Mkabela Group

Pathetic service & workmanship

I engaged Mkabela Renovations and the owner, Sabelo, at the end of 2025 to complete a full scullery renovation. Although their quote was significantly higher than others, I decided to proceed because Sabelo presented himself professionally and assured us the project would be completed before the festive shutdown. Unfortunately, the experience was extremely disappointing from start to finish. The project was plagued by delays. Sabelo frequently arrived late with various excuses, and there appeared to be very little supervision of his team. In many cases, he would simply drop the workers off and remain in his car while we were left to answer questions and effectively manage the team ourselves. There were numerous workmanship and planning issues. Cupboards were initially cut to the wrong sizes, causing unnecessary delays. A large shelf was measured incorrectly and had to be remade. The pocket door system we specifically requested has never functioned correctly and was ultimately a costly disappointment. Several exposed edges and finishing details remain untidy, and when viewed up close, the overall workmanship falls well below what we expected for the price paid. The installation process was also very disruptive. Cabinet cutting was done inside our garage, creating a substantial amount of dust and debris. The team used our belongings to clean up, damaging some of our property in the process. The countertop installers also cut the quartz on-site, leaving fine dust throughout our yard that we are still unable to remove completely. Communication throughout the project was inconsistent and frustrating. At one point, we were told that the countertop we had originally selected was no longer available and that we would need to pay extra for an alternative from another supplier. This came after an attempt was made to install a completely different countertop from the one we had chosen, making it seem as though we had selected the wrong product. There were also avoidable mistakes that caused unnecessary inconvenience. Despite warning the team to remove our light switches before removing the wall tiles, they ignored the advice and damaged switches that are specific to our home and can no longer be replaced. A pipe was also accidentally cut during the renovation, flooding the area and forcing us to shut off the water on the same day we had professional cleaners scheduled before moving into the house. The project ran well beyond the promised completion date. Work frequently continued after the permitted hours in our estate, and the project extended into the contractor shutdown period, placing us in breach of our estate's rules. To make matters worse, additional costs were regularly introduced during the project, many of which we felt were unnecessary. Some agreed items were never completed, and after installing the new wall tiles, they were left covered in dust. When we asked for them to be cleaned, we were told this would incur an additional charge, despite the dust being a direct result of their installation work. Since completion, further issues have emerged. We discovered mould inside the cupboards and, more recently, significant sagging of the cupboard shelves. The workmanship is supposedly covered by a two-year warranty, but after reporting these problems, our messages have been ignored for over two months. At this stage, we have little confidence that the warranty will be honoured. Overall, this was one of the most stressful renovation experiences we have had. Between the poor communication, lack of supervision, repeated mistakes, untidy workmanship, unnecessary additional costs, property damage, and apparent unwillingness to stand behind the work afterwards, I cannot recommend Mkabela Renovations based on our experience. It's a shame that this individual gives such a bad reputation to other small businesses.