A19 ROOF CERTIFICATION 

Building legislation requires that any new roofing structure has to be certified by a structural engineer before the building inspector will sign the project off as being completed. 

The Roof Engineer issues an A19 Structural Certificate which certifies that the structure has been installed to SABS standards or higher. 

The appointment of an engineer is usually done when the building plans are submitted to the council for scrutinization but, sometimes we find structures like pergolas, verandas, car-ports and even braai rooms being built without plans being submitted to Cape Town Building offices.

When problems do eventually occur on the roof covering, for example, if the sheets are rusted and need to be replaced, and the structure is found to be unstable in some way or another, we will recommend an engineer be consulted to make recommendations to upgrade the structure to a safe and insurable standard. Remember, if there is an incident related the roof, you as the homeowner, along with the contractor who did the work, will be jointly liable for damages/injuries. One of the first documents an insurance assessor will request during an investigation is are the building plans and A19 Certificate.    

A19 Certification is also required when making changes to the roof covering. For instance, if Roof sheeting is being changed out to roof tiles, then the structure will need to be modified to carry the additional weight of roof tiles. This modification will need to be approved by an engineer. Strictly speaking, plans should be submitted to the council but more importantly is that the structure is certified as safe. 

The reverse is also true when changes are made from a heavy roof covering to a lighter one. The flow of wind over a flat roof makes the roof covering act like a ‘wing’ which can create lift, so the structure needs to be properly secured, especially in windy areas like Camps Bay.