Let's be direct about something: load shedding is still a factor in Gauteng construction, regardless of what the current schedule looks like when you're reading this. The Eskom situation changes, but the lesson that renovations need to be planned around it doesn't. Here's how we approach it — and what separates contractors who manage it well from those who use it as a blanket excuse.
What Load Shedding Actually Affects on a Renovation Site
Not everything. Hand tools, brushwork, measuring, fitting — none of this requires power. But several key parts of a renovation do:
- →Power tools: circular saws, jigsaws, drills, sanders. If a joiner is cutting melamine board or a tiler is wet-cutting porcelain, load shedding stops work.
- →Tile adhesive curing: some adhesives are temperature sensitive. In winter Joburg, the combination of cold nights and reduced heating (because the power's off) can extend cure times.
- →Certain finishes: spray painting and two-part coatings need consistent conditions. A power cut mid-application causes problems.
- →Electricians: any electrical work that requires the board to be live can't happen during load shedding.
- →Communication and coordination: teams that rely on WhatsApp updates and remote project management are affected by data connectivity issues during outages.
How We Plan Around It
The schedule is built around the Eskom app, not around an optimistic assumption that power will be on when we need it. At the project planning stage, we look at the current load shedding pattern for the specific suburb (different areas in Joburg have different rotation schedules) and allocate power-dependent tasks to predicted on-power windows.
For longer projects, we build in a buffer of 15–20% on any phase that involves significant power tool work. We also have a battery-powered tool setup for tasks where that's practical — a good quality cordless circular saw, drill, and jigsaw cover most joinery work without needing mains power.
For cutting melamine board at scale — a full kitchen, say — we do as much pre-cutting as possible off-site in a workshop, so the on-site installation phase (which requires far less cutting) is less dependent on mains power.
The Red Flag: Contractors Who Use It as a General Excuse
Load shedding is a legitimate factor. It is also one of the most abused excuses in Gauteng contracting. If a contractor is using load shedding to explain delays in tasks that don't require power — planning, procurement, measuring, manual trades — that's a different problem masquerading as an Eskom problem.
Before a project starts, ask any contractor: "How do you manage load shedding on a project like this?" The answer should be specific and practical. Vague reassurances ("we'll work around it, no problem") are not the same as a real plan.
If Your Property Has Solar or a Generator
Tell your contractor upfront. If your property has a solar backup system or a generator that can supply the relevant circuits, a lot of the scheduling complexity goes away. We've completed several Sandton and Midrand projects where solar backup effectively made the load shedding schedule irrelevant for our work.
If you don't have backup power and are considering installing it, a renovation is often a good time to do it — while the walls are open and electricians are already on site. It's worth asking about the sequencing.
The Bottom Line
Load shedding adds complexity but it doesn't have to derail a well-run project. The difference is in the planning. We've completed kitchen renovations, bathroom upgrades, and cabinetry installations throughout Johannesburg and Pretoria without meaningful load-shedding delays because we plan around it from day one — not after the first outage causes a problem.