GRAHAM LOWDEN (Engineer) (glce@telkomsa.net)
I have worked with Kirk & Smith Construction on many projects, over a number of years. Gavin appreciates the importance of carefully assessing the structural elements of a project at an early stage so that potential clashes can be identified before any problems arise. Gavin adopts a practical approach to resolving issues as they arise and is able to make decisions on site. Gavin shows a high level of professionalism, experience and dedication to the projects he undertakes. I would recommend Kirk & Smith Construction be considered when undertaking the construction of new buildings or renovating existing structures.
JONATHAN HILL (Architect) (jonathan@jharchi.co.za)
I valued Gavin’s enthusiasm and immediate response to getting the project started and completed within the time frame. Gavin’s constant interaction with me, throughout the project, was appreciated to ensure the desired architectural result was achieved. A team approach is very important to Gavin to find solutions to problems that might arise and to take care to ensure that the finished project meets or exceeds the respective expectations. Gavin has the unique ability to bring an extremely complicated process down to a level that anyone could understand. Gavin exudes confidence and passion in all projects that he undertakes. It is with the utmost faith that I highly recommend Kirk & Smith Construction.
JAN VAN GYSEN (Engineer) (vangysen@iafrica.com)
It has been a real pleasure working with Gavin, who is a competent and communicative builder. The respect he shows to me as a professional is heartwarming. I respect Gavin for his commitment to the projects he undertakes and am aware that the building process is not always easy. I look forward to our future working relationship.
HOUSE HARE
DON’T BUILD they said. It will be the most stressful time of your life. If the quote is R5mil then budget for R6mil. If the time frame is 9 months then plan for a year. Rather buy something already standing they all advised. Well none of that came true. It was a great build, stress free (except for the neighbor who didn’t want anyone to build next door). I designed my home and had an Architect draw it up and a great engineer for the important stuff. My Dad, Grandfather and Brother were all builders so when it was time to choose a builder I went to a recently retired ex-builder who my Dad had a lot of respect for and asked him who he would use if he had to build. His only recommendation was Gavin. I had three quotes and Gavin was definitely not the cheapest and his contract was not what I was expecting, but I sincerely believe that at the end of the day Gavin completed the build cheaper than the others would have, on time and with no stress. His team was great and they were exceptionally neat & tidy. The stress and the fights with the builder never materialized. Occasionally we would disagree on something and Gavin would usually explain why I couldn’t do what I wanted in a way that made sense. And then he would come up with an alternative that was doable and made good sense. We were remarkably close to budget, on time and I now live in my dream home having enjoyed the entire build, except for the one area that I took responsibility for. The bloody kitchen. I had more drama and delays and mistakes with the built-in kitchen than I had on the rest of the build. If you want to see a beautifully built house, ask Gavin to bring you around, I am happy to show off my home. (Jeremy Hare)
HOUSE OOSTHUYSE
I highly recommend Gavin and Kirk & Smith Construction for any future building or renovation projects. Gavin was responsible for the successful renovation of my home at 28 Sapphire Way, Belvedere in Noordhoek, which included the addition of new rooms, new beams, flooring and paintwork. He also creatively improved our views, obtained new plans and council approvals and completed electrical work and entertainment add-ons. I have experienced four house builds over the past 25 years and I can attest that Gavin is by far the most professional and a safe pair of hands. He is ethical, provides a full audit trail and is transparent with his customers. This allows them to verify and determine the cause of any issues throughout the project. We had some personal hiccups along the way, but Gavin quickly adjusted to cater to my needs and help me adjust my budget to ensure we ended up with a successful project. I am very grateful for his flexibility and professionalism. I highly recommend Gavin and Kirk & Smith Construction for any future building or renovation projects. They are a reliable and trustworthy company that will deliver a high-quality product. Thank you, Gavin and team! (Jon Oosthuyse)
HOUSE MABIN
Gavin, we would like to thank you for your assistance and the renovations you did on our property in Noordhoek Manor. We are very pleased with the end result and the fact that we were not based in Cape Town, we relied on you to oversee everything for us. You went the extra mile. Thank you. (Lawrie and Shirley Mabin)
HOUSE WELGEMOED
I recently contracted Gavin (Kirk & Smith Construction) to do alterations to my Simons Town property. The complete process from meeting with Gavin, quoting and executing the alterations were done seamlessly, very professional and with the utmost respect to me and my property. This was by far the best building experience I have ever had. I can highly recommend Gavin and his team. (Dr Janel Welgemoed)
HOUSE CROWHURST
We made absolutely the right call engaging Gavin and his team to oversee our renovation. We were so impressed with the whole team and his sub-contractors. His foreman, Matthew, was fantastic. He was always on-site, extremely knowledgeable and managed the site very efficiently. We were exacting clients and the quality of workmanship from everyone was of a very high standard. An additional stress was that our renovation was interrupted by the hard lockdown. Gavin and his team did not stress, they got the necessary permits and did their best to complete the job as quickly as they could. It was an extremely stressful time, but Gavin always remained calm and positive. Gavin has an eye for quality and attention to detail, and his knowledge, advice and design tips were always relevant and very useful. The sub-contractors (painters, plumbers, electricians, carpenters etc) were all values aligned and worked as one team and we built up a good working relationship with all of them. Thank you Gavin! The entire renovation project was made so much easier and stress free knowing you were at the helm. (Justin and Stephanie Crowhurst)
HOUSE CLARKE
Gavin recently completed a fairly extensive renovation of our home and we would happily recommend him, not just for the impressive quality of work but also the high degree of care that he personally brought to the project. The renovation included a new flatlet, scullery, kitchen, main bathroom, floors, aluminium doors and windows. We opted to stay living in our home during the four month process, which wasn't easy but the discipline of the building team - little noise, cleaning the entire site at the end of the day, maintaining a surprisingly small footprint - made it completely manageable. It takes a team with unique skills, discipline and humour to make it possible to live in a building site and to still like each other at the end of it. Thank you, Gavin!
(Christopher and Tatjana Clarke)
HOUSE PAXTON
I contracted Kirk & Smith Construction to do some renovation work on my home. They came highly recommended to me from a colleague and on initial introduction they were the first to respond with a quote for the job. The work lasted about five months and throughout that period they were prompt to work every day, responsive to the changing requirements and still came in on budget. I am very pleased with the finished product and will certainly be using Kirk & Smith Construction again for future work.
(Paul Paxton)
HOUSE KRIEL
Thank you, Gavin and your team for the fantastic job you have done overseeing the renovation of our house in Noordhoek. What was a massive undertaking for us sitting in the UK, you made it seamless, painless and stress free. Keeping us up to date with all the invoices, updating us on the progress with photos and for your professionalism, we cannot thank you enough. Please forward our appreciation to your team and contractors as well. We cannot wait to visit our "as new" house in October.
(Datsi and Machel Kriel)
HOUSE RICE
Gavin, I would like to thank you and your team for completing our renovations. Your company was always punctual and just got on with what they had to do. The site was always left clean and tidy, there was a definite sense of pride amongst your team. You run a tight ship and should be proud of what you have created within your company. Thank you! (Peter Rice)
HOUSE RILEY
We are delighted to have had Gavin of Kirk & Smith Construction recommended to us by the engineer, Paul Gilio. We have been extremely impressed by Gavin, his team and subcontractors. His attention to detail and constant supervision led us to feel confident that the alteration we required would be done to our satisfaction. Living as we do in a security complex, we were pleased to have many positive and complimentary remarks made about the quality of the workmanship and the cleanliness of the site. Not easy in the small space available. Matthew, his foreman, supervised the daily work plan efficiently and knowledgably, always courteous, friendly and obliging as were the rest of his team. Gavin is quality conscious and always quietly able to give relevant advice when needed. His quote was very prompt, accurate and the finalized work was done within the estimated time period and budget. We have no hesitation in highly recommending Kirk & Smith Construction. (Patrick and Beryl Riley)
HOUSE LÜCHINGER
Wir Sabina und Michel Lüchinger realisieren zur Zeit mit Gavin Smith als Bauleiter unsere Komplett-Renovation, unserer Liegenschaft, 5 Belvedere Close in Noordhoek. Bei unserer Liegenschaft bestehend aus 2 Wohnzimmer, 5 Schlaf- und Badezimmer, Kellerräumlichkeiten, Poollandschaft und Doppelgarage ist bis auf die Grundmauern so gut wie nichts stehen geblieben. Selbst diese wurden Innen wie Aussen komplett neu verputzt. Auch erfolgten diverse Änderungen am Inneren Grundriss. Auch wurden alle Böden komplett rausgerissen und neu aufgebaut. Ebenso wurden alle Badezimmer komplett erneuert und ein zusätzliches erstellt. Die Poollandschaft musste abgerissen und komplett neu erstellt werden. Ebenso wurde die Wasser- und Stromversorgung komplett neu überarbeitet. Auch wurden alle Fenster erneuert und das Dach wird noch neu verlegt. Wir arbeiten jetzt aktiv, seit dem 1. Juli 2020 mit Gavin Smith zusammen und lernten Ihn als sehr Kompetenten, Gewissenhaften, Umsichtigen und Zuverlässigen Bauleiter kennen. Alle bisherigen Arbeiten, welche durch Ihn, sein Team oder diverse Unternehmen mit welchen er zusammenarbeitet, erledigt wurden, waren von hoher Qualität, erfolgten Termingerecht und innerhalb des vereinbarten Budgets. Da wir auch in der Schweiz Private wie auch Gewerbeumbauten getätigt haben, können wir Ihnen versichern, dass Gavin Smith mit seiner Arbeit absolut Europäischen Standard entspricht und sich auch dort mit den besten messen könnte. Wir sind sehr erleichtert und sehr zufrieden unseren Bau in seinen Händen zu wissen und können ihn mit bestem Gewissen weiterempfehlen.
(Sabina und Michel Lüchinger)
HOUSE BLACKSHAW
Our new deck is fabulous ! We christened it with a good crowd last weekend. Your team were a pleasure to have working here; always friendly and obliging and everything was left meticulously neat when they left site each day.
(Graham and Michelle Blackshaw)
HOUSE PLATT
We chose Kirk & Smith Construction to tender for our renovation project, at our home in Simons Town. Their tender documentation, and breakdown was easy to understand and logically organized. This, and their references, made the decision for us. The set-up of the project, banking accounts, insurance and contract were implemented, and the build commenced. Throughout the process, we were grateful for Gavin’s experience and input. Practical and cost-effective solutions were brought in to satisfy our endless changes from the plan. Their staff and sub-contractors have been with them a long time and were courteous and pleasant at all times. With the renovation completed, we couldn’t be more pleased with the result. A bonus to us was the completed and filed paperwork of the complete project, with receipts and invoices from suppliers and sub-contractors, as well as reconciled bank details. We would have no hesitation in using them again and have already recommended them to friends for their building requirements.
(Philip and Tish Platt)
HOUSE SHAYNE
Having Gavin and his team build our house was a pleasure from start to finish. We could completely relax in his professional experience, expert abilities, excellent communication skills and patient attention to detail. Gavin and his staff were always courteous, reliable and never in anyone’s way. If for some reason there was an unavoidable delay, Gavin would inform us right away. The site was clean and tidy at the end of every day. Gavin was flexible when it came to changes here and there and always open to suggestions. He was happy to offer his opinion, but also prepared to find a customized solution. Gavin was involved from the very start of the process, ensuring that our plans were up to standard. We only had to communicate with Gavin as he dealt with all third parties, right down to sourcing and ordering and installing our kitchen appliances. The house was built within the estimated time-frame. Everyone who has visited the site have commented on the excellent quality of workmanship and the speed of progress. Financially speaking, the way Gavin conducted our building account was transparent and efficient, making it a smooth and stress-free experience for us. If we were to build again, we would ask Gavin to take on the project without hesitation. We wish him well as he continues to satisfy further customers. (Gary and Valerie Shayne)
HOUSE GUTHRIE
If you are looking for the benchmark of high performance, quality, reliability and excellence in project management and home construction, including building plan scrutiny, interpretation and adaptation – look no further than Gavin Smith. A man of great integrity. Gavin is one of the most meticulous and well organized project managers I have dealt with. I particularly appreciated our regular meetings to evaluate progress against budget and align the project goals. Elaine is hands down the most organized Administrator. Her passion for caring for people drives her consistent excellent service delivery. I was taken aback by Gavin’s passion for customer satisfaction and his fanatical discipline in following processes to keep our project on track. We even painted my kitchen 50 shades of green to find the right one! Gavin handles change on short notice and deals with unforeseen mishaps in his stride. He foresaw problems before they arose and found innovative ways of making progress where my designs challenged the laws of nature. Gavin’s use of eco-friendly processes and materials was important to me. My husband and I are deeply grateful to Gavin for committing his heart and soul to our project and delivering well beyond what we expected. When I build again, I will definitely appoint Gavin to manage the project and I highly recommend the services of Kirk & Smith Construction.
(Lara Colannani)
I was impressed by Gavin’s in depth understanding of our building plans. It definitely gives him a competitive edge to ensure a quality build. His costs were accurate and aligned with our vision and budget for the project. I appreciated that he had a full time foreman on site and there was constant supervision during the building process. All these things make for a far less stressful building process and experience. Gavin’s transparency and schedule control make him stand out from the rest. It was an absolute pleasure to receive a detailed and easily understandable summary (fully supported by vouchers) at the end of the project to include with our Capital Gains Tax records. I will definitely use Gavin’s services when I build again and will highly recommend him to anyone in need of high quality and cost effective building work. (Craig Guthrie)
HOUSE GRASSINI
I oversaw the build of my sister’s house in Noordhaven, Noordhoek in her absence. Gavin’s enthusiasm and response to getting the project started was reassuring to experience. Working with Gavin and the Kirk and Smith team was a pleasure from start to finish. Gavin was very practical in his approach to the build and was able to point out design challenges during the early stages of the project and gave successful proposals to resolve these. Gavin’s foreman, Deon and the team on site, were a pleasure to work with and they were always polite, courteous and reliable. Their professional approach always ensured that the site was extremely well managed in an orderly way. Various compliments were received from neighbours with regard to the behaviour of the team and how well the site was maintained, which was very reassuring. Gavin conducted the build account with transparency and efficiency, which was a pleasure. I also enjoyed the hospitality I received at the monthly project meetings I had with Gavin. (Robbie Webb)
HOUSE HUDSON-PEACOCK
We engaged Kirk & Smith Construction for a small internal renovation project at our house in Noordhoek. We are very pleased with the outcome. Gavin managed the project and was attentive and on call for all our needs. The quality of the work done has met our high expectations. We decided to live-in during the renovations and appreciated the extra care that was given to minimize the disruption through the creation of an external access to the working area through which men and materials passed. I am happy to recommend Kirk & Smith Construction on the basis of our experiences throughout this project.
(Simon and Lisa Hudson-Peacock)
HOUSE HANSEN
The team was a pleasure to work with. The Site Foremen are quiet, meticulous men, with a calm intelligent approach to their work ethic. Their professional approach ensured that the site was always extremely well managed and orderly. We made a few changes to the design as we progressed and this was never a problem, in fact they were treated as creative challenges. The project was completed on budget and within the time frame. A very satisfying experience. Kirk & Smith Construction are highly recommended. (Paul Hansen)
HOUSE VAN ZYL
Over the past few years, Kirk & Smith Construction have built almost every home around us. Normally having builders on one’s doorstep can be very invasive and intrusive. This is not the case at all with the Kirk & Smith Construction team of builders. The building sites are left spotlessly clean at the end of the day, the builders themselves are very respectful and professional and I have got to know them all over the years. There was continuous on-site supervision during the day and if I have had any queries or concerns, they were dealt with swiftly and always with my interests at heart. I can highly recommend Kirk & Smith Construction as someone who has had construction done by their team as well as having lived alongside their building sites for the last few years. Thank you for your very professional and ethical approach and in ensuring that your high standards are never compromised. (Penny Van Zyl)