How to hire an installer for building and finishing work
An installer of what, exactly
The word “installer” in construction covers very different things: fixing plasterboard, steel structures, window and door units, facade systems, utility lines. Each has its own tools, qualifications and pace of work. If the vacancy says only “installer”, everyone will reply and you will have to sort them out. So say at once what will be installed, at what height and in what volume.
What to include in the vacancy
- Type of work — for example, fixing plasterboard, frames, panels, structures.
- Pay — per square metre, per hour or per day, for example R 7.91 per sq ft.
- Work location — city and area, and whether it is a single site.
- Schedule — six days a week, 9 am to 6 pm, or as the site requires.
- Work at height — whether training for work at height and a safety harness are needed.
- Type of employment — permanent or one site, for example for two months.
- Experience — in years and on this very kind of installation.
- Tools — their own or the company's.
Example request
“We are looking for an installer in Johannesburg to finish an office space: fixing frames and cladding walls with board. Pay R 7.91 per sq ft, six days a week, 9 am to 6 pm. The site takes two months, at least 2 years' experience, own basic tools, training for work at height preferred.”
How it works on BlaBlaPrice
You write your request once, in your own words. It is checked for ads and contact details, and you are prompted to add what matters. Installers in your area reply in the chat: what they can do, what experience they have and when they can start. BlaBlaPrice shows the strongest replies first, and the candidate's reviews are visible next to each. Your phone number stays hidden, and you pay nothing for the search. More on the page “How it works”.
What to pay attention to
Ask separately whether other crews will be on site too: installers often have to work alongside electricians and plumbers, so the order of work is worth agreeing in advance.
For work at height always ask about training and safety equipment, and who provides it. For board cladding ask how the candidate checks that the frame is level: you can see it before the boards go on. Agree that work is accepted in stages, not only after the whole site is finished.
A common mistake is not clarifying what the price per square foot includes: only the frame, or the boards and the jointing as well. For metal joints you need a welder.
If you are looking for work
Register as a service provider on BlaBlaPrice, choose the category and your area, and you will receive vacancies for installers. For other building trades see the section “Construction / finishing works”.
