Builders in Green Point for Victorian Homes and Apartments
Green Point runs from the Atlantic coast up to the lower slopes of Signal Hill, between Three Anchor Bay and the V&A Waterfront. It is one of the older parts of the Atlantic Seaboard, and the housing shows it: Victorian and Edwardian semi-detached houses on streets like Croxteth Road and in the pockets around Green Point Park, older freestanding homes squeezed between newer blocks, and a large number of apartments along Somerset Road, Main Road, High Level Road and the streets climbing towards Signal Hill. Most people who call us from Green Point own either an older house that needs careful work or a sectional title unit that needs a renovation done properly within the rules of the building.
Those are two very different jobs, and Around The House Building Services takes on both, along with roofing, waterproofing and salt air repairs. Our services page lists everything we do.
What Our Builders in Green Point Do
In Green Point we are most often asked for:
- Apartment and house renovations: kitchens, bathrooms, opening up small rooms in older semis and full unit makeovers.
- Waterproofing and roof repairs: flat roofs, parapets, balconies and the junctions where leaks start. See our waterproofing page.
- Plastering and crack repair: patching and re-plastering older walls, and repairing cracks before they let water in.
- Interior and exterior painting: with primers and paints chosen for a site this close to the sea.
Salt Air and Weather: Repairs Green Point Builders See Most
Green Point sits right on the Atlantic, and the salt-laden wind off the sea is hard on buildings. The same problems come up again and again: rusted steel window frames and balustrades, corroded fixings on roofs and gutters, paint that chalks and peels on the sea-facing side, and plaster that cracks and lets water into the wall behind it. On older houses, rusting steel lintels can push plaster and brickwork off above windows.
The fix is rarely just a coat of paint. We cut out and repair failed plaster, treat or replace corroded steel where we can reach it, seal cracks properly and then use a primer and paint system made for coastal exposure. On flat roofs and parapets, which are common on Green Point houses and apartment blocks, we check the waterproofing at upstands, outlets and copings, because that is where most leaks start. Our guide to waterproofing costs is a good starting point if you are seeing damage now.
Renovating Victorian Houses in Green Point
Green Point’s older semis and freestanding houses date from the late 1800s and early 1900s. When we open them up we commonly find solid brick walls with no cavity, damp at the base of walls where the original damp-proof course has failed or been bridged by raised paving, tired roof timbers, and decades of patch repairs in mismatched plaster. Original features such as timber sash windows, pressed ceilings, fanlights and verandah detail are worth keeping, and we work around them rather than ripping them out.
Under the National Heritage Resources Act, altering or demolishing any structure older than 60 years needs a permit from Heritage Western Cape unless an exemption applies, and the City of Cape Town also manages heritage areas through its Heritage Protection Overlay zoning. Many Green Point houses are well past 60 years old. We work with your architect or draughtsman, who prepares the drawings and handles the heritage and plan submissions, and we build to what is approved. Our guide to building plans approval explains when plans are needed.
Sectional Title Renovations in Green Point Apartments
A large share of Green Point homes are apartments, from older blocks to newer buildings near Cape Town Stadium and Somerset Road. Renovating a unit means working within the body corporate’s conduct rules. Before we start we confirm that the trustees or managing agent have approved the work, agree the allowed working hours, book the lift if there is one, and plan how rubble leaves and materials arrive without blocking shared areas or parking. Noise from demolition and tile removal is usually the main concern for neighbours, so we schedule it for the times the building allows.
It also matters what you own. Generally the inside of your section is yours to renovate, while external walls, windows, the roof and shared pipes are often common property that the body corporate must approve or handle. If a leak in your bathroom traces back to a common pipe, that changes who pays, so it is worth checking the participation quota plan and conduct rules before you budget.
Parking, Access and Working Hours for Green Point Builders
Green Point is busy. Street parking is tight, Somerset Road and Main Road carry heavy traffic, and match and event days at the stadium change everything nearby. We plan deliveries and skip placement around this, keep vehicles off neighbours’ driveways and keep the site tidy at the end of each day. If your home is up one of the steeper streets towards Signal Hill, we allow for carrying materials by hand where a truck cannot get close.
Green Point Builders: Common Questions
Do I need heritage approval to renovate an old house in Green Point?
If the house is older than 60 years, alterations usually need heritage approval before work starts, and some properties also fall under the City’s heritage overlay. Purely internal work like a new kitchen often needs less, but check before demolishing anything. Your architect handles the application and we build to the approved plans.
Can you renovate a sectional title apartment in Green Point?
Yes. We work within the body corporate rules, agree hours, lift bookings and parking with the managing agent, and protect common areas while we work. See our bathroom renovations page for the most common apartment job.
Can Green Point builders stop paint peeling on a sea-facing house?
Usually salt and moisture getting behind the paint through cracked plaster, failed sealant or rising damp. Painting over it will not last. We repair the cause first, then use a coastal paint system. Our article on the best time to paint covers timing.
Does renovating in Green Point cost more than elsewhere in Cape Town?
Often a little, because of parking, lift bookings, restricted hours and carrying material by hand. Our renovation cost guide gives current Cape Town estimates, and the written quote after a site visit includes those access costs.
How do I get a quote from your Green Point builders?
Send us your details on the quote page or call 021 784 2663. For an apartment, include the building name so we can check access and parking.
Builders Near Green Point: Other Areas We Cover
Past Three Anchor Bay we also work in Sea Point and Bantry Bay, and on the other side of town in Woodstock, which has a similar mix of Victorian houses and flats. For the full list, see our areas we serve page.