Glazing and aluminium installation need no statutory licence in South Africa, so you can trade once you have the skill, the kit and a registered business. The formal qualification is the National Certificate in Glazing (NQF Level 2), with short courses available from providers such as Cranes Training. The standards are strict here, because safety glazing and SANS 10400-N compliance protect people, so learn them before you take on work. Price aluminium installs per window or per square metre as a market estimate.
How to register and get qualified
Glazing is unlicensed, but the standards are detailed and getting them wrong is dangerous, so training matters.
- Qualification. The National Certificate in Glazing (NQF (National Qualifications Framework) Level 2, SAQA (South African Qualifications Authority) ID 65769) is the recognised route. Providers such as Cranes Training run a four-week course at about R8,000, with a Grade 9 entry requirement, covering glass cutting, window glazing, aluminium framing, shopfront installation, safety glazing and SANS 10400-N compliance.
- Industry bodies. AAAMSA (the Association of Architectural Aluminium Manufacturers of South Africa) and SAGGA (the South African Glass and Glazing Association) are the relevant bodies.
- Business registration. Register a sole proprietor or a Pty Ltd (private company) with the CIPC (Companies and Intellectual Property Commission), get a SARS (South African Revenue Service) tax number, and register for COIDA (Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases) once you employ anyone. VAT (Value-Added Tax) registration is compulsory only once turnover passes R2.3 million in a 12-month period, the threshold from 1 April 2026; it is voluntary below that.
Kit and start-up costs
This is a mid-range trade to set up, with glass handling driving the bigger spend. Figures are approximate retail prices, so confirm before buying.
- Glass cutter set and suction cups, two to four: about R3,000.
- Silicone gun and caulking tools: about R1,000.
- Aluminium cutting saw, a mitre saw with an aluminium blade: about R5,000.
- Drill, rivet gun and pop-rivet set: about R3,000.
- Glass vacuum lifter, mechanical (about R5,000 to R15,000, or hire at first for large panels).
- Cut-resistant gloves, safety boots and goggles: about R2,000.
- A van or trailer for transporting glass: finance.
A realistic launch kit lands at roughly R20,000 to R35,000, excluding the vehicle. The vacuum lifter is the one item worth hiring at first if large panels are not yet routine.
What you can charge (estimates)
No South African body publishes glazier rates, and public data is thin, so the figures below are guidance estimates only. They vary by glass type, frame system, access and province, so quote each job.
- Aluminium window installation, supply and install: roughly R1,500 to R4,000 per window.
- Frameless shower, supply and install: roughly R8,000 to R20,000.
- Commercial shopfront, supply and install: roughly R1,500 to R4,000 per square metre of glass area.
Glazing standards
SANS 10400-N:2012 (Edition 3.1), the South African National Standard within the National Building Regulations, is the primary standard governing all glazing in buildings. Safety glazing, meaning toughened or laminated glass, is mandatory for all installations. Glass within 1,200 mm of the finished floor level must be safety glazing per SANS 1263 Part 1. External framing and glazing must comply with SANS 613 for structural strength, watertightness and airtightness, and a Performance Test Certificate confirming SANS 613 compliance must be provided on project completion. Any change to glazing on an existing building must be notified to the building inspector. These rules are not red tape; they are what stops someone going through a pane, so build them into every quote.
Common mistakes
- Fitting ordinary glass where safety glazing is required. Within 1,200 mm of the floor, in doors and in showers, it must be toughened or laminated; getting this wrong is a safety and liability failure.
- Skipping the SANS 613 Performance Test Certificate. On framed work it must be handed over at completion; without it the job is not signed off.
- Underpricing large or high glass. It needs lifting gear, more hands and access; price it accordingly.
- Not notifying the building inspector on alterations. Changes to glazing on existing buildings are notifiable; skipping it can stall a sign-off.
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