Advice on avoiding a bad building experience

We’ve all heard the horror stories about home additions and alterations that involve building, such as contractors absconding with deposits or not completing work that has already been paid for - and many of us have had our own bad experiences.

However you can avoid these, says Rob Johnson, executive director of the Master Builders Association of the Western Cape (MBAWC), by equipping yourself with professional information and guidance.

“Before calling in a contractor for a quotation, draw up a specific, detailed plan of what you want done and the amount that you want to spend”, he suggests. “Once you have finalised your plans and your budget, get quotations from at least three reputable contractors and ensure that each one quotes you on the same written specifications and conditions, and that these include VAT”.

Then when choosing a contractor, he says, you should ensure that they are registered with the necessary legal or statutory bodies such as the Building Industry Bargaining Council (if applicable in your area), the Receiver of Revenue and the Commissioner for Occupational Injuries. Furthermore, current legislation requires that contractors be registered with the National Home Builders' Registration Council (NHBRC) if you are building a new house.

“You should also be sure to ask the contractor for references of their recent work, visit their previous sites and speak with their past clients. And preferably, you should hire a contractor who is registered with one of the Master Builders Associations affiliated to Master Builders South Africa, as you will have greater recourse if things turn sour."

Once you have decided on a contractor, you should sign acceptance of their offer only once it is in writing and after ensuring that it covers all your requirements in terms of indentifying the work to be undertaken as well as the materials to be used, and that this has been signed by the contractor too”, says Johnson.

“The offer must include: the starting date; approximate duration of the work; anticipated completion date; cleaning up arrangements during the work including the disposal of waste or rubble; the order in which the contractor will proceed whilst on your premises as well as required payment details. You can get formal contract agreements for jobs of all sizes from your nearest MBA office and should insist that these are used. All too often we receive consumer complaints only to find that no contract is in place leaving us unable to assist with the only form of recourse being via expensive litigation in the courts."

Time and time again, he notes, people are taken in by contractors who claim that it’s necessary to make a deposit before work commences. "However, deposits should only be paid to suppliers for specialised items. With large jobs, it can be arranged in the contract agreement that interim payments be made on completion of certain sections of the work. But for small jobs lasting for a period of less than one month, payment is normally made in one lump sum once the work has satisfactorily been completed”.

And finally, Johnson says, you should make sure the contractor is insured to cover any possible damage to your existing building and its contents, and also inform your own insurance company about the work that you are having done.

For more information, call the MBA Western Cape on 021-685-2625 021-685 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Extract from Property Trader with permission (National Property eMag)
http://www.propertytrader.co.za/emag/newsletter/general.php