When you hire the services of a professional builder, you can be sure that they will provide quality service in every way.
The right builder will stay guided by a wealth of knowledge and experience gained over the years to protect your investment and ensure you’re satisfied with the final result.
A good builder will also:
• Collaborate closely with architects.
• Keep plan development on schedule.
• Provide unique design ideas.
• Produce initial estimate based on preliminary design.
• Provide valuable construction expertise and insight.
• Offer value-engineering and cost-saving options.
• Suggest high-performance home specs.
• Mitigate potential constructability issues.
• Recommend the right building materials.
What types of builders are available?
The one-man band
These solo traders are exactly as they sound – a lone contractor who’s able to handle the work by themselves.
These kinds of builders are best used for small projects, usually renovations, but could be an option for small-scale extensions, depending on their skill level.
Many homeowners find themselves considering a one-man band, as they’re the cheapest option when it comes to construction.
But like all things, these cost-effective prices do come with their own drawbacks.
With limited manpower, these builders usually only take on one job at a time.
A builder with some help
A builder with some help will often grow their business quite organically.
They’ll start off small and, as they get more jobs, slowly identify labourers and other traders that are reliable, who they’ll then put in charge of a site so the main builder can go and work on other homes.
With the right company, this could be a great advantage to your home.
In the middle of growing their business, these contractors are often very ambitious and keen to make a positive impression. This means you get a great service for a very competitive price.
Building contractor with sub-contractors
These are a great choice for homeowners who want more of a professional touch (not to mention, some extra security).
They offer a mix of organisation, budget and reliability, thanks to being typically well established with proven experience.
If you do go for this kind of company, one thing you do need to watch out for is sub-contractors.
While in most cases, these are nothing to worry about, you do need to make sure they’re fully accounted for in your contract.
You’ll want to know if their costs are being included into your quote, plus if they’re covered by the same insurance.
Fully established contracting firm
These guys are the cream of the crop and the number one recommendation for any large home project.
Though you’ll pay more for their premium service, their expertise will be hard to beat, and their size means you’ll be able to secure a payment plan that keeps you and your budget safe from bad practices.
As a large-scale business, contracting firms will have a range of builders, ground-workers and labourers on hand for your home.
This means they often complete projects ahead of their smaller, local competition.
Read: Renovate your home this Christmas
What’s the best way to go about looking for a builder?
Looking for the right builder comes down to what type of construction you plan to undertake.
A simple and small-scale painting and paving job may not require fully established firms, but if you are embarking on a major building and construction job, you will need to follow the right steps.
The construction industry is well regulated in this country and homebuilders are evaluated before they are deemed capable and competent enough to operate.
Industry experts say the best way to find a competent builder is by contacting the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC).
This organisation was established to protect homebuilders and to set and maintain construction quality standards in the building industry.
It is an independent, non-profit, non-government organisation, established to assist homebuilders when a registered contractor defaults on his contract or fails to rectify certain faults.
Builders and remodeling contractors registered with the NHBRC will guarantee that they will carry out the following in terms of the standard homebuilder’s warranty:
• Make good any defects related to plans, specifications workmanship and materials occurring within 90 days of occupation.
• Repair any roof leaks occurring within 12 months of occupation.
• Provide a five-year warranty on the structural integrity of the new house. As a condition of registration with the NHBRC, the builder must issue a standard home builder’s warranty (SHBW) on the new home.
This defect warranty forces the contractor to give the customer a five-year guarantee that any structural defects will be rectified by the contractor, for the contractor’s own account.
The party which signs the contract, whether it builds the dwelling or not, is the party responsible for supplying the SHBW and should by implication be registered with the NHBRC.
A unit enrolment certificate will be issued by the NHBRC after the SHBW has been registered.
It is important for owners to understand that photocopies of the warranty or enrolment certificates will be accepted as the original documents are a prerequisite for registration. No party may waive the SHBW.
Have a story?
Contact the newsroom by emailing: Thelma Koorts (editor) brakpanherald@caxton.co.za
or Stacy Slatter (news editor) stacys@caxton.co.za
or Miné Fourie (journalist) minev@caxton.co.za
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