Design and Build in Pretoria
The architect who draws your plans is the builder who raises your home. One contract, one team, one point of accountability — from the first sketch to the keys. NHBRC registered, SANS 10400 compliant, fixed-fee quoting.
What Design and Build Means — and Why It Saves You Money
The traditional route splits your home into two silos: an architect draws plans, then builders tender on drawings they had no hand in. When the drawings meet your actual stand — the slope, the clay, the budget — someone pays for the gap. Usually you.
Design and build closes that gap. Makena Building Group was founded in 2017 by registered architect Kgothatso Makena, and the same hand that designs your home oversees its construction. The design is drawn knowing what every stage costs to build, what Tshwane council will approve, and what Pretoria's soils will demand — because we are the ones who pour the foundations afterwards.
One contract means one party responsible for everything: the design, the council approval, the programme, the quality, and the handover. No pointing between architect and builder when something needs resolving — there is only us.
How Our Design and Build Process Runs
1. Site & Brief
Free site visit anywhere in greater Pretoria. We walk your stand, read the soil clues, check orientation and services, and capture what you actually need — rooms, budget band, timeline.
2. Design
Architect-drawn concept to full working drawings, SANS 10400 compliant from the start (parts A through XA). You see costs attached to design choices before anything is final. House plans →
3. Approval
We submit to the City of Tshwane with the full document set — engineer appointment where required, dolomitic geotech where applicable. You deal with one office, not three.
4. Fixed-Fee Quote
Itemised fixed-fee pricing on the approved design. We catch under-quoted labour before it becomes your variation claim. See the worksheet →
5. Build
NHBRC-enrolled construction (Reg: 4000022022) by the same team, with the architect supervising. Foundations engineered for your stand — raft foundations on expansive clay are our speciality via SlabWorks.
6. Keys
Snag, handover, NHBRC enrolment documents, and your 5-year structural warranty. One handover meeting — not a relay between designer and contractor.
Design and Build vs Hiring an Architect and Builder Separately
Separate (traditional route)
Two contracts, two point-people, and a pricing gap in between: builders price drawings defensively, so every unforeseen site condition becomes a variation claim. Redraws when the design meets reality are billed by the architect and re-priced by the builder.
Design and build (Makena)
One contract, priced with build knowledge built into the design. Changes are costed by the people who will execute them. Accountability never splits — and our architect-led process means design intent survives construction intact.
Built for Pretoria's Ground and Council
Pretoria is not an easy place to build blind. Expansive clay across much of the city cracks standard foundations; dolomitic zones demand geotechnical surveys and special council clearance; older mining belts need subsidence checks. Because we design and build here, the soil report shapes the design before it's drawn — not after it fails. Our home builders in Pretoria page details the ground conditions by area, and our SlabWorks division engineers the raft foundations those conditions demand.
Council is the second gate. Plans leave our office SANS 10400 compliant with the engineer's appointment included, submitted to Tshwane with everything the plan examiner needs — which is also why our independent plan examination service exists: we know exactly what passes.
Why Homeowners Choose Makena for Design and Build
Architect-Led Since 2017
Founded by registered architect Kgothatso Makena. 100+ completed projects across Pretoria and Gauteng. View the portfolio →
NHBRC Registered
Reg: 4000022022. Every new home enrolled, full 5-year structural warranty, backed by South African law.
Fixed-Fee, Itemised
No hide-the-ball pricing. Every stage itemised before you commit — design, approval, construction, separately visible.
One Point of Contact
Architecture, approvals, construction, slabs, even landscaping — one company, one phone number, from concept to keys.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does design and build mean?
One company designs your home and constructs it under a single contract. Our registered architect draws the plans and oversees the team that builds them — no gap between designer and contractor, no divided responsibility.
Is it cheaper than hiring an architect and builder separately?
Usually yes: the design is drawn with constructability and your real budget in mind from day one, and you avoid variation claims that come when builders price someone else's drawings. Our fixed-fee worksheet shows every stage itemised.
Do you handle municipal plan approval?
Yes — full City of Tshwane submission, SANS 10400 documentation, engineer appointment where required, and the extra geotechnical process for dolomitic areas.
How long does the whole project take?
Design plus approval typically 2-4 months; construction 6-12 months for a standard home. One team means site prep can be planned while approval is still running — separate routes usually add months.
Which Pretoria areas do you serve?
All of greater Pretoria: Soshanguve (home base), Centurion, Mamelodi, Atteridgeville, Akasia, Ga-Rankuwa, Rosslyn, and Pretoria East, North, West and Central.
Can you build from my existing plans?
Yes. If you already have drawings, we price and build them — and our plan examination service can flag compliance issues before Tshwane does.
Ready to Design and Build in Pretoria?
Free site visit, architect-drawn design, itemised fixed-fee quote — one team from sketch to keys.