Building dispute resolution, home plans

Being a working professional who simply doesn’t have the time, insight, experience or knowledge that is required to build a new home meant that I needed someone I could trust completely. It’s not often that one finds a partner that honours their word, that always has your best interest at heart and that you can be sure will give you an objective opinion. Peter is one of those individuals. We met by chance and I can say without any doubt that if it wasn’t for Peter and the Baobab team our project would not have been the seamless and relatively hassle free process that it was. I would absolutely recommend Baobab for the aspiring home builder and look forward to the day Peter and I get to work together again.

Andrea

I will definitely recommend your services to any of our friends/family who buy houses in the future.

Louise

Peter has assisted me on several occasions, the most recently being the construction of my house. He is extremely knowledgeable and gives you the peace of mind in knowing that the process is being managed by a professional! I would absolutely recommend Peter’s services to anyone who is looking at building, renovating, or merely needing advice on a property.

Dean Hewitt

Home builders and buyers are in desperate need for an independent experienced company that looks out for their best interest to address structural flaws. Where the regulatory bodies have let us down, Baobab Consulting has stepped up to the plate to help the consumer fight against the defects caused by poor planning, construction and maintenance by builders and previous tenants. They have addressed my issues swiftly and with the highest level of professionalism. They never over promised and under delivered. I would highly recommend their services to anyone looking to get the job done, quickly and painlessly.

Chris Kruger (Faerie Glen, Pretoria)

We would like to recommend Peter Allsopp and Baobab Consultants to any other Sectional Title Body Corporates. Recently we had major flooding at our estate caused by problems with the storm water drainage system. We had been battling with the Developer for some time seemingly getting nowhere. When we appointed Peter, the Developer, we believe, knowing Peter’s reputation, knowledge and independence attended to all of our concerns and much to our satisfaction without us having to resort to a long and expensive legal battle. Thank you Peter a great return on our investment.

Chris Maroulis (Alinta Trustees Chairman)

MURANO BODY CORPORATE

On behalf of Murano Body Corporate I would like to express our appreciation to Baobab Consultants (Peter Allsopp) for your dedication to the success on the Murano Complex Refurbishment Project.

Your professionalism, enthusiasm and commitment were evident as the negotiations between the Developer, Contractor and Murano Body Corporate was a sensitive and complicated issue. Your efforts were an integral part of the success of the entire project which would not have got off the ground without your involvement.

We would not hesitate to recommend your services to any other body corporate requiring assistance in this regard.

Sincerely
Ian du Toit, Kate du Toit, Robbie Hannah, Lynn Trow, Carlos Cesario, Roy Nolan.

I have found Peter to be both professional and dedicated.

I have been working with Peter for over 3 years. He has been instrumental in ensuring my claim from the NHBRC was processed. Not an easy task.

More recently he has been the project manager on the building works at our home. Again not an easy task as it required the management of a myriad of contractors. He was able to ensure that all contractors not only worked together timeously but that they delivered quality work.

He has a huge knowledge of all aspects of construction and even the professionals he managed would ask him for advice.

I have found Peter to be both professional and dedicated and would have no problem at all in recommending him for any project no matter how complex.

Regards
Richard Seegers

Should have discovered Baobob Consultants sooner!

Hi Peter

I already feel like I am in good hands. This process we started more than a year ago and has never moved forward. I am just grateful that you are willing to assist us. Obviously it would have been great to have discovered your company before spending tens of thousands on poor reports and lawyers.

Kind regards
Robyn

Legal assistance

Morning Peter, John and Evy

I must congratulate you as our legal team, and we are extremely proud to be associated with you and your respective organisations. We realise that the decisions taken yesterday must have been taxing on yourselves, but with your knowledge and honesty we have managed to expose the arbitrator and the attorney. I firmly believe that had we not done this, a fair outcome to this arbitration would not have been possible. Last night was one of this best nights we have had since the start of this arbitration, I know that you guys have prepared our case adequately.

Once again thank you all for your assistance and guidance

Regards
W and S

Highly professional service

Dear Peter

On behalf of GE Developments I would like to express our appreciation and thanks for the highly professional service that we received from you and your organization.

Building disputes are always highly charged and emotional. You were able to control the situation and guide the proceedings in such a way that an amicable arrangement was reached in less than half the time we had set aside for the discussions. Perhaps an important fact to note is that this issue has been going backwards and forwards between parties and lawyers for in excess of two years.

I believe that both parties walked away feeling that all the issues on the table had been addressed fairly. This I would attribute to your ability to be objective and impartial when discussing and attempting to separate fact from emotion

I would without a moment’s hesitation recommend to anyone involved in the building industry to utilize your services to mediate between themselves and a homeowner – the sooner the better.

Kind regards
Thys Erasmus

Resolving a long standing matter - Wayne and Melissa

Dear Mr. Allsopp

It is hard to believe that it has taken us two years of fighting to resolve our dispute with our builder, but thanks to your help and assistance the matter has now finally been settled last week.

Your professionalism, expertise, kindness and understanding is exactly what myself and Wayne needed to assist us in resolving the dispute. If it was not for your objective views and honesty in your reports as well as your dealings with their builder’s expert I do not think this matter could have been resolved with the outcome that we have received.

All your assistance with our matter is greatly appreciated and will never be forgotten.

Kind regards
Wayne and Melissa Santa Augusta

Thanks once again.

Kind regards
Melissa

Building problems - Carol Reynolds

Dear Peter,

Thanks for getting back to me! We have received a report from the NHBRC giving the builder 21 days to comply. In addition, we have received a report from Inspecta Home, adding weight to our case!!!

Congrats on starting a company that actually assists clients in my shoes. I wish we had access to same in Cape Town.

Thanks for your speedy response to my email. (With such excellent service, you are clearly NOT a builder!!!)

Kind regards,
Carol Reynolds.

Birdhaven Place

I trust you are well.

Just a short note to express our profound appreciation for the role you played at Birdhaven Place.

Your highly professional approach was refreshing and greatly appreciated. In particular, your objectivity and impartial stance was most welcomed – whilst I know that your client was our contractor (and not me), my wife and I developed faith and respect for your involvement to the extent that we did not see the need to appoint our own expert.

We particularly recognise the calm, logical and methodical manner in which you explained complex building industry aspects by breaking it down into simple concepts and diagrams. That, indeed, is an invaluable skill. Whilst the process (long delays and quality issues from the contractor) was difficult and trying for all of us, your involvement was a critical welcome source of comfort and gave us hope that there was indeed light at the end of the tunnel!

Thank you very much for your efforts and support and we wish you well. If you would oblige, we would like to invite you to our home for a drink. I will contact you in due course.

Yours sincerely
Neeraj Shah

Brady Residence - Linden

Thank you for your conciliation services in respect of the above. A satisfactory settlement with the builder was concluded last week. I can recommend your services to other clients from a number of attributes:

Timely response and service beyond normal hours
Giving us peace of mind in respect of judging work completed in comparison to the industry standard
The level of respect which the builder held for you

Greg Brady

Gray Residence

I would like to thank you for your excellent service with regard to dealings with our builder (Reach Homes Construction) as well as their appointed legal firm Lategan, Viljoen and Pretorius.

I especially appreciated your fast response times in drawing up letters, responses to letters and general communication. I also appreciated your flexibility with regard to meeting times; often meeting us at odd hours to ensure our problems could get solved in the quickest possible time.

What was most impressive was your attention to detail and the effort and energy put in, to ensure absolute accuracy with those details, when dealing with our builders’ legal firm.

Your extensive legal and building industry knowledge was most useful and I would be glad to recommend you to any party who may require assistance in the building industry

Sharon Gray

Vermeulen Residence - Kenmare, Krugersdorp

We would like to thank you for the invaluable service you provided to us in identifying the many problems with the new addition to our home, as well as acting as an arbitrator between ourselves and our contractor.

We genuinely believe that had it not been for your service, we would have settled for sub-standard workmanship just to get the contractor off our property. There is no doubt in my mind that we would have paid for this approach by having to employ someone else to do the work properly. The relationship between ourselves and the contractor had degenerated to such an extent that, by the time we contacted you, we were not on speaking terms any longer.

You also helped to put our minds at ease by reaffirming our belief that we were being taken for a ride and that we weren’t just being difficult by insisting on quality finishes and straight walls (and not being happy with the “landing strip” on our roof!).

After the conciliation meeting, the contractor was able to finish his work in 4 days to our satisfaction. Up to this point it had taken him 4 months to build one additional room and an open patio area onto our home. We are confident that we will not experience any problems with the roof area as it was properly sealed after your intervention.

The work which we decided not to entrust to the contractor, i.e. tiling and other final finishes for which they obviously do not have the necessary expertise or finesse to handle, has (with your help) been deducted from their final payment.

I recommend that anyone considering building a new home or adding onto their existing dwelling, contact you before a brick has been (mis)laid. A satisfied customer is the best advertisement any business can get and our referral will be a testament to the service you provided to us. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for our contractor. Although I am sure that this was also a learning experience for him.

Thank you once again and if we ever decide to brave the construction front again, we will contact you before we do anything!

Erwin & Chanelle Vermeulen

Potential Meyer residence

Thanks very much for your excellent and detailed report on your findings after inspecting the building. Thanks to you, I have been well educated regarding the "hidden" building/structural problems that so easily pass the average home buyer by, particularly as there are so many unscrupulous operators out there, that don't know the meaning of honesty or quality.

As a result of Baobab's report, the developers are running scared and have accepted my cancellation of purchase without so much as a word of objection, even offering to refund my initial deposit! I can certainly recommend to anyone buying property and certainly on a cash basis in particular, to make use of your services to inspect the building they are buying prior to signing any final acceptance.

Wesley Meyer

A. Wakfer & T. Muller

It gives us great pleasure to provide Peter Allsopp with this reference letter regarding his services delivered to us in the past.

From the first time we met Peter he was very helpful by assisting us in a house inspection report. Based on his findings along with other facts we managed to escape an offer which may have proven to be financially detrimental to us. Due to his professional report and findings, which was at a very fair price, we subsequently decided to use him as a project manager to oversee the building of our house.

We were particularly impressed with the following areas during our numerous encounters with Peter

His credentials and the fact that he was one of the founders of the NHBRC
In-depth knowledge of the building industry
Overall presentation of drawings
The ability to take any drawing and create a 3D image on paper for the user, without using technology
Attention to every detail, his insight and creativity when it comes to the art of drawing building plans
Willingness to take us around to price fittings at preferred building suppliers and showing us various locations to get some type of an idea of what style we have in mind (which he by the way got right the first time when he presented the drawings)
His professionalism regarding the correct wording, conditions etc. of the building tender and the building contract, before it was submitted, as to ensure that all our risks and rewards are covered should any discrepancies occur, should the third party be at fault.
feedback on the progress on his drawings and plan submission to the Council.

Although we never commenced with the construction of the house due to other non-related matters, we fully recommend his professional services to anyone who desires to either build their own house or even just do home improvements.

Should we ever decide to commence with our plans he would definitely be the first person we will be in contact with.

Yours Sincerely

A. Wakfer & T. Muller

Dear Peter,

How very kind of you to do this report for me. I do so appreciate your effort and your professional work.

I will certainly make every effort to get you a number of presentations for the excellent work you do and perhaps you should hold a special lecture for the sectional title agents who have not a clue what the real world is when it comes to structures.

Thanks again for doing this work . You will certainly be paid time and again along the line.

Best regards
Elaine Edmunds

Dear Peter,

I have read your articles, and I am more equipped to do the job of builder hunting thanks to them, I will follow your guidelines even though a week ago I would have thought it to be a waste of time, but now I know that every moment spent investigating my potential builder is time well spent.

If I've learned anything since starting this venture of wanting to add a room and bathroom on my home is that the person that comes back with the fastest quote and usually the cheapest is the one who is usually the one who asks for the biggest deposit and offers the fewest contactable references, so it is a lesson well learned from my experience, that fools rush in and the wise take there time, so I think I will choose to be the later of the two.

I will continue to refer to your site for advice, another site I found useful was xxxxx that gave me my initial taste of how a diy project should be handled, but your site to be truthful showed me that there are people out there that care where our hard earned money goes. Thank You, you deserve more then that but that, but Thank You is all I have.

Thank you once again for such a great website and If I ever need building contract advice I will sign up with your company ASAP...

Kindest Regards
Tammy