How to find a building contractor?

[Strawberry_M]

How to find a building contractor?
This is the question I ask myself today. Finding a building contractor that is good at their work , professional and reasonable priced is seemingly a tough job.
Turns out any building project below a million rand is a joke for most contractors. I am sure most of them don't think to hard about where the money comes from, seeing as most people spend a lifetime paying off a bond. There is an expectation that those being paid to do the job will keep that in mind and be aware that a home acts as many peoples pension fund. Leaves me screening "potty mouth" words how people trusted with such a job can just show you no respect at all.

Ai need I say more

I always though that if you had x amount to do a job you will find someone that meets your needs both being benefactors but that is clearly not the case. Maybe my expectations are to high?

 

[Gaz{M}]

It depends, when you say "less than a million", what is the scale of your project? An entire house? Large extension? Or just a garage or cottage?

I can tell you that labour and materials are very expensive these days, so there isn't much profit in small projects and they take just as much work as a large project.

For example, a brick layer team can brick and entire floor of a house in 4 to 5 days. Or they can do a small extension in 2 days. But they get paid massively more for the entire house even though the work isn't much more.

A single garage can cost less than R30 000 to build, but most contractors will not be interested in doing it for you for less than R100k just because the effort isn't worth it.

The best I can suggest is drive around your area and look for building happening, then engage with the owner of the house and see if they are happy with the work.

 

[WaxLyrical]

What are your expectations?

 

[Strawberry_M]

Due to the size of the plot I have chosen to go with a maisonette(rectangular shape) with total floor area 158m2.

Ground floor to be divided into 2 bedrooms and a small study

2nd floor to be constructed of wood with open plan kitchen and lounge area

Sheet metal roofing to be applied.

Finishing will be pretty standard.

My expectation here is to build for below a million is that not reasonable ?

 

[Spizz]

Every guy and his dog seem to be a bakkie builder in my town

Ask everyone you know and trust for recommendations. Other than that, it’s a thumb suck.

 

[The_MAC]

Due to the size of the plot I have chosen to go with a maisonette(rectangular shape) with total floor area 158m2.

Ground floor to be divided into 2 bedrooms and a small study

2nd floor to be constructed of wood with open plan kitchen and lounge area

Sheet metal roofing to be applied.

Finishing will be pretty standard.

My expectation here is to build for below a million is that not reasonable ?

I build a 30sqm enclosed patio 1 year ago, cost was R300k - sloped timber "flat-type" roof. It included 3 aluminium stacking doors. So I would say your 158m2 project could come in under R1Mil, but not if you go through a company as a turn-key solution.

My brother-in-law is doing extensive alterations, he found a very good "bakkie" builder (from Zim), with a lot of references that he used himself on a previous house. And from what I can see, that is the cheapest way of doing it - pay for labour and procure all the material yourself - but that is a lot of work.

The other variable you must consider is their pace, as I am in the process of building a pool and the guys are about 40% done and its been 2 months already. You don't want a guy to build your maisonette for 12 months for example as this will drive you crazy.

 

[Strawberry_M]

Where will i find a good copy of a bill of quantities for building a house? This of cause as a point of reference.