South Africa’s economy has taken one of the most severe knocks in centuries and the impact has caused ripple effects across various sectors. The building and construction industry have been heavily affected and job losses have been severe, with contractors having to find numerous ways to curb costs while working with much smaller and perhaps less experienced teams.

However, the value of partnering with the right team remains one of the biggest drivers of successful project completion and quality assurance.

Polyflor COO, Clive Rabie notes, “We have seen a significant increase in installation issues and failures because of contractors having to multitask and be in several places because of a cut in resources. The unfortunate result is that the quality, expertise, supervision and guidance on some sites have diminished significantly – to the detriment of the quality of the installation, timelines and ultimately budget.

Experience and supervision outweighs cost

Clive explains that with cost cutting so high on the agenda, it is often the deciding factor in terms of rewarding contracts and also the reason for things going awry. However, working with a reputable team, with experienced supervision, brings value beyond the initial cost and here are some basics when appointing a supplier or contractor.

Tips for finding a reputable contractor
• A portfolio of good work – A good contractor will be happy to share their projects with you or have references from previous clients.
• Nothing beats word of mouth – A reference from someone who has previously used the services of a company and gives them a glowing reference.
• Pricing does matter – If you have checked out their references, ensured they have the right qualifications and have been assured that the work they perform is up to standard, make sure their quotation is comprehensive and covers the basic essentials such a supervision.
• Payment terms and professional conduct – A reputable contractor must be in the position to professionally negotiate their payment terms, manage their contract and equip and manage their installation teams.

“At Polyflor, one of our key differentiators is our ability to partner with our clients to help them optimise their expertise and reputation as we know just how valuable experience is when it comes to installing flooring as it was intended,” he comments.

Clive’s final word of advice is to talk to Polyflor’s technical team directly should you have the need for a referral or expert advice for your next flooring project.

For a free professional assessment and quote, please contact Polyflor:
Tel: +27 (11) 609 3500 (speak to Blythe or Wendy)
Email: marketing@polyflor.co.za
Website: www.polyflor.co.za

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