustees and managing agents

When a body corporate paves common property, the trustees are spending other owners' money and will usually need comparable quotes, sometimes a decision at a meeting, and a clear record. The most common problem is quotes that describe different jobs. Write a scope first: the areas and their rough size, the traffic they carry, which areas must stay open during work, known drainage problems and any rules on materials. Give that same scope to every contractor.

Phasing is the other big issue. Residents still need to get in and out, so shared driveways are usually paved in sections. Ask each contractor for a programme showing which section is closed when and for how long.

For owners in an estate

Get the architectural or aesthetic guidelines first.
Check if approval is needed and how long it takes.
Give contractors the rules so their quotes include them.
Get approval in writing before work starts.
Keep the approval and the contractor's details on file.

What a comparable estate or complex quote should state

Trustees and owners both need quotes that can be set side by side. Ask every contractor to state the same things in writing, so that the cheapest quote is not simply the one that left something out:

The area in square metres for each section, measured on site.
The paver, its thickness and colour, and whether it matches the approved sample.
The excavation depth and the base layers, with their compacted thickness.
Edge restraint, kerbs and any channel drains, and where the storm water goes.
Removal of old paving and rubble, and where skips or materials will stand.
The order in which sections are closed, and how residents keep access.
Gate registration, working hours and any deposit the estate requires.
What the contractor guarantees, for how long, and what is excluded.

Matching existing paving

Estates often want new paving to match what is already there. If the original paver has been discontinued or has faded, an exact match may not be possible. Ask the HOA whether a contrasting border or an approved alternative is acceptable, and get contractors to provide samples for approval.

See commercial, estate and complex paving to send your job, and our guide to comparing paving quotes.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need HOA approval to pave my driveway?

Often, especially for paving visible from the street. Check your estate's rules.

Who pays for the complex's shared driveway?

Usually the body corporate, from levies or a special levy, under the scheme's rules.

Can owners get their own quotes for common property?

Owners can propose, but trustees normally manage the process for common property.

Estate and complex paving: rules, approvals and how to get it done