Video Summary - Building in Rural SA | How Much We Spent | Lockdown Project | House Plan & Tour

Channel intro + why the video exists

The creator reaches 100 subscribers (mid-April) and says many viewers requested:

a house plan / measurements breakdown
(optionally) a future house tour, especially to show the small bathroom
a cost breakdown of the project and the people used to build it

She also notes the house is not fully finished, so some totals may be incomplete.

When and why they started the house project

When they started

Started: around April 2020 (during lockdown)
Heavily timed with pregnancy: she was about 6 months pregnant

Why they started during lockdown (and without savings)

They were stuck on the Eastern Cape side due to hard lockdown and being unable to travel.
The pregnancy timing was unplanned, and they had no savings/budget at first.
The decision was framed as a “sign” to start small and create a safe space for their family.

Challenges during that time

Her pregnancy was complicated and stressful (frequent sickness and fear).

Move-in date and interruptions

Move-in date: December 2022
Building was paused at times due to life changes, and they also shifted apartments while construction continued.

House layout (size + room flow)

The home is described as a 2-bedroom starter house with:

Open-plan lounge + kitchen
A passage running through the second bedroom to the bathroom
A small bathroom that fits only:
- shower
- sink
- toilet
A passage that leads to a standard double garage

“Corner house / eight corner” terminology

She describes the design using “corner house” / “eight corner” wording, including repeated footprint and section measurements:

Base footprint noted: 10 m x 10 m
- with advice that you may need to go bigger
8-corner concept (mentioned again later)
Passage: 2 m x 2 m
Garage: 6 m x 6 m
She also estimates total area at about 256 m² (as stated in narration), and clarifies there are larger options.

Practical measurement advice (if copying their plan)

If building similar to their layout, she recommends adding at least 2 m beyond their 10×10, because the bathroom plan becomes too tight.
A larger alternative she mentions: 12×12
The garage choice is partly aesthetic:
- They chose a double garage to better complement the house visually.
- They dislike a design where the garage connects directly with no passage, describing it as clumsy/squashed visually.
Roof style:
- They did not use a pointy roof over the wide eight-corner section (depending on contractor skill and preference).

Who built it + labor cost limitation

The build was done by her father-in-law.
Because of that, she says she can’t accurately break down labor costs like a typical contractor quote, since labor is usually not itemized the same way.

Build material highlights + remembered pricing notes

Prices are approximate and time-dependent. She notes some costs can vary by store/region, and that items may have been stolen or broken and then replaced.

Bricks / blocks

Example prices mentioned:
- M5 bricks: about R14.50 / 1450 m5 during lockdown (then dropped later)
- Later price she quotes: about R8.50
She references different pricing depending on store (e.g., DIY vs Cashbuild vs Eastern Cape hardware pricing).

Roofing

Roofing sheets: Super Tile
Cost: about R605 per sheet
Quantity:
- initially 50 sheets
- later added 20 more due to waste/offcuts
- 70 sheets total
Supply note:
- Offcuts can’t be reused.

Roofing colors

Super Tile available in: charcoal, red, green
They chose charcoal
Supply issue:
- first store (Spags, Eastern Cape) ran out before restocking
- they bought from another supplier/store in the Aliwal? / Mata area (as spoken)

Paint + finish choices

They wanted Zukuram, but stores didn’t have exact colors.
Eventually used:
- Flexi Wall (interior), described as light gray (interior name not remembered)
- Duram Flexi Wool in limestone (exterior)
Color adjustment:
- Their match wasn’t perfect, so they mixed by adding white (5L into 20L) to get the lighter tone they wanted.
Charcoal waterproofing:
- Charcoal waterproof from Build It, bought in 5L containers.

Kitchen cost approach (materials + labor structure)

Kitchen cost: R25,000 (materials + labor)
Her father-in-law’s pricing style included:
- call-out fee: R750 for measurements/design calculations
- a stated 50% materials / 50% labor charging style.

Tiling

Tiling labor rate: R90 per square meter
Tile purchases:
- 18 boxes of tiles
- 14 bags of Tylon
- two 5kg grout bags
Ceiling costs:
- she says she would separate it later (not fully itemized in the transcript).

Lighting and fixtures

Purchased items:
- bulbs
- strip lights
- spot lights
- pad lights
- a chandelier for the lounge (from Deco)
Chandelier price:
- narration is unclear; she suggests it was much higher when bought and is around ~R300 now, with a recalled value around R549?
Kitchen lighting:
- bought from China Mall (noted as affordable)
Sensors:
- daylight sensors from DIY reportedly failed quickly (after ~2 months)
- replaced with better ones from Build It

Garage door workaround (budget-driven change)

Original plan: gray aluminum double garage door
- too expensive for their budget
Alternative:
- build a pillar
- install two single garage doors instead of one double door
Result:
- each door cost under R2,000 (about R1,000-something each)
- less expensive labor; pillar cost also described as manageable.

Costs + budgeting philosophy

She warns building costs aren’t straightforward:
- even “foundation + walls” can be around R300,000 in their situation
Quotes may exclude things such as:
- roofing (done separately later)
- some interior items (e.g., kitchen/cupboards)
- sometimes even labor depending on what’s included
- electricity connection / Escom (she mentions about R7,000 in their case)

Saving strategy / advice

Save by stages, not all at once:
- foundation → structure → roofing → plastering, etc.
Motivation matters:
- getting to milestones (e.g., after foundation) helps motivation
It doesn’t matter if you save “big” or “small”—start with the stage you can afford.
She discourages guilt if you aren’t at a “full quarter” or “rich” yet—progress can still happen now.

Challenges during construction (general)

Getting details done exactly as planned was difficult since she wasn’t always present to monitor.
Replacements were sometimes needed for materials.
Even after changes, you still pay for materials (post-build management issues).
Lockdown supply/price surges:
- she claims many sellers increased prices because customers had limited alternatives.

Lifestyle / family mindset + relationship advice

Main mindset

Preserve peace and space.
Building your own home can reduce stress, including stress involving extended family/in-laws.

Relationship perspective

Family support can still come with clashes in personalities:
- “save your own peace”
She argues that having your own home isn’t selfish—it supports family stability.

Advice to couples

Start planning early even if you can’t save much.
Make compromises and prepare for uncertainty in marriage outcomes.
“Start small” and plan steadily.

Future content promised

She plans a more detailed house tour video later, especially showing:

bedroom sizes
the bathroom space
front/back views (front/back exist; sides are pending)

Notable locations, products, and retailers (as mentioned)

Locations

Eastern Cape
Midland (mentions Cashbuild in Midland)
Other travel points referenced generally (unclear): KwaZulu-Natal / Limpopo
Aliwal? / Mata area (used as a sourcing reference)

Stores / brands

Spags
Cashbuild
DIY
Build It
Buco
Deco
China Mall
Mata shop (where charcoal Super Tile was sourced after Spags ran out)

Products / materials

Super Tile roofing sheets (charcoal selected)
Duram Flexi Wool (limestone exterior paint)
Flexi Wall (interior paint)
Charcoal waterproof (pillars/details)
Garage doors: two single doors instead of an aluminum double door

Building in Rural SA | How Much We Spent | Lockdown Project | House Plan & Tour | SA YouTuber

Key takeaways