SA Affordable Housing July / August 2017 // Issue: 65 | Page 10

ASSOCIATIONS
An alternative look at the
cost of building
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.
By Association of South African Quantity Surveyors
Image: 1st Class Realty
“There is a resistance to alternative construction 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 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 says.
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
building as not being 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.
8
JULY - AUGUST 2017
AFFORDABLE
SA HOUSING
“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 metres to the materials, are assessed
and evaluated.
“People often complain that there are hidden costs in
their build; that the project price is stacking up despite a
clear quote at the start,” adds Van den Heever. “That’s the
pitfall that the quantity surveyor helps you to 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.”