46 / 64
CONSTRUCTION WORLD
MARCH
2017
44
QUANTITY SURVEYORS
“There is a resistance to alternative
methods in South Africa,” says Bert van
den Heever, Immediate Past President of
the Association of South African Quantity
Surveyors (ASAQS). “Most of the alternative
construction methods have concentrated
on providing alternative walling and roofing
systems, the two largest elements you see
when looking at a building. “Trying to save
money on walling using alternative building
methods is sometimes a futile exercise as
walling normally comes in
at less than 10% of the
total project cost,” Van
den Heever said.
The use of clad
walling systems has
resulted in a negative
perception in the lower
end of the housing
market called the
Knock Factor Effect.
People knock the
walls, if they sound
hollow they instantly
perceive the build
as not solid or
secure. They want
to solidity of brick
– the traditional
materials – over the perceived flimsiness of
panels – the alternative ones.”
In addition to the impact of perception,
alternative building materials are not always
readily available in South Africa and often
have to be imported. This pins on a price
tag that few can afford. As a result, there is
some growth within the high-end market,
but limited uptake in the lower end of
the market.
“The value of using alternative building
methods is hard to quantify,” says Van den
Heever. “We can show a client how using
method B compared to method A will affect
costs and often the answer isn’t in favour of
alternative solutions. What we do is look at
is every aspect of the building and assess
exactly what the costs are going to be from
the start. We bring clarity – you may not like
the answer, but you will know exactly where
you stand.”
Whether adopting alternative or investing
in traditional, the method and materials
of the build are not the questions that the
customer should be asking. Instead, they
should be looking at the impact of cost right
from the planning stage of the project to
ensure that every part of the project, from
the meters to the materials, are assessed
and evaluated.
The use of clad
walling systems
has resulted
in a negative
perception in the
lower end of the
housing market
called the Knock
Factor Effect.
An alternative look at the
COST OF THE BUILD
There are some very good
reasons why alternative building
methods aren’t that feasible
in the South African market.
They can potentially be more
expensive than traditional
methods, don’t inspire
customer trust and may not
be as aesthetically pleasing.
Alternative building methods also
come with a hidden price tag that
can impact on quality and finish.
“People often complain that there are
hidden costs in their build; that the project
price is stacking up in spite of a clear quote
at the start,” adds Van den Heever. “That’s
the pitfall that the quantity surveyor helps
you avoid. We can put figures down that
show you what you can get, from what you
want, in the budget you have. You want to
invest in alternative building methods? With
that kind of clarity into spend and capability,
you can, and you can do it without
unpleasant surprises.”
“We can show a client how using
method B compared to method
A will affect costs and often the
answer isn’t in favour of alternative
solutions. What we do is look at is
every aspect of the building and
assess exactly what the costs are
going to be from the start. We
bring clarity – you may not like the
answer, but you will know exactly
where you stand.”