UpSkillMe / The Trust GapSouth Africa editionSources & calculations ↗

Plumbing & welding · September 2026

The price
of trust.

Finding someone is only the first cost.
Starting again means paying for the work again.

One recorded welding job

R27,788 original job cost

R90,238

after rework, replacement,
retesting and disruption.

See where the extra R62,450 went ↓
200 recorded journeys100 plumbing · 100 welding5 provinces · 3 hiring routesStudy scope 1

Figure 1 · The cost of doing the work again

The second bill arrives
after the first mistake.

Removing work. Repairing it. Replacing materials. Testing again. Keeping the rest of the job waiting.

R62,450added to the original job
88 hoursadditional labour
20 dayscalendar delay
3 attemptsto repair the work
Original workAdditional costRecovery received

Original work: R27,788.48; Remove failed work: R8,532.00; Repair / remake: R19,081.78; Complete replacement: R22,939.77; Retest / inspect: R1,947.00; Disruption: R11,368.00; Recovery received: −R1,419.00. Total R90,238.03. Exact values are also available in the table below.

JOB110 · Direct employment · Stainless assemblies and pipe fittings. One recorded case, amounts after recovery. Case source 7
Exact amounts behind the chart
Cost componentZAR
Original workR27,788.48
Remove failed workR8,532.00
Repair / remakeR19,081.78
Complete replacementR22,939.77
Retest / inspectR1,947.00
DisruptionR11,368.00
Recovery received−R1,419.00
Final job costR90,238.03

Dimensions outside work specification. The recorded cause was materials. Accepted after remedial work. Across all 111 rework events, the most common recorded cause is ability (24), then materials (22), scope (18), access (18), supervision (16) and tools (13). UpSkillMe checks the knowledge behind the work; the job spec, materials and site conditions stay with the employer.

Across all assessed jobs in the study

60.7%of assessed jobs needed rework111 of 183 jobs
R48,140mean additional cost per affected job111 jobs with rework
12.6 daysmean delay per affected job111 jobs with rework
The recorded journeys

Choose a trade and hiring route to compare the figures below.

Both trades · All three routes · 200 recorded journeys. Figures describe this study group.

01 · Finding a match

The search is a job
before the job.

Each round means reading profiles, interviewing and checking practical ability. A new round repeats that effort.

2.8search rounds per journey200 journeys
78 hoursof employer hiring effortMean per journey · n=200
30.5 daysto first productive workMean among 175 dated journeys
Average activity in one hiring round 2
74.3profiles reviewed560 rounds
5.2interviews560 rounds
2.6practical assessments560 rounds
0.71actual starts560 rounds
Across a whole journey:208 profiles reviewed14.5 interviews2.0 started engagements
See P10, median, mean and P90
MetricP10MedianMeanP90n
Profiles reviewed per round36.072.074.3119.0560
Interviews conducted per round2.05.05.29.0560
Search rounds per journey1.03.02.84.0200
Employer active hiring time per journey23.269.877.6141.5200
Requirement to first productive work13.023.030.560.0175
“Across 4 search rounds we reviewed 355 profiles, held 29 interviews and agreed 4 starts.”
Fabrication buyer · KwaZulu-Natal · Recorded response SR110, excerpt. This is one welding journey. 1

02 · What happened next

An agreement is a start.
It is not the outcome.

No-shows create another search. Failed engagements create another start. Continuing work can still leave either side dissatisfied.

602

agreed starts in these journeys

Did not start191
Awaiting start / no-show assessment11
Actually started →400

Of the 400 started engagements

275Failed engagements68.8%
35Continuing, employer dissatisfied8.8%
90Completed or continuing satisfactorily22.5%
↶ 151 of 200 journeys required a replacement. The recorded journeys contain 217 actual replacement starts. An unresolved need for a replacement stays in the first count.
50.0%employers dissatisfied while work continues35 of 70 continuing engagements
32.9%artisans dissatisfied while remaining23 of 70 continuing engagements
25.8%employer dissatisfaction after replacement24 of 93 assessed replacement engagements

Each rate names its own base. A started engagement may be employment, an agency placement or a commissioned job. Outcome definitions 3

03 · The full employer bill

The fee is only
one line in the bill.

Productive work sits alongside search costs, repeat onboarding, unproductive time and rework. The total shows both.

R96,616mean full employer cost189 journeys with complete costs
R42,545ordinary expenditureIncludes productive work and materials
R54,071additional failure / restart expenditureSame complete-cost journeys; net of recoveries
Mean cost per journey · Both trades · All three routes · 189 complete cost records

Initial recruitment & onboarding: R10,425.45; Productive work & materials: R32,119.81; Unproductive time & extra supervision: R9,807.92; Repeat recruitment & onboarding: R19,385.93; Rework & disruption: R26,109.10; Recoveries received: −R1,232.38. Total R96,615.84. Exact values are also available in the table below.

Exact amounts and cost basis
Cost componentZAR
Initial recruitment & onboardingR10,425.45
Productive work & materialsR32,119.81
Unproductive time & extra supervisionR9,807.92
Repeat recruitment & onboardingR19,385.93
Rework & disruptionR26,109.10
Recoveries received−R1,232.38
Full employer journey costR96,615.84

The same 189 records contain R41,159 net recorded cash, R23,423 valued internal time and R32,034 accrued labour cost per journey. The full bill is not a measure of avoidable loss.

Each component uses the same journeys with complete employer costs. Cash, valued internal time and accrued labour are included. Cost definitions 4

04 · The artisan’s bill

Workers pay
to reach the work.

Travel, tests, tools and time spent waiting land on the artisan. Payment delays keep the pressure on after the work starts.

R5,432mean cash cost per journeyAfter reimbursements · n=200
47.6 hoursmean unpaid time per journey188 complete time records
45.7%due payments paid late or still overdue333 of 728 assessed payment obligations

Cash is net of reimbursements. Unpaid hours and late payments are shown separately. Artisan costs 5

“Repeated travel, unpaid tests and waiting made this engagement expensive to pursue.”
Artisan-side recorded response SR110 · Welding · KwaZulu-Natal, excerpt. 1

05 · Where the costs begin

Eight stages.
Three decisions to get right.

Task fit, the agreement and the response to breakdown deserve particular attention. The full journey shows the other problems around them. Figures below describe the whole study.

Three priority decisions EmployerArtisan
  1. 01

    Define the work

    Task, material, method and acceptance criteria.

    Know the real job before applying.

    Unclear scope → disputes and redo
  2. 02

    Find each other

    Reach available people at the right location.

    Applications, data and travel.

    19.8 employer hours searching
    16.1 artisan hours in unpaid travel
    Means per journey · n=200
  3. 03 · Task fit

    Check the evidence

    Match the evidence to this task.

    Share relevant work and assessment records.

    46.5 employer hours screening & checking
    11.9 artisan hours in unpaid tests
    Means per journey · n=200
  4. 04 · Agreement

    Agree the terms

    Scope, price, inputs and variations.

    Pay dates, hours and responsibilities.

    Unsettled terms → unexpected charges
  5. 05

    Get started

    Site access, materials and induction.

    Transport, tools and safe conditions.

    11.3 employer hours arranging starts
    7.9 artisan hours in unpaid onboarding
    Means per journey · n=200
  6. 06 · Breakdown response

    Perform & inspect

    Detect problems and agree remedial work.

    Raise constraints and record what changed.

    R48,140 mean additional rework
    Removal → repair → retest → disruption
    Per affected job · n=111
  7. 07

    Finish & settle

    Accept the work and settle the account.

    Receive pay and contest deductions.

    333 of 728 due payments late or overdue
    Payment pressure continues after work
  8. 08

    Carry proof forward

    Record the task and accountable sign-off.

    Take a usable record to the next job.

    250 of 334 rounds repeated checks
    Existing task records had been offered

06 · The whole issue tree

One engagement.
Two sides of the problem.

Fourteen categories from the research. The branch names preserve the issues that a narrow focus on hiring misses. 6

A working relationship

What employers face

  • Availability & responseFinding people who can respond, reach the site and start.
  • Task fit & work qualityKnowing whether experience matches the material, method and job.
  • Scope, quotes & variationsUnclear briefs, exclusions and changes after work starts.
  • Documentation & complianceCredentials, site requirements, inspection and sign-off.
  • Reliability & conductArrival, communication, follow-through and accountability.
  • Commercial terms & paymentDeposits, milestones, invoices, deductions and settlement.
  • Rework & liabilityWho removes, remakes, retests and pays when work goes wrong.

What artisans face

  • Access to continuing workSearching again, irregular demand and uncertain starts.
  • Proof that travelsRepeated tests and work history that stays with the last employer.
  • Pay & income volatilityUnpaid effort, delayed pay and disputed deductions.
  • Training & recognitionAccess to learning and recognition of skills already acquired.
  • Tools, materials & inputsHaving the equipment and suitable materials the job requires.
  • Safety & fair treatmentSafe conditions, protective equipment and a way to raise concerns.
  • Travel & site accessTransport, accommodation, entry requirements and waiting.

07 · What a useful record needs to answer

“Welder” names a trade.
It does not describe this job.

A useful record connects a person to a task, a method, the conditions of the check and an accountable result.

Welding brief

Stainless assemblies and pipe fittings

The requirement
Material, dimensions, weld method and acceptance criteria.
Evidence to inspect
A named task record with material, method, inspection outcome, date and assessor.
Checks on this job
Material suitability, fit-up, access, tools, supervision and final inspection.
Plumbing brief

Apartment leaks and geyser work

The requirement
Fault, pipe material, access, installation conditions and required sign-off.
Evidence to inspect
Comparable work, a defined practical check and the record of testing and completion.
Checks on this job
Diagnosis, scope, materials, access and inspection before closing up.

A record can make task evidence easier to assess. Employers still need clear scope, suitable inputs, safe working conditions and a response when something goes wrong.

The change to make

Make the important questions
answerable before the cost repeats.

EmployersDefine the work, supply the inputs, inspect it and settle pay.

ArtisansShow relevant evidence, explain constraints and record the work.

Assessors & partnersName the task checked, the conditions, result and responsible assessor.

The platformMake those records accessible, shareable and useful in the hiring decision.

Artisans

Put a real skill on record

Start through the South Africa worker line. A named skill check records a bounded piece of practical evidence.

Start on WhatsApp

+27 83 958 6576

Whole-study comparisons

Trade and hiring-route comparisons

These fixed comparisons cover every recorded trade and route, regardless of the interactive selection above. They describe this study group, not South Africa as a whole. Hiring effort is a mean per journey; failed engagements use actual starts as their base. Employer costs use only journeys with complete costs, with recoveries subtracted once.

Search effort, engagement failures and employer costs by trade and route
TradeHiring routeJourneysMean search roundsMean hiring hoursFailed / started engagementsMean full employer cost (ZAR)Mean additional failure / restart cost (ZAR)Complete cost journeys
Both tradesAll three routes2002.877.6275 / 400 (68.8%)R96,615.84R54,070.57189
Both tradesDirect employment702.984.5101 / 140 (72.1%)R97,263.73R56,479.1067
Both tradesAgency placement602.669.974 / 113 (65.5%)R99,440.85R55,257.1456
Both tradesCommissioned contractor job702.977.3100 / 147 (68.0%)R93,561.15R50,618.7766
PlumbingAll three routes1002.875.0142 / 199 (71.4%)R82,523.19R47,716.6194
PlumbingDirect employment352.981.555 / 73 (75.3%)R80,362.44R46,914.3733
PlumbingAgency placement302.875.944 / 64 (68.8%)R96,924.39R57,581.1628
PlumbingCommissioned contractor job352.767.943 / 62 (69.4%)R72,464.74R40,148.9433
WeldingAll three routes1002.880.1133 / 201 (66.2%)R110,560.14R60,357.6595
WeldingDirect employment352.987.446 / 67 (68.7%)R113,667.91R65,762.5234
WeldingAgency placement302.463.930 / 49 (61.2%)R101,957.31R52,933.1128
WeldingCommissioned contractor job353.086.757 / 85 (67.1%)R114,657.56R61,088.6133

Study scope · Cost definitions · All metric distributions

All four recorded rework cases

Individual cases illustrate the cost breakdown; they are not trade averages. Amounts are in South African rand (ZAR), net of received recovery.

JOB110 · Welding · Direct employment

Stainless assemblies and pipe fittings. Dimensions outside work specification. Recorded cause: Materials. Accepted after remedial work.

Additional rework: R62,450 · 88 additional labour hours · 20 days of delay · 3 repair attempts.

Cost componentZAR
Original workR27,788.48
Remove failed workR8,532.00
Repair / remakeR19,081.78
Complete replacementR22,939.77
Retest / inspectR1,947.00
DisruptionR11,368.00
Recovery received−R1,419.00
Final job costR90,238.03

JOB101 · Welding · Direct employment

Structural frames and support brackets. Distortion or incorrect fit-up. Recorded cause: Materials. Accepted after remedial work.

Additional rework: R45,987 · 84 additional labour hours · 18 days of delay · 2 repair attempts.

Cost componentZAR
Original workR46,669.70
Remove failed workR7,227.00
Repair / remakeR21,253.61
Complete replacementR0.00
Retest / inspectR1,360.00
DisruptionR16,506.00
Recovery received−R360.00
Final job costR92,656.31

JOB102 · Welding · Direct employment

Plant access platforms and repairs. Dimensions outside work specification. Recorded cause: Scope. Accepted after remedial work.

Additional rework: R40,268 · 78 additional labour hours · 12 days of delay · 2 repair attempts.

Cost componentZAR
Original workR21,413.48
Remove failed workR10,440.00
Repair / remakeR15,416.27
Complete replacementR0.00
Retest / inspectR1,662.00
DisruptionR12,816.00
Recovery received−R66.00
Final job costR61,681.75

JOB002 · Plumbing · Direct employment

Apartment-block leak and geyser work. Incorrect falls and repeated blockage. Recorded cause: Supervision. Accepted after remedial work.

Additional rework: R49,024 · 28 additional labour hours · 20 days of delay · 2 repair attempts.

Cost componentZAR
Original workR58,059.35
Remove failed workR10,592.00
Repair / remakeR16,296.72
Complete replacementR0.00
Retest / inspectR1,640.00
DisruptionR21,136.00
Recovery received−R641.00
Final job costR107,083.07

Case sources and calculation basis