If you are owner building and planning to hire a building contractor or are subcontracting parts of the project, make sure you know everything you need to know. Ask the right questions, have a checklist ready and choose wisely.
You cannot be too careful when choosing a contractor or subcontractor, go the extra mile and make sure that you feel confident that you have chosen wisely before you start building.
Finding a builder:
- Check in local publications, newspapers and My Little Black Book for builders who advertise their services. They are more likely to be reputable and contactable.
- Look around your neighbourhood for builders currently working on projects and chat to the homeowners and get their opinion on them.
- Get referrals from your architect.
- Get referrals from friends and associates.
- Shortlist at least three builders from whom you can obtain quotes.
Check your builder's credentials:
- Obtain and check the potential builder's references. Obtain the addresses and contact numbers of at least three previous projects that he has worked on. Do not appoint any builder who is unable to supply you with contactable references.
- Ask for information on the project that he is currently busy with. Visit the site and speak to the owner. If the builder is in financial difficulty on that project, then chances are that he needs your project to finance the completion of that one.
- Find out if your builder is registered with either the Master Builder's Association or NHBRC or any other association.
- Make sure that you have your builder's business and residential addresses and full contact details.
- Check that your builder has a valid insurance policy in place to adequately cover the project and personal liability.
- Find out who your builder gets his main building material supplies from and check his creditworthiness with that supplier.
- Check if a Health and Safety Plan is required for your project and whether your builder is able to produce and comply with one.
- Check the registration details of the electrical sub-contractor and the plumbing sub-contractor that your builder will be using with their respective associations. This is very important. Electricians who are not registered with the Electrical Contracting Board of S.A. are not permitted to sign an Electrical Compliance Certificate.
You can contact the Electrical Contracting Board on the following telephone numbers:
Cape Town 021 462 2690
Bloemfontein 051 447 0859
Port Elizabeth 041 363 1990
KwaZulu-Natal 031 312 6313
Pretoria 012 342 3248
Johannesburg 011 392 0000
Pricing your contract:
- It is wise to present your short-listed builders with a drawing, a specification and a pricing schedule. This will ensure that the quotes can easily be compared. Your architect can assist you in this regard.
- Be aware of items that have been deliberately excluded by the builder from his quote. You will have to install and pay for those items yourself. Check if that item is excluded from the other quotes as well so that a proper comparison can be made.
- Obtain rates from your builder in his quote for items that you may wish to extend during the contract.
- Avoid lump sum quotes. Having a breakdown of the various items gives you better control and a better basis for comparison.
- Be aware of provisional cost items with regard to the quality of those items. The specification should cover most of this. If the specification does not cover items like taps, for instance, make sure that your builder has priced a reasonable quality product in his quote.
Appointing your builder
- Apart from the quote that your builder will give you, which you will be expected to sign, make sure that you have a valid building contract signed by your builder and yourself in place.
- Make sure that you have a payment schedule worked out before you sign any contracts.
- You will be investing a lot of money in your building project. Protect yourself and follow the advice given in this article and make your project a good experience instead of a nightmare. – Les Abbott
Source: www.allaboutbuilding.co.za/
Readers' Comments
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I AM A BUILDER AND HAVE READ YOUR ARTICLE AND THINK YOU ARE SHORT ON YOUR LIST. THE REASON I DO THIS IS BECAUSE MOST REPUTABLE BUILDERS ARE SICK AND TIRED OF TENDERING AGAINST FLY BY NIGHT OR INEXPERIENCED BUILDERS.
1 )WHAT ABOUT EMPLOYING A QUANTITY SURVEYOR
2 )WHAT TYPE OF INSURANCES ( PUBLIC LIABILITY , CONTRACTORS ALL RISK , ETC.)
3 ) UIF REGISTRATION
4 ) CIDB REGISTRATION
5 )TAX CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE
6 ) SAFETY CLOTHES AND SAFE PRACTICE ( IT IS EASY TO HAVE A SAFETY PLAN DRAWN UP AND CHEAP )
7 )MASTER BUILDERS DO NOT INSPECT THE BUILDERS QUALITY ANYMORE ( NOT WORTH REGISTERING )
8 )GET A BANK GRADING ON THE CONTRACTOR
9 )NHBRC REGISTERED BUILDERS DO NOT NECESSARILY QUALIFY AS GOOD BUILDERS (JUST ANOTHER GOVERNMENT TAX RIP-OFF)
10 )TO CHECK A BUILDERS QUALITY YOU NEED ALLOT MORE THAN 3 REFERENCES ( WHAT ABOUT THE PISSED OFF CLIENTS ?)
11 )CONTACT DETAILS OF AT LEAST TEN SUPPLIERS TO CHECK THE CONTRACTORS RATING
12 )THE CONTRACTOR SHOULD NOT HAVE A PROBLEM TO SIGN A CREDIT INDEMNITY CHECKFORM
WE NEED MORE ARTICLED THAT EXPOSES BAD BUILDING PRACTICE AS IT DOES COST ALLOT TO DO BUILDING PROJECTS. - CHARL BARNARD
First of all, you need to invest in a good architect! The architect will advise his client regarding builders, bad and good building practice because we know what builders tend to get wrong and look out for certain mistakes that a client will never pick up. But most clients don't want to spend the money on an Architect and in the end, it cost them more money to fix the problems that the Builder made. If there was Architect's supervision, that problem or mistake could have been avoided. We don't actually draw nice pictures and houses, but help and advise the client, because, that's why we are there. – Francois Strachan
EK STEM HEELTEMAL SAAM MET WAT CHARL BARNARD Sê. DIE SLEGSTE DEEL VIR MY IS EGTER DAT EK MOET KOMPETEER MET MENSE WAT NIE EERS 'N PLAN VAN 'N HUIS KAN LEES NIE. EK IS OOK 'N GEKWALIFISEERDE BOUER EN DIS REGTIG SLEG OM TEEN "HET BAKKIE - WIL BOU" KANSVATTERS TE KOMPETEER.
AS EK ENIGE IETS WIL LAAT DOEN, DAN KRY EK DIE BES GEKWALIFISEERDE PERSOON OM DIT VIR MY TE DOEN. EK PRAAT NIE MET DIE SKOONMAKER BY MY BANK OOR BANKSAKE NIE. EK GAAN SIEN MY BANKBESTUURDER. DIS MOS HOE DIT HOORT. HOEKOM GEBRUIK ONS DAN 'N MESSELLAAR OM 'N DAK OP TE SIT OF 'N SKRYNWERKER OM LOODGIETERSWERK TE DOEN. DIS DIE GROOTSTE BELLEGING WAT BAIE MENSE OOIT IN HULLE LEWENS SAL MAAK. GEBRUIK TOG ASB. NET IEMAND WAT REGTIG BEVOEGD IS OM JOU TE HELP.
ONTHOU GOEDKOOP KOOP IS MEESTE VAN DIE TYD DUUR KOOP - JAKO PIENAAR
I would just like to add to this article that a builder should offer a free of charge quote and make sure that this quote is broken down so you can account for everything you are paying for including screws and labor costs – a good builder will be able to do this easily and it means you can check the prices against a reliable high-street hardware store like buildrite to compare the prices.
Also ask for the builders ID numbers – good builders should offer you an agreement to sign agreeing the price, when payment is to be made and any conditions. –Rhiannon
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