Home Renovations

FN Building Projects handles home renovations across Cape Town, in the Northern Suburbs, the Southern Suburbs and along the Atlantic Seaboard. A renovation is disruptive, expensive and personal, which is exactly why we run it like a proper construction project: a clear scope agreed on site, a fixed itemised quote you can hold us to, one accountable team while we build, and every snag closed before you make the final payment. We are registered with the NHBRC (registration 4000022154).

Where we renovate

We work across greater Cape Town, with most of our renovation work in three areas:

• Northern Suburbs. Our recent renovations include homes in Goodwood, Townsend Estate and Richmond Estate. We also cover suburbs such as Parow, Bellville, Durbanville, Edgemead and Milnerton
• Southern Suburbs. We built the braai and entertainment area featured below in Retreat, and cover suburbs such as Rondebosch, Claremont, Kenilworth, Wynberg, Plumstead, Bergvliet and Tokai
• Atlantic Seaboard. Including suburbs such as Green Point, Sea Point, Fresnaye and Camps Bay

Each area brings its own questions. Older houses often hide damp, tired plumbing and wiring behind the walls, which only shows once the strip-out starts. On the Atlantic Seaboard, salt air and wind-driven rain are hard on steel, fixings and exterior finishes, and steep or narrow sites affect how materials get on and off the property. We look at all of this on the site visit so it is in the quote, not a surprise halfway through. If you are not sure whether we cover your suburb, ask and we will tell you straight away.

What our home renovations include

We take on full and partial renovations, from a single room to most of the house, as one job with one team:

• Full and partial refurbishments. Rooms stripped back, repaired, rebuilt and finished properly
• Structural alterations and layout changes. Removing or moving walls and opening up spaces, coordinated with a registered engineer where the work needs one
• Conversions. Giving an existing part of the home a new role, such as the garage we converted into a home office
• Bathrooms. Strip-out, plumbing, waterproofing, tiling and fittings. See our bathroom renovations page for how we run them
• Kitchens. Kitchen renovations included in the agreed project scope.
• Flooring, screeds, tiling and finishes. The finishing work that decides how the whole project looks
• Extensions. When you need more space rather than better space, see house extensions
• Outdoor living. Covered patios, stoeps, paving and built-in braais, see braai areas and patios

Building from scratch rather than renovating? Our new builds page covers that.

How a home renovation runs

Every renovation follows the same seven steps as every FN project:

1. Free site visit. We walk the property with you and scope the work on site. A rough idea is enough to start; you do not need finished plans
2. Written proposal. What we understood you want, and how we would approach it
3. Fixed, itemised quote. Inclusions and exclusions spelled out, usually within 3 to 5 working days of the site visit
4. Work plan. The work dated in sequence, with payments set against each stage: a deposit when you sign, then a payment as each stage is completed, never ahead of the work
5. The build. Supervised on site, with regular progress updates from one accountable team
6. Snagging. We walk the finished work with you and close every item before the final payment
7. Handover. Followed by a free inspection 60 days later

Staying at home while we work is often possible. On the Townsend Estate renovation the family lived at home throughout, so the structural openings, the garage conversion and the stoep were sequenced to keep the house usable rather than disrupting it three separate times. Read how we work and our quality promise.

How long a home renovation takes

It depends on the scope. A single bathroom typically takes two to three weeks. The Townsend Estate job, a granny flat upgrade, a garage conversion and a rebuilt stoep, took about four weeks. A full home renovation runs over several months. Your quote comes with a realistic timeline, and we keep you updated against it, with early notice if anything is likely to change.

What affects the price of a renovation

We do not publish renovation prices, because a number without a scope behind it means very little. These are the things that move the price most:

• How much of the house is involved. One room, a floor, or most of the home
• Structural work. Moving or removing walls, new openings and anything that needs an engineer’s design
• Wet areas and services. Bathrooms and kitchens cost more per square metre than living rooms, and moving plumbing or electrical points adds work
• What the strip-out finds. Damp, failed waterproofing, old pipes or wiring that must be put right before new finishes go on
• Finishes. Tiles, flooring, sanitaryware, joinery and lighting can sit anywhere from standard to premium
• Site and access. Steep, narrow or high-access sites take longer to work on and to deliver to
• Plans and approvals. Where the work needs them, you arrange the plans and council approval; we build to the approved drawings

Start with the free site visit: you get honest budget direction on your actual property, then a fixed itemised quote so there are no surprises halfway through. To know what a good quote should contain, whoever you hire, read what is included in a renovation quote.

See it before we build it

For larger renovations we model your space in SketchUp to the real dimensions of your property, so you can judge the layout properly instead of trying to picture it from a description. You receive a high-resolution proposal electronically and as a printed copy.

Renovations we have done

• Home renovation, Townsend Estate, Goodwood. A granny flat upgrade, the garage converted into a laundry and living quarters, and the stoep rebuilt with terracotta tile and paving, done in about four weeks with the family at home
• Bathroom renovation, Richmond Estate. A dated bathroom stripped back and rebuilt with new plumbing, tiling, fittings and a freestanding bath
• Pool, paving and braai area, Goodwood. Pool-area improvements, new paving and a refreshed entertainment space. Compare the before and after on our projects page
• Garage to home office. An under-used garage turned into a brighter work-from-home space with improved lighting and insulation
• New braai area, Retreat. A built-in braai and paved entertainment area built from the ground up

“Everything from the initial consultation, to updates and communication was effortless.”

Shameemah Johaar, Goodwood, Google review of the Townsend Estate renovation

See all our projects, including the before-and-after sliders.

Before you appoint anyone

Ask every contractor who quotes you for their NHBRC registration, a COIDA Letter of Good Standing and proof of Contractors All Risks insurance. Ask us for our registration and insurance documents. It is also worth reading the questions to ask before hiring a building contractor and your rights when hiring a builder, whether you build with us or not.

Common questions

How much does a home renovation cost in Cape Town?

It depends on how much of the house is involved, whether there is structural work, how many wet areas change and the finishes you choose. We do not quote from a phone call. After a free site visit you get a fixed, itemised quote, usually within 3 to 5 working days, with a line for each part of the work.

How long does a home renovation take?

A single bathroom typically takes two to three weeks, and a full home renovation runs over several months. Your quote comes with a realistic, dated timeline for your specific job.

Can we live in the house during the renovation?

Often, yes. We plan the order of the work around the household so the house stays usable, as we did at Townsend Estate, where the family lived at home throughout. Whether that works for your job is one of the things we settle at the site visit.

Do I need council plans to renovate my house?

It depends on the work. Structural changes and new floor area normally need approved plans; many internal refurbishments do not. We tell you what your job needs at the site visit. You arrange the plans and approvals, usually through an architect, and we build to the approved drawings.

Is the site visit free?

Yes. Site visits are free, and a standard quotation follows the visit once we both agree to proceed. Quotations prepared for bond or home-loan applications carry a preparation fee.