Body corporate and complex roof waterproofing in Johannesburg
A complex roof is a shared asset, and the decision to waterproof it runs through the trustees, the levy and sometimes a special resolution. We connect bodies corporate, managing agents and homeowners with an independent contractor who works on shared roofs.
Who decides, and who pays
In a sectional title scheme, the roof over the units is usually common property, which means the body corporate maintains it, not the individual owner. That changes the whole shape of the job: the decision is made by the trustees within their mandate, funded from the levy or from a special levy, and the work is procured and supervised on behalf of the scheme rather than by one household.
Getting that right matters. A trustee who arranges work outside their authority, or an owner who waterproofs a shared roof without the scheme's decision, creates a dispute. A contractor working for a body corporate should expect a written instruction, a defined scope and a clear understanding of who signs off the work, and our guide to how complexes and bodies corporate decide on roof work sets out the usual steps.
Planning the work on a shared roof
Shared roofs are rarely uniform, and that is what makes a complex job different. A scheme may have several blocks of different ages, a mix of pitched tile and flat concrete roofs, and sections that were built later than the rest. Waterproofing the whole scheme in one go is not always sensible: the roofs that are still sound can wait, and the ones that leak every summer should not.
The practical approach is a condition survey of every roof in the scheme, ranked by condition, and a phased plan that connects the priorities to the budget cycle. That gives trustees something they can present to owners and to the annual general meeting, and it stops the pattern of patching the same roof year after year while two others go unattended.
Working around the residents
A complex is a place where people live, and a waterproofing job lands in the middle of that. Scaffolding goes up over gardens and parking bays, materials have to be moved through shared space, and the noise and smell of membrane work reach the units. Managed well, it is a nuisance for a few days; managed badly, it is a source of complaints.
A contractor experienced in complexes plans around the residents: working hours agreed with the trustees, access arranged with owners who have to move cars, water and power discussed in advance, and a single point of contact for the scheme. Ask how the contractor will communicate with residents, because on a shared roof that is as much a part of the job as the membrane.
What a body corporate should ask for
Ask each contractor for a written scope per roof, not a single figure for the whole scheme. The scope should say what system is proposed, what preparation is included, how the flashings and outlets will be treated, and what the warranty covers and for how long. Ask for the warranty in the scheme's name, since it is the scheme that owns the roof.
Ask about insurance and work on occupied premises, and about the sequence so that any one section is not left open to rain. And ask who is responsible for defects after handover, and how they are reported. A body corporate carries the risk for years, so the paperwork around the work is worth as much as the work.
What moves the quote
We do not publish prices. The contractor quotes you directly once they understand the job. These are the factors that usually make the difference:
- The number of roofs or blocks in the scheme, and their condition.
- The mix of roof types: pitched tile, metal sheeting, flat concrete.
- Whether the work is phased, and how the phasing follows the budget cycle.
- Access to shared roofs and the arrangement with residents.
- The preparation each roof needs before a system goes down.
- The warranty the scheme needs, and who signs off the work.
Our guide to what moves a waterproofing quote in Johannesburg explains how to compare quotes fairly.
Body corporate and complex waterproofing by suburb
Frequently asked questions
Is the roof the body corporate's responsibility?
In most sectional title schemes the roof over the units is common property and the body corporate maintains it. Confirm the position for your scheme with your managing agent, because the rules can differ.
Can a complex waterproof one block at a time?
Yes, and it is often the sensible approach. A condition survey ranks the roofs, and the scheme waterproofs the worst ones first within its budget and levy cycle.
Do we need a special resolution to waterproof the roof?
It depends on whether the work falls within the trustees' mandate or needs the members' approval, which usually turns on the amount and the rules of the scheme. Your managing agent or an attorney can confirm for your scheme.
Who is responsible for the work on a shared roof?
The contractor, under the warranty written into the contract with the body corporate. A warranty is not a promise that a roof will never leak, because that depends on the system and the roof under it.
Can a managing agent get a quote for our complex?
Yes. Send the scheme, the number of blocks and the roof types, and we pass the enquiry to an independent contractor who works on shared roofs in your area.
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