Why Contractors Love Eva-Last
Eva-Last, a leading manufacturer and supplier of composite building materials, is fortunate to enjoy special relationships with a great number of contractors who swear by using Eva-Last products given the all-round virtue and value of the materials. So what exactly do the experts think and why do they love Eva-Last?
Frank Holder, co-owner of Deck-It, a decking specialist whose relationship with Eva-Last extends almost 15 years, says he’s thrilled with the results of the many major decking projects he’s worked on using Eva-Last products, from projects in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and even as far afield as Azerbaijan.
“From a decking perspective, Azerbaijan provides one of the greatest challenges anywhere in the world, because the temperatures range from -15°C to 45°C! I am happy to report that our Azerbaijan clients are delighted with the deck we built for them using Eva-Last Infinity capped boards, and accommodating those temperature extremes are a huge endorsement for Eva-Last’s composite decking.”
Frank has also overseen some impressive projects closer to home, including a decking project for the Global Leadership Conference and training building in the business hub of South Africa which comprises a deck area totalling some 4 000 square metres. Frank says that apart from Eva-Last’s warranties running up to 30 years, and fantastic range of products available, one of the company’s strengths is its willingness to get involved with client’s projects on a personal basis.
Frank Holder, co-owner of Deck-It, a decking specialist whose relationship with Eva-Last extends almost 15 years, says he’s thrilled with the results of the many major decking projects he’s worked on using Eva-Last products, from projects in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and even as far afield as Azerbaijan.
“From a decking perspective, Azerbaijan provides one of the greatest challenges anywhere in the world, because the temperatures range from -15°C to 45°C! I am happy to report that our Azerbaijan clients are delighted with the deck we built for them using Eva-Last Infinity capped boards, and accommodating those temperature extremes are a huge endorsement for Eva-Last’s composite decking.”
Frank has also overseen some impressive projects closer to home, including a decking project for the Global Leadership Conference and training building in the business hub of South Africa which comprises a deck area totalling some 4 000 square metres. Frank says that apart from Eva-Last’s warranties running up to 30 years, and fantastic range of products available, one of the company’s strengths is its willingness to get involved with client’s projects on a personal basis.
“Eva-Last has its own drawing department, and the company helps tailor products to a specific project, which is pretty unique in this business. In addition, there is a big sales team that involve themselves in on-going projects. The communication is fantastic.”
Byron Conway, owner-operator of Conway Decking and Flooring, says: “To me, Eva-Last’s biggest strength is all the Research and Development that they do in innovating building materials.” Using a high volume of Eva-Tech product for residential decking, as well as Eva-Last’s VistaClad to perfect wall cladding projects, Byron says “Eva-Last are the leaders in our industry for developing new product applications, not only in their range of decking, but also with cladding like the new VistaClad clip strip for installing vertical cladding.”
Byron adds that the entry-level Eva-Tech decking is perfect for a residential application, and in some instances this bamboo-composite product has achieved price-parity or better, compared to timber.
“I have also been very impressed with how the product lasts. The Eva-Tech product comes with a 10-year warranty and I have been using this product for the past 13 years, and feedback from my early clients tells me the product has comfortably out-lasted the warranty period. For me, Eva-Last is the clear leader in the composite industry,” says Byron.
Jaco Botha, a seasoned contractor at Design-A, has been in the construction business for over three decades and was one of Eva-Last’s first customers. “I remember first using Eva-Last composite decking some 15 years ago, when they started growing their business, operating out of a small warehouse in Johannesburg, South Africa. These days I only promote Eva-Last products. I have tried other composite products but their pricing is simply not competitive with Eva-Last. To me, one of this company’s biggest strengths is that they have been in the composite decking game the longest in South Africa, and this brings piece-of-mind in terms of customer back-up. In addition, they are simply the best in terms of product quality,” says Jaco.
“I mostly work with the Infinity range of products and these boards have a warranty of 25 years. We haven’t reached the warranty cut-off date yet, but I have to say that there have been virtually no problems with quality. Eva-Last composite decking is easy to install, as long as you know what you are doing, and it is durable.
“The big advantage that composite decking has over timber is that, relatively speaking, there is no maintenance. You don’t have to sand it down and re-seal it every year as you do with a timber deck. I love wood but high temperatures and the sun’s UV index kills a wooden deck while Eva-Last composite endures these extremes and looks great year after year,” explains Jaco.
“As for price, compared to a wooden deck, you generally pay a higher price for a composite deck, but it’s worth it when you take the quality of Eva-Last composite into account. And like any good product, you have to pay for quality. I have worked with Eva-Last for years now and they are definitely doing something right,” concludes Jaco.
Duanne “Jeep” Davis of DeckCon Projects works on large decking projects all over the country, doing mainly commercial project installations. One of his high-profile clients is the Burger King Group.
“I work almost exclusively with Eva-Last products, and those include balustrading items, as well as the decking and cladding. For decking I tend to use the mid-line Infinity range. I enjoy working with Eva-Last products because they offer very low-maintenance and the decking has great anti-slip properties making its safe, and the products are very ‘green’ in terms of minimising our environmental impact”, says Jeep.
“I give a two-year warranty on my workmanship and Eva-Last provides a 25-year warranty on its Infinity decking. I almost never have warranty claims and Eva-Last‘s claims are extremely rare, too. If there is a problem with the boards, the client fills out a claim form on Eva-Last’s website, submits it, and it is dealt with swiftly and professionally which is a great backup service for me as a contractor. And obviously it’s great for the client too”, adds Jeep.
He continues, “The durability of the Eva-Last decking is exceptional. The oldest decking I have installed is nine years old and it still looks like new. I don’t know if I will still be around when the 25-year warranty date comes up, but I’m confident there will be no problems.”
Jeeps says that the composite decking is ideal for the varied climates, especially in areas with extreme temperatures. “Another aspect of dealing with Eva-Last, that I like, is their strong brand presence. And if I need a supply of decking, the stock is always available, and that’s a big factor for me, in terms of delivery to a client.”
Jacques Nortier, owner of Top Tier Deck and Pergola, says: “Eva-Last has a wide range of composite products. They have a product to suit most customer’s needs, and it’s been that way since I began dealing with them over six years ago.”
Jacques adds: “They were first on the scene in the composite market in South Africa, and they have a great track record. Eva-Last are also known to stand by their warranties, which gives great confidence in the product and the company as a whole. Compared to timber, using Eva-Last composite products is a no-brainer considering the low maintenance of Eva-Last’s products. Over and above the many benefits of using Eva-Last composite building materials, the aesthetic quality, the presentation, look, touch and feel of the products, are absolutely excellent.”
With so many contractors seeing the value in working with Eva-Last as a business, as well as their product range, quality and back-up service, it is no wonder that more and more contractors are switching to Eva-Last composite materials.
