CREATING SOMETHING NEW

There are two types of people (so some say…): Those who watch things happen and those who make things happen.  We try to be in the latter group.  Throughout history there have been people who need to pioneer, explore and exist beyond the boundaries.  There are also those who need to stay behind and keep the home fires burning.  They are not mutually exclusive and couldn’t actually exist without the other.  We often find ourselves inspired by the people who think so radically differently, that we find ourselves moving beyond the boundaries of our profession and working harder to stay ahead of the pack.

Here is one such example.  Berndnaut Smilde is a Dutch artist that has created indoor clouds.  His concepts of creating something new within a space is not too far from what we do.  Sure, the materials and backdrops are vastly different, but the idea of recognizing the need to co-exist with our environment is synonymous with the current global trends.

In his own words, he is fascinated with the ephemeral aspect of his work.  These clouds only exist in photos as they are tricky to create and impossible to sustain.  In the building industry, we are realizing that, whilst our buildings seem to last an age, in retrospect, they too are ephemeral.

GMBA | EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENT

congratulations to gretchen!

It is with great pride and accomplishment that we congratulate our director, Gretchen van den Berg, for her executive appointment onto the Gauteng Master Builders Association (GMBA) this week!

This appointment was made official at their 108th AGM, which was held last night, February 9th, by Executive Director, James Tubb.

For over 100 years the GMBA has made its mission to promote ethical business practice and excellence of work, assist in dispute and conflict resolution, interact constructively with government and other relevant stakeholders, foster and encourage training, education and safety, and also to encourage and promote the development of new entrants into our industry.

Vexiflex is proud to be a registered member of this prestigious body and, now, to be represented at an executive level is an honour and responsibility that we will acquit to the same dedication, integrity and passion that we exercise in all of our relationships. Three of the main thrusts of the GMBA’s code of conduct are worth sharing and set a good standard for all of those in our industry and related fields.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR QUOTATION

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.

Build to endure: green building design

As we embark on hosting the world’s leading conference on environmental sustainability, COP17, South Africa has some serious work ahead as carbon emissions have increased by almost 30% in the last six years (440 metric tons in 2004 to 552 metric tons in 2010).  Vexiflex is committed to green design, environmental sustainability and is a member of the Green Building Council of South Africa.