Renovating for a good cause.

Support young entrepreneurs who want to make a difference

Spread the joy and ditch the guilt

Home renovation can be a contentious issue – why should you spend thousands of rands to update your patio or install that fireplace when someone a few kilometres from you is out looking for a new tarp to cover their leaking plastic roof.

South Africa is one of the most unequal countries in the world. There are so many historic reasons for this but instead of playing the blame game we should rather  give the little guy a chance and do home renovations in a conscientious way.

South Africans are a rare breed.

We are resilient, self-reliant and, despite all our big talk and bluster, and infinitely kind nation. In recent years, this has led to a vast “bakkie brigade” of new start up construction and renovation businesses. While some of these new guys are a bit dodgy, and you should steer clear of allowing them near your home with a power tool, many others are decent, hard-working people who deserve a break.

How to trial a new builder.

See yourself as an educator. You could be doing the whole industry a favour!

There are a few things that can absolutely be safely and successfully done by someone just starting out in the home reno industry.

Painting 

Particularly exterior painting. (Less chance or irreparable damage to carpets and floors)

We suggest that you scale this work. Start with basic exterior wall painting. Once you are satisfied that their work is up to scratch (feel free to insist on do-overs if it isn’t) you can move on to having your new guy paint trim and perhaps even touch up windowsills.

Paving

This is a low risk first time project. Because paving is usually not cemented into place but merely compacted and covered with sand, it’s not impossible to tweak and ask for a redo if necessary. The point of taking a chance on something like paving is that it allows you to see the work ethic, and skill they exhibit with a more “hardcore” project.

Landscaping

Ok – so don’t trust a complete nobody to establish a new garden. Plant selection, soil analysis and proper irrigation and drainage is best left to a professional. But garden maintenance and small-scale projects like building a brick walled raised bed, laying pavers, or replacing plants as necessary as well as lawn care (overseeding and aerating/ fixing of bald patches etc) can be safely and successfully handed out to the new guy on the block. Again – these are good trials to check their skill and see if they stick to timelines and budgets.

Building a car port or installing shade cover.

As long as it doesn’t involve hundreds of thousands of rands and the structure will be freestanding and not risk damaging any existing walls and buildings, this is a good medium risk “hardcore” trial project.

Pain points of trusting a new contractor:

• You are going to have to play the dual role of supervisor and educator.
• You will have to be on site regularly and have a firm idea of what you want and how it should look. You have to guide them and insist on them getting it right. Don’t let them get away with shoddy work, You are doing no one a favour.
• You will have to establish clear timelines and budgets beforehand and keep a running score of how the project is going, in order to avoid nasty surprises in the end.

Possible benefits:

• Desire to please and put their best foot forward in order to build their brand
• Few other jobs that will distract from your project.
• Hopefully, they will be open for constructive feedback and have the necessary interpersonal skills to communicate efficiently with you.
• Less established businesses will probably cost less. Use the money you save on labour to buy the very best materials you can afford.

We have spoken at length about the positive impact that charitable giving can have on your mood and mental wellbeing. See this as another chance to do something good for someone else. No, it’s not pure charity, because you will be paying a fair fee and you can expect satisfactory service delivery, but in the greater scheme of things you might just be helping a young entrepreneur to establish a stronger business. This will mean economic growth for your community, skills development and job creation…exactly what our country needs right now!

Take note: There are certain things that you should only trust accredited professionals with. When it comes to electrical work, plumbing, major construction or changes to load bearing features in and around your home, as well as any upgrades aimed at improving your family’s physical security, call upon the trusted names.

Top Tip: We have written extensively about the home renovation process, discussing pitfalls and giving tips about project management and budget planning. Feel free to refer to our previous Weekly Fixes

Next time you’re looking for a contractor, give the little guy a chance!