Our bettered builders can better your build

From something as simple as fixing a boundary wall or a built-in braai to a completely new house, we can connect you with up to 3 skilled building home pros perfectly suited to your project.

Our experienced Fix Forward home pros are able to assist with any and every kind of build: building new from plan, house extensions, granny flats, loft and garage conversions. If you can dream it, we have a builder that can help you realise that dream.

Building projects we handle:

Hiring a building home pro

From something as simple as fixing a boundary wall or a built-in braai to a completely new house, we can connect you with up to 3 skilled building home pros perfectly suited to your project.

Our experienced Fix Forward home pros are able to assist with any and every kind of build: building new from plan, house extensions, granny flats, loft and garage conversions. If you can dream it, we have builder that can help you realise that dream.

Start at the beginning

It is not always the case but generally speaking when you are building you will need an architect or draftsman to draw plans for the job. This is a key part of making sure that your vision is communicated to the people doing the work in a form that they understand.

The good thing about having an architect on board is that they are experts in the construction arena and as such will have a network of contacts and building home pros that they can recommend.

In a world where there are lots of builders, both good and bad, what you really want is a builder who will fit in as part of the bigger team. There is no point in hiring a builder who can’t work with your architect, no matter how good the builder appears to be.

This is about building the best team and you need to make sure that all the component parts work well together. So, ask your architect for a few recommendations of people they have worked with or want to work with. Chat to the prospective candidates and go from there.

Match the job to the team

So many building home pros will tell you that there is ‘no job too big or too small.’ The reality is that is just a throwaway marketing slogan. And yes, while they will certainly quote on any job that comes their way, the truth is that different home pros are equipped for different jobs.

You could hire a master builder to repair the chimney on your braai but it will be prohibitively expensive and completely unnecessary. Rather make sure that the job is fitting for the people you are talking to and go from there.

The cost of hiring a builder

Every dream that is conceived in the head of a property owner will inevitably need to be curtailed by what can actually be afforded. Costing the job is critically important but beware of simply plumping for the cheapest option. Make sure that you get at least two, ideally three quotes for the work that you are looking to do.

Once you have these quotes do your best to compare them at every level – not just the bottom line. If you are too focused on the bottom line you may well risk missing out on key caveats or hidden costs. Look at the materials needed, look at the contingency fees, and look at the duration of the job.

These are all important considerations, as are things like guarantees and the people involved in the job. For instance who will project manage the job? Is it assumed that you or the architect will do this, or does the builder have somebody in his team who will fulfil this role?

Indeed, is a project manager even needed? Make sure you check all these key things before making your final choice, which will obviously be based on your budget as well.

Building hire references

Put your feelers out for referrals to find building home pros that are recommended by people you know or from sources that you trust. If a friend or neighbour has recently had work done on their property that is of a similar scale or type to what you are looking to have done, chat to them – especially if you like the finished product they have ended up with.

Building can be a very stressful time – having construction workers in your space, living with furniture covered by plastic sheets or even having to vacate your house for a period – so, you may well expect your contacts to tell you what a challenging experience it was.

This is not to say the builder was bad. Ask about the quality of their work and what they were like to deal with on a personal level. Did your friend feel respected regardless of how difficult the overall process was? These are the type of questions to ask.

You can also use an online platform that vets and rates home pros to try and find the right person or team for you. Fix Forward is designed specifically to match the right home pro to the right job. Independent builders are vetted and upskilled and afforded a place on the platform which in turn aggregates jobs.

It is a simple process but for people who are not sure where to start, it is a great launch pad and the perfect place to do some good at the same time by supporting qualified and well-trained entrepreneurs.