Hire a licensed surveyor to visit the property and prepare the survey plan
Agency: Private Surveyor
For a private property, BuildCo must hire a private licensed surveyor who will visit the property in order to prepare the survey plan. On average, it costs around SLL 1 million for the services of a private surveyor, which includes the cost of submitting the survey plan to the Director of Surveys and Lands.
Time and cost: 20 days, SLL 1,000,000
Licensed surveyor submits the survey plan to the Ministry of Lands, Housing and the Environment
Agency: Ministry of Lands, Housing and the Environment
In accordance with Section 15 of the Surveys Act Cap 256 of the Laws of Sierra Leone (as amended by section 2 of Act No 14 of the Laws of Sierra Leone 1060 ), the licensed surveyor must submit the survey plan to the Ministry of Lands on behalf of the client.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Obtain results of soil test report
Agency: Private Firm
Based on Article 22 section 2 of the Freetown Improvement Law of January 1, 1960, a soil test is required so that all walls of a building rest on solid rock.
Time and cost: 30 days, USD 4,750
Receive countersignature of the Director of Surveys and Lands on the survey plan of the property
Agency: Ministry of Lands, Housing and the Environment
Section 2 of the Survey (Amendment) Act, 1950, mandates that each survey plan must be countersigned by the Director of Surveys and Lands.
Time and cost: 14 days, no charge
Register the survey plan with the Land Registry
Agency: Land Registry
One copy of the survey plan is registered with the Land Registry. The Registry will verify the records to ensure that there is not multiple claims to the land.
Time and cost: 1 day, SLL 10,000
Submit the building permit application to the Office of the Chief Building Inspector (OBI)
Agency: Ministry of Works & Public Assets
The issuance of the building permits and building inspection functions have been transferred from the Ministry of Lands, Country Planning and the Environment to the Ministry of Works, Housing and Infrastructure. The supervisors at the Ministry Works, Housing and Infrastructure will check all the documents and the plans and will assess the building fees. A final review is conducted by the Chief Building Inspector.
The law provides the Ministry one month to issue the building permit. The Ministry will conduct its own search on whether the owner of the land is accurate.
Two sets of the following documents should be submitted at this stage:
- Land survey plan signed by the Director of Surveys and Lands
- Plan of the building 1/8 scale
- Floor plan
- Section plan
- Elevation
The following documents are also submitted for a building permit:
- Design plans for the structure (in this case, the warehouse)
- Land tax payment
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Receive inspection from the Ward Building Inspector to verify the land survey
Agency: Ministry of Works & Public Assets
The Ward Building Inspector conducts an inspection of the topography of the land and accessibility of the land via a road. They check that the land is free of multiple claims and that it complies with the survey plan. The Inspector does not check for water and electricity connections.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Receive signed certificate and pay fees at the NRA desk
Agency: Ministry of Works & Public Assets
The Ministry of Works assesses and calculates the fees that have to be paid by BuildCo. BuildCo pays the fees at the National Revenue Authority (NRA). Upon payment, a receipt is obtained as proof of payment.
Time and cost: 4 days, SLL 2,970,000
Obtain building permit
Agency: Ministry of Works & Public Assets
Time and cost: 14 days, no charge
File a notice of commencement of construction
Agency: Ministry of Works, & Public Assets
BuildCo must file a notice of commencement of construction to inform the Chief Inspection Officer and his inspectors. The notice must be stamped and must include a tentative schedule of the different stages of construction.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Receive inspection of completion of structure
Agency: Ministry of Works & Public Assets
Previously construction companies would be subject to an inspection from the municipal ward at least once or twice per week. Although the regulations provided for phased inspections after each stage of construction, they were never enforced. Starting in 2007 the Ministry of Lands, Country Planning and Environment began an active campaign to streamline its work and provide better services. It recruited a new cadre of professional inspectors and began enforcing the applicable rules and regulations.
Now inspections are done only at certain stages of construction, most importantly: structure works and roof works. The schedule of inspections is now issued together with the building permit. There is no need to request inspections and once the inspectors visit the side, they do not interrupt the works. BuildCo must post the inspections schedule on the construction site, which is then signed by the inspectors after every inspection.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Receive inspection when roof has been covered
Agency: Ministry of Works & Public Assets
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
File a notice of completion with the Ministry of Works and request final inspection
Agency: Ministry of Works & Public Assets
BuildCo must notify the Ministry of Works at least one week prior to completion of the works. It then takes the Ministry between 1 – 2 weeks to visit the site and conduct a final inspection.
Time and cost: 14 days, no charge
Receive final inspection from Ministry of Works
Agency: Ministry of Works & Public Assets
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Purchase and submit application form for water connection to Guma Valley
Agency: Guma Valley Water Company (GVWC)
BuildCo purchases and completes the application form and submits it to Guma Valley Water Company (GVWC).
Time and cost: 1 day, SLL 10,000
Receive inspection from water authorities
Agency: Guma Valley Water Company (GVWC)
GVWC will conduct a survey to assess the feasibility of a connection and prepares a cost estimate of materials and work. It takes about a month before the inspection takes place.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Pay and connect to water
Agency: Guma Valley Water Company (GVWC)
Time and cost: 90 days, SLL 900,000
