Client Testimonials

It has now been one year since we moved into our dream house and the dream is still going strong. We are enjoying the space and the open living areas you created. Our first Christmas with the family staying over for a week was very special. We are looking forward to many more good times with family, friends and our baby girl (due in June).

We would like to thank you for the difference you made in our lives for a relatively long time. When Jeanne and I got engaged we decided to start looking for our dream house where we could one day raise our kids and hopefully grow old together. It was a tough job to find such a house. We already had a good idea of what we wanted. None of the houses were perfect and there was always something missing. When we found the plot in Graanendal and sold our house a week later we needed to move fast. The year ahead would be hectic. I was doing a 8 month course, things were hectic at work for both of us, we needed to plan the wedding, we would be overseas for a month on honeymoon and on top of that we now also needed to find a place to stay, design a house, choose all the finishes and also build the house in the same year!

The service we experienced from you was exceptional. We used your full architectural service option. I will never advise anyone to build without having this option. The peace of mind is priceless. We also saved a lot due to the fact that we had your constant input, you managed weekly site meetings and you sorted out most problems experienced during the building process before we even knew about them. As you know, I have referred you and Jaques to my friends at work and you were both used in their building project. I will gladly refer you to any potential client.

If you want to use me as a reference you are more than welcome. Here is a short overview of the service we received from you.

We used the full service option which included:

• Detailed municipal plans – the quality and detail is very important. We saw a few shocking plans done by other architects. Ian’s plans were exceptional.
• Detailed cupboard layout and design – it is important to have this detail to form an idea of exactly what you will get once the product is delivered. Cupboards are one of the most expensive parts of a house and you need to be sure that you will be happy with what you get.
• Detailed bathroom layout and design – it is important to see from all angles how the bathroom will look and to ensure that the space is functional.
• Detailed kitchen layout and design – the kitchen is probably the most expensive part of a house and you need to be 100% sure that it is functional and that you will be able to work with the design.
• Detailed electrical and light plan – it is important that your house is correctly lit and also that you have the correct number of switches and plugs in the correct position.
• Finding a builder, managing the quotation process, appointing the builder, managing weekly site visits (with minutes) – finding the right builder will save you a lot of trouble. We were very lucky to find Jaques Barnard.
• Managing all documentation relating to progress payments – it is so important to have everything ready on time and accurately when dealing with your bank.
• Problem solving when you need to make a plan during the building process – things do go wrong, you need someone with the knowledge and skill to quickly make a plan that will not cost you a lot of time or money.
• Detailed schedule of all fittings – the list included photos of every small fitting that needed to be installed. This ensures that the correct fittings are bought and installed. When you choose the fittings yourself you need to ensure that the builder knows exactly what to do. Ian ensured that we did not have any problems.
• Permanent standby – Ian was always available when we had a question. He was constantly looking at new ideas and gave us a number of options when we needed to decide on something.
• Detailed inspections – constant detailed inspections ensure that a potential problem is highlighted quickly, saving you time and money.
• Principal agent for the JBCC contract.

All aspects of the service we received were of an outstanding nature. We did not have any problems – everyone said that building a house is an unpleasant experience, however we had a great experience. We enjoyed building our dream home with Ian and Jaques. Designing a house and then building it requires a lot of time and effort. Ian accommodated our busy schedules by seeing us every Wednesday (for the design phase until the tender phase) at 16:00 and sometimes staying until 21:00 to ensure that everything gets done as soon as we could. Not many professionals would do this at no additional charge! I will gladly recommend Ian’s full architectural service to any potential client. The value you get is more than a list of additional plans and services. You get peace of mind. When you build a house it is a big investment and you need to be sure that you have the right people doing the right job to ensure that you get the best return.

Maruis De Wet

Durbanville