Tru-Con Construction (Pty) Ltd not recommended

Tru-Con Construction (Pty) Ltd not recommended

I am deeply dissatisfied with the services provided by this company, which was recommended to us within the estate where my 70-year-old mother resides in June 2023. We initially hired them to perform gutter cleaning, roof repair & washing, and the resealing of all ridges and existing waterproofing using Liquid Rubber and membrane, for which we paid a significant amount of R10,900. The company was contacted as water damaged incurred from the rains during June. He was contracted to perform an additional task: paving cleaning, at an extra cost of R2,500. This work was completed in June 2023.

As I'm writing this review on behalf of my mother, who was hospitalised at the time and unable to address the situation, I would like to highlight several concerning issues. I had to fly from abroad to South Africa to assist my mother. When I examined the paving cleaning in September, it was evident that the quality of the work was substandard. The pavement looked poorly washed, and the remnants of wash sprays and visible algae were apparent. Shortly after my departure on September 21, heavy rains occurred, and visible water damage manifested inside the house, from a leak. My mother, now back at home, tried to reach out to Kobus, the person in charge, but received no response.

Due to my mother's fragile health and age, I decided to contact Kobus on September 26. I shared photos of the unsatisfactory work, and Kobus acknowledged the issues in a voice note, stating he would investigate and get back to me. I provided him with the invoice detailing the agreed-upon work. However, the following day, despite making multiple calls, Kobus rejected my calls and only called back later than the agreed-upon time. He also agreed to rectify the issues with the paving and the roof leak in a voice note.

On September 28, I sent a message inquiring about their availability for the following day but received no response. Four hours later, I sent another message, emphasizing the need for a prompt reply to facilitate necessary arrangements, but again, there was no response from Kobus. This pattern continued September 29, with no response to my messages.

By October 2, I had called him without success and sent a message inquiring about a suitable date for the repairs, expressing my frustration at the lack of communication. I also offered to cover any repair costs to expedite the process and alleviate my mother's distress, even though the work required had already been paid for, but obviously not done properly. Kobus responded by claiming he had no reason to avoid me, acknowledging the poor workmanship on the paving and assuring me that the roof repair would incur no costs. On October 4, he left two voice notes, mentioning his intent to seal the roof the following day and that he would confirm this by 5 PM or the next day at 10 AM. However, he did not follow up.

On October 5, I messaged him regarding the possibility of the repairs, given the absence of rain. Unfortunately, there was no reply. On October 10, after numerous unanswered calls, I informed him that my lawyer would be reaching out to address the issue, and I would report his services. He stopped taking calls from both my mother and me, indicating a lack of accountability.

Upon engagement with my attorney's office, Kobus continued to delay and evade responsibility. He contended that my mother had agreed not to seal around the chimney area, despite her not being an expert and the initial quote specifying the repairs. The attorney pursued written correspondence, to which Kobus did not respond professionally.

I’ve paid for an assessor too – images of the roof can be shared. Certain areas not cleaned or sealed. Paving not cleaned.

Today, an attorney from the litigation department was met with foul and abusive language from Kobus and she was informed by that he would not be willing to reimburse us for the work to be performed by someone else; but he will also not be able to perform the work himself for the next 2 -3 weeks. Thus, we should be waiting two months for repairs. He proceeded to declare his intent to fight the matter, even if it costs him R300,000. This unprofessional behaviour demonstrates a severe lack of respect for others, particularly women, and a blatant disregard for industry standards and workmanship.

After approximately 20 calls, attorney engagements, and countless issues, I find myself writing this report on HelloPeter to share our deeply disappointing and troubling experience with Kobus Truter and his company, Tru-Con. We strongly advise others NOT to use their services. The question arises whether "Con" in Tru-Con stands for construction or "con" itself. This has been one of the most frustrating and unsatisfactory experiences with a company we have ever encountered.