You can quote us on this...
Ever heard someone say “You can’t trust a builder!”? Well, we take that statement seriously and want to build a better perception and relationship with our clients. We place this in front of us when dealing with our clients – right from our very first meeting and building estimate… that’s right: estimate. Building a dream home is more of an art and skill than an exact science, and for this reason, our initial costing is always an estimate. We know, from experience, that we could very likely save our client some money along the way, and occasionally, we need to invest more effort (and money) than originally anticipated.
“To give a precise quotation is risky, and to compare one quote with another is not always accurate.”
We believe that in most industries, communication breaks down in the quoting process. There are many ways to quote on a building project, and in the majority of cases the client is not able to compare “apples with apples”. For this reason, what seems to be the most cost-effective quote is chosen and the client lands up paying for more in the long-term.
With all the housing complexes rising up all around Gauteng, a prime example is in the quality of brick used. At the outset, one type of brick (often plaster/cement/stock) will seem cheaper and more viable, but in terms of longevity, clay bricks will outlast, which will save money further down the line. If you walk through a house that is between two and five years old, you may see cracks in the corners and to the sides of the lintels. This is consistent with the economical stock bricks that do not keep to their manufactured form and don’t create a good base for the plaster to adhere to.
A clay brick is generally a minimum of 22 MPa (megapascal - a measure of the compressive strength) on testing, compared to the NHBRC regulation of a minimum of a 8 MPA cement stock that may be used. The additional structural integrity ensures that one is not faced with unpleasant settling cracks usually experiences with the use of cement stocks. (click here for more info on MPa)
A clay brick, if plastered properly, will not produce these results, but unfortunately, several years down the line, there is not much that can be done about the bricks that are used.
When Vexiflex furnishes the client with an estimate, we work from the architect’s working drawings or from an accurate bill of quantities from a registered quantity surveyor. We then meet with our client to discuss the details of the estimate to ensure that they know what they’re getting for their investment and that the proverbial wool is not being slowly pulled over their eyes. If you would like our assistance in assessing a quote or estimate, or perhaps need help in building your home, send us an email at or a message on Facebook.
