Meet Tom from Impala Homecraft: A tradie of many skills and a learner at heart

Q: How did Impala Homecraft get started?

A: “I worked for myself most of my career, and when I came to New Zealand, I thought I’ll just stick with working for somebody. But I guess when that’s in your blood, there’s no turning back. It’s just something you’re going to do again after a while, and the time is never right. So we just jumped in and did it.”

Q: Did you run your own business before, back in South Africa?

A: “Yeah. My first business was in the town I grew up in, similar to Rangiora. I knew so many people there. Two weeks in, I didn’t know what to do with all the work. I employed my first guy. A few years later I gave the business to my brother and moved to another town, and it was the opposite story. It was so difficult to start in an economy that’s struggling.”

Q: What kind of work do you specialise in?

A: “Most home improvement things, inside and outside the house. Anything you see and you want repaired around your house, or if you want something added, from a fence to a carport. We do a bit of automated and sliding gates as well, we like those. And driveways, if you want to extend or make them wider.”

Q: Does that variety help you win more work?

A: “Yes, it does. As clients get to know us better, they call us back and they’re like, ‘can you do this, can you do that?’ Instead of having five different guys in your house, you can build a relationship with one guy, and you can trust him. We appreciate it when clients trust us. That’s the goal.”

Q: How many people do you have in the team?

A: “It’s just me on the tools, and then my wife Noreht helping with my Builderscrack account, marketing and some of my admin. She came in after, as I got busier. It’s just impossible to get to everything yourself.”

Q: What’s it like working as a husband and wife team?

A: “It’s good. You need to keep in mind it’s your wife you’re working with, and she’s not your PA, and have that respect. You need to be able to switch off from work, which can be hard at times. It’s important to talk work during work hours.”

Q: How do you split the responsibilities?

A: “Noreht’s on the administration side, reconciling the accounts and sending out invoices. For me, I start my day with doing quotes, then during the day I’m doing the actual work, and in the afternoons I go and see clients for site visits.”

Q: What made you join Builderscrack?

A: “I knew I needed help, I didn’t have the network, I didn’t have the magic marketing thing going. So I came across Builderscrack and what an amazing resource it is. I never looked back.”

Q: What other marketing have you tried?

A: “We tried Google Ads, but that was going to take too long to get up and running. We’ve done a little bit of Facebook ads, but it wasn’t necessary anymore because of Builderscrack. The other marketing is secondary. Builderscrack is primary for us.”

Q: What role has it played in growing the business?

A: “It’s played a vital role. For my business, you can’t beat it, because we do a variety of things. It’s not just a single thing, so we can pick and choose what we want to do.”

Q: How would you describe Builderscrack to another tradie?

A: “It’s an amazing resource. I think it’s your new word of mouth. Maybe it replaced word of mouth. Times change, and with technology it makes it easier.”

Q: What should homeowners be asking when they hire someone?

A: “Ask tradies about their experience. And any question that pops into your head, don’t be afraid to ask it. You’re not going to sound dumb. You’re going to make the tradesman feel like the expert. The guy drove all the way out there — it’s your time to ask.”

Q: What’s a common DIY mistake you see?

A: “Painting around windows. People try to cut in too finely, and when they hit the glass they leave it. It’s so easy to clean that off with a blade and get a nice crisp finish. Paint doesn’t stick to windows.”

Q: What do homeowners misunderstand about pricing?

A: “If you’re not sure how the price is structured, ask. For me, every job is different, but I’m always transparent. I’ll tell people this is material, this is labour, this is that cost, and then people can judge for themselves.

I’m not going to list every screw and bolt and nail, but you have the right to know.”

Q: How do you build trust with homeowners on site?

A: “People appreciate the way I take care of their house. I put cover sheets down, I’ve got my vacuum on most jobs. If you can leave a site better than you found it, they’re going to appreciate that. Even a bit of dirt that’s not yours, pick it up.”

Q: You’ve got more than 70 five-star verified reviews on Builderscrack. What’s the secret?

A: “We just try our best. Clients pay hard-earned money for something on their house. Sometimes you don’t see what we do. You open a wall, fix it, and it looks like it used to. We want to give them quality and show them I’m trustworthy. It’s for them to judge.”

Q: How important are reviews in your line of work?

A: “It’s critical. A client doesn’t know who I am. You’re going to let me into your house, do work and give me your money. How are you going to know I’ll give you what you’re paying for? Reviews are a testimony of your reliability and trustworthiness.”

Q: When a homeowner is choosing between tradies, what should they look for?

A: “Reviews are important. If 10 people say this guy is good and one says he’s average, you go with the ten. It’s more than one person, so you can verify. Also, an honest tradie who knows what he’s doing will be relaxed and calm with the job. They don’t have to brag. You don’t need ego there. You’ll see it.”

Q: What else earns that trust?

A: “If you say you’re going to be there, try your best to be there. And if you’re not going to be on time, let them know. People appreciate that. You can be great once, but are you great every time? You have to try to do it every time.”

Q: What’s the hardest part of running a trade business that nobody talks about?

A: “You have to do everything. If you have a big business, you can hire someone, but when you’re a one-man-band, you need to be multi-skilled. Your brain is developed to be a tradesman, but you need to do admin and marketing too. And it’s good for you.”

Q: How do you see the future for Impala Homecraft?

A: “I see it staying small and compact. I want to run a more productive business rather than just a large operation. I’d like mature, responsible people to work for me, and to develop a culture within the business where they want to stay.”

Q: What’s been your proudest achievement since starting?

A: “It’s the development of skills and getting used to learning new things. Many years ago, I worked for a very successful, humble businessman, and he said to me, ‘Tom, I’m a learner’. I remember that. And that’s something I can say now. I’m a learner. If I don’t learn, I get bored. If I don’t feel that challenge, I know I’m not developing.”

Q: What advice would you give a tradie before they start their own business?

A: “Go do your research. Proper research on all aspects of your business and the market. Talk to other tradesmen, especially guys who’ve been in the trade a while. If you don’t understand what they say, ask them to explain. And talk to people face to face. Don’t go with what social media says; those guys go for clicks. I’d go to real people.”

Thank you to Tom and Noreht from Impala Homecraft for sharing your story, your time, and delivering great results for Canterbury homeowners and the Builderscrack community.