SA Affordable Housing November - December 2019 // ISSUE: 79 | Page 29

PROJECT
Maritz describes the site scope:
• Put wall plates
• Erect trusses
• Fit underlay
• Fit battens complete with verge tile batten and
permanent bracing.
“Thereafter, we were only responsible for the ceiling
battens without ceiling boards.”
PROJECT ON TRACK AND ON BUDGET
Maritz says the project has been performed so far on
budget as outlined in the original quote. “At one point
we ‘dropped a few pennies’, but with the steel increase
we are back to the quoted amount. We plan to have
finished within that estimate,” he says.
“The reason for the small decrease was saving of
material. We realised that our estimates were too
high and therefore on the second batch we ordered
less material. Also helping MarTek remain on budget
was that logistics were not a significant problem on
this site.”
Communities are regarded as a key role-player in
any project today in South Africa, with a requirement
to use local labour. That has not been a particular
challenge for MarTek as it is in any case a local
company. Maritz says it remains a challenge to find
skilled labour anywhere “where you are supposed to
use as many locals as possible”.
“Nonetheless, we are proud to announce that
we employed at least 50% locals and furthermore
promoted at least five workers from being contract
employees to permanent in-house workers, ranging
from labourer to carpenter.”
What makes the system special or unique,
says Maritz, was that 80% of the design was by
MiTek and the remaining 20% by MarTek. It takes
considerable skill to design and manage such a
project. The software from MiTek is just amazing and
you don’t get far without this part of the process.
The engineering and development from MiTek
was the part that impressed the NHBRC. I believe
our report and plans supporting our tender bid
were considerably superior and more professional
to those of our competitors. MarTek does the
estimating.”
MiTek Industries South Africa, with its head office
in Midrand, is a leader in the design, manufacture and
supply of roof structure related products and services.
MiTek is a worldwide leader in roof truss technology.
With its manufacturing facility in Gauteng and regional
offices in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban, MiTek
is well placed to supply the building industry with the
widest range of timber connectors and light gauge
steel products for the roof truss manufacturer and
hardware stores.
It was not only MarTek that won MiTek the tender,
says Maritz, “The fact that we have in excess of 25
years’ experience as truss fabricator and erector, also
gave us ‘a bit of an edge’, which the development
benefits from.”
As with any project there are occasional
disagreements, but Maritz says he believes the client
is happy enough with the end result that they are
talking of awarding MarTek another contract.
www.saaffordablehousing.co.za
The complete homes, proudly wearing their new roofs.
List of professionals:
a. Client: Ixplore
b. Contractor: Ixplore
c. Architect: No appointed architect
d. Civil engineer: Jan Fanyo
e. Quantity surveyor: Not appointed
f. Earthworks professionals: Betten Construction
NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2019
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