Home improvement in Gauteng

Dolomite land: why leaking pipes are your problem

More than half of Ekurhuleni's land area is on dolomite, where water getting into the ground can trigger sinkholes. The metro maps this land into hazard zones, and its policy makes the homeowner responsible for managing dolomite risk on their own property. Importantly, it excludes from municipal rehabilitation any sinkhole caused by leaking private services or poor stormwater drainage on the erf.

Tshwane faces the same issue. In February 2025 the City had 61 sinkholes on its priority list, including in Lyttelton Manor in Centurion, and named leaking water, sewer and stormwater pipes as the main cause.

In practice this puts plumbing and drainage near the top of your maintenance list if you live on dolomite. Fix leaks quickly, keep stormwater flowing away from the house and off the stand, and ask before adding anything that concentrates water in one spot, such as a swimming pool or a large paving area draining to one corner. For new building work or a sizeable renovation, find out your stand's hazard zone first.

Clay soils, storms and the outside of your house

Expansive clays swell in the wet season and shrink in the dry one. That movement shows up as cracked walls, sticking doors and lifting paving. If your home has this history, an engineer's view of the foundations is worth more than repeated plaster patching, and a boundary wall on clay may need different footings from one on stable ground.

Heavy thunderstorm rain is the other test. Before summer, it pays to check:

• Gutters and downpipes, so water lands well away from the foundations. See roofing and roofing costs.
• Flat roofs, balconies and parapets, where ponding water finds every weak joint. Waterproofing is cheaper before the first big storm than after it.
• Paving falls and channels, so driveways shed water to a drain rather than towards the garage.

Wayleaves and council paperwork

Work on the pavement outside your property is not yours to start without permission. In Johannesburg, paving, kerbing or building on a sidewalk needs a wayleave from the Johannesburg Roads Agency before work begins. The City of Tshwane runs its own wayleave process through an online portal. Factor the approval time into your schedule if your paving or asphalt surfacing project extends past your boundary.

Check also whether your plans need building approval, especially for extensions, carports and structural changes. A reputable contractor should tell you upfront which approvals your job needs and who will apply for them.

Getting quotes in Gauteng

When you compare quotes, ask each contractor how their design deals with the ground and the rain: footing depths on clay, drainage on dolomite, gutter sizing for storm downpours. The answers tell you a lot about who has thought about your property. Use the cost guides, such as paving costs and plumbing costs, to sense-check prices.

Home Improvement Hub has more than 200 registered providers nationally. Requesting quotes is free, and you can get up to three to compare.