Reputable builders a must for renovations

CAUTION Making use of reputable building contractors when conducting home improvements or renovations is crucial in order to avoid extra insurance costs due to incomplete or faulty workmanship.

This is the advice of Lizette Erasmus, head of portfolio management at IntegriSure, who says that there is a big responsibility on the home owner to ensure that the contractor they employ is a reputable professional who has their own liability insurance in place. “It is critical that home owners ensure they are aware of the extent of their insurance cover before signing a contract with a builder, as they may not be covered in the event of poor or incomplete work done on their homes.

“A consequence of faulty or incomplete workmanship means that home owners may not be covered by their own insurance for the damage done to their home and as a result would have to claim from their contractor’s liability insurance,” she says.

“Choosing building contractors should not be undertaken lightly. It’s important to realise that many personal lines covers will have a general exclusion for incomplete, defective, or non-compliant work.”

In order to select a reputable building contractor, Erasmus advises home owners to carefully screen all potential contractors.

“Check that they are registered with a professional body like the National Home Builder Registration Council (NHBRC). Doing this will give you some recourse. Also ask the contractor if they have the correct