Building

Your builder is required to sign a contract with the Gowrie Farm Homeowner’s Association prior to commencing construction on the property. This will be arranged at the site handover meeting. The contract regulates how the contractor and his staff are required to conduct themselves while building on site at Gowrie Farm.

The building contractor will be required to lodge a deposit with the Gowrie Farm Homeowners’ Association prior to commencing building on any erf at Gowrie Farm. If an owner retains the services of his architect to inspect the building process on a regular basis, the deposit required will be R10 000.00. If an owner does not retain the services of his architect for on-site inspections, the deposit required will be R20 000.00.

It is of concern to the Architectural Review Committee that colour variations are taking place on the exterior walls of houses at Gowrie Farm.

Prior to commencing painting, a swatch of 6 square metres must be painted onto the wall of the house, to be checked by a representative of the Architectural Review Committee. Whilst the Architectural Review Committee understands that this places an additional burden on the owners, there is concern with the overall impact the colour variations are having on the development as a whole.

Plascon Paints have prepared colours which are the only colours that may be used on the exterior walls at Gowrie Farm, These are as per the building guidelines:

“7.2       External wall colours:

A Paint Committee has been appointed to monitor the use of external wall colours at Gowrie Farm.  All queries in this regard must be directed to the HOA office. 

 Colours for the estate have been selected and A4 brush outs can be viewed at the Homeowners’ office. 

 External colours shall be limited to the following colours from Plascon, who have offered assistance with interior colour choices and discounts on purchases for Gowrie Farm home owners:

• Crete shore 52
• Crete shore architectural grey GR-Y13.  This is a very dark colour for use on specific sites only, which sites are to be determined by the Paint Committee
• Madonna city Y1-E1-3
• Castle stone Y5-E2-2
• Mosaic Y5-D2-2
• Fever tree BBO602
• Corinthian pillar Y3-E1-4
• Baby elephant Y1-E1-4.  This will only be allowed on certain properties, as determined by the Paint Committee, to prevent its overuse on the estate.
• Misty valley BBO609
• Stone wash Y2-D2-2
• Bottecelli E17-5
• Lightning Y4-D2-2
• Bauhaus Y2-E2-1
• Off-shore 50
• Rhine Castle 54

 So as to avoid monotony of colour on houses at Gowrie Farm, all exterior wall colours are to be approved by the Paint Committee, to ensure that no consecutive homes are painted the same colour. 

 When choosing colours for the homes at Gowrie Farm, the Paint Committee has been sensitive to the Midlands’ landscape and has set out with the intention of minimising the impact of the houses in the landscape.  It is important that when home owners choose their trim colours, they are sensitive to the impact that these colours will have on the overall effect of the homes at Gowrie Farm.  With this in mind, the following rules are applicable:

 Colours of shutters and major verandah details such as posts should be darker than the exterior walls.  White is discouraged on all major features and may only be used on windows.  It is specifically excluded from use on garage doors, barge boards and facia boards or plaster bands.

 White is permitted on  wooden windows, although colours complementary to the walls and if possible darker than the walls, are preferred.  In the case of aluminium windows being used, then dark colours are obligatory.  No white aluminium windows or doors will be permitted in the future.  Before choosing the colour of the aluminium or metal doors, these colours must be approved by the Paint Committee.

• Garage doors should be painted a dark colour, or alternatively the same colour as the walls in which they hang.  Should they be timber doors, then a natural stain is permitted.
•  Gutters must be the same colour as the roof on which they are fixed.  Downpipes are to be painted the same colour as the walls on which they are fixed, or alternatively match the roof colour.

 Before final approval is given for paint colours, contractors shall paint samples onto a northern, eastern and western wall and these colours must then be approved by the Estate Manager, together with the Paint Committee.”

It is extremely important that all home owners are aware of the potential problems that result from the incorrect use of septic tank systems.

Gowrie Village has had problems with its septic tanks and failures with its soakaways, mainly due to foreign matter being disposed of via these systems. In order to avoid the same problems at Gowrie Farm, please ensure that your septic tank has been built correctly.Please place signs in your bathrooms etc, warning people that you are on a septic tank system. Place a filter at your outlet if you are discharging water into the communal system.

Potential problems

• Excessive dumping of cooking oils and grease can fill up the upper portion of the septic tank and cause the inlet drains to block. Oils and grease are often difficult to degrade and can cause odour problems and difficulties with the periodic emptying.
• Flushing non-biodegradable hygiene products such as sanitary towels and cotton buds will rapidly fill or clog a septic tank and these materials should not be disposed of in this way.
• Certain chemicals may damage the working of a septic tank, especially pesticides, herbicides, materials with high concentrations of bleach or caustic soda or any other inorganic materials such as paints, solvents, etc.
• Roots from trees and shrubbery growing above the tank or drain field may clog and or rupture them.
• Playgrounds and storage buildings may cause damage to a tank and the drainage field. In addition, covering the drainage field with impervious surfaces such as a driveway or parking area will seriously affect its efficiency and possibly damage the tank and absorption system.
• Excessive water entering the system will overload it and cause it to fail. Checking for plumbing leaks and practicing water conservation will help the system’s operation.

If the system is damaged or malfunctions, improper repair can prove costly and create potential health hazards.

In order to avoid the same problems at Gowrie Farm:

1. We enclose a copy of a diagram for septic tanks, which has been designed by the engineer. Please ensure that your septic tank has been built correctly.

2. Please place signs in your bathrooms etc, warning people that you are on a septic tank system.

3. Place a filter at your outlet if you are discharging water into the communal system.

Yours sincerely

“GOWRIE BUILDING COMMITTEE”

All exterior lighting and solar heating installations must be approved by GFARC, prior to installation.

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