A braai area is one of the few renovations you use every week. Done properly it turns a patch of paving into the part of the house everyone ends up standing in. Done badly it is a slab that stains, a chimney that smokes back, and a roof that leaks the first winter.
We build built-in braais, covered patios, paved entertainment areas and pool surrounds across Cape Town. Same process as any other job we run: a free site visit, a fixed itemised quote, and one accountable team from first visit to final sign-off.
What we build
- Built-in braais with the flue and chimney sized to draw properly, so smoke goes up rather than into the room
- Covered patios and verandahs, including the roof structure, ceiling and lighting
- Paved entertainment areas, laid on a prepared base so they do not settle or pond
- Pool surrounds and the paving that ties them into the rest of the garden
- Boundary and screen walls where the space needs privacy or wind protection
What the work actually involves
Most of the quality in an outdoor area is in the part you never see again once it is finished.
- Levels and falls. Water has to run away from the house and off the paving. This gets decided before anything is laid, not afterwards
- Base preparation. Excavation, compaction and bedding. Skimping here is why paving sinks in tracks and lifts at the edges
- Structure. Foundations for the braai and for any covered structure, tied in so nothing moves independently of the house
- Services. Lighting, plug points and any plumbing chased in before the finishes go on
- Finishes. Paving, plaster, paint and the braai face
- Clean handover. Snag list completed, site cleared, and a quality certificate issued
How long it takes
We do not quote a standard duration, because the honest answer is that it depends on what you are building. A paved area with a built-in braai is a different job to a covered patio with a new roof structure and electrical work.
What moves the timeline most:
- How much excavation and base work the ground needs
- Whether there is a roof structure, and what it has to tie into
- Lead times on your chosen paving or finishes
- Weather, which matters more here than on an interior job
- Whether electrical or plumbing work is in scope
You get a realistic timeline in writing with your quote, and we keep you updated against it.
What drives the cost
We do not publish prices, because a number without a scope behind it is meaningless. These are the variables that actually move a quote:
- Size and ground conditions. Sloping or poor ground means more excavation and more base
- Roofed or open. A covered structure adds foundations, framing, ceiling and lighting
- Paving choice. The range between a basic and a premium paver is wide
- The braai itself. A simple built-in unit against a full outdoor kitchen with counters and storage
- Access. If material has to be barrowed through the house, that is labour
See it before we build it
We model your space in SketchUp to the real dimensions of your property, so you can see the layout properly rather than trying to picture it from a description. Finish and styling visuals are impressions of how it could look, not construction drawings.
You receive a high resolution proposal electronically and as a printed copy. Where there is a genuine intention to move forward together, this is included at no cost.
Work we have done
A built-in braai and paved entertainment area in Retreat, built from the ground up as a year round outdoor living space.
A pool and entertainment area upgrade in Goodwood, where the before and after is on our homepage. More completed work is on the projects page.
Before you appoint anyone
Whoever you use, ask to see their quote broken down line by line, and ask what happens if something is wrong after handover. Our guide to what a renovation quote should cover sets out what to look for, and your rights when hiring a builder explains what the law already gives you.
Your itemised quote comes back within 3 to 5 working days of the site visit.
