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Flats · sectional title · Cape Town
Apartment Renovations Cape Town: Apartment Renovation Contractors Who Work Within Your Body Corporate Rules
Apartment renovations Cape Town owners and landlords book with A1 Renovations start with the building, not just the flat. We get body corporate approval, plan lift bookings, parking and working hours, protect the common areas and the neighbours below, then renovate your kitchen, bathroom, floors and layout with one team and an itemised quote.
Body corporate approval handledNeighbours and common areas protectedOne team, itemised quote
Neighbours protected
Waterproofing and noise planned for the flats around you.
Common areas kept clean
Lifts, passages and stairs covered and cleaned daily.
Itemised quote
Every room and trade priced line by line.
What we do
Apartment Renovations Cape Town: What a Full Apartment Renovation Covers
What is included in an apartment renovation? It can be one room or the whole flat. A full apartment renovation Cape Town owners book usually covers the kitchen, bathroom, floors, lighting and storage, done in one sequence so the flat is finished at once.
Apartment work is different from working on a house. You share walls, floors and pipes with other owners. The outside walls, windows and structure usually belong to the body corporate. Materials go up in a lift that everyone else also needs. That is why apartment renovation contractors Cape Town owners trust plan the building as carefully as the flat.
- Refresh: paint, lighting, new doors and handles, kitchen cupboard fronts, new flooring.
- Room renovation: a new kitchen or bathroom, with plumbing and electrics.
- Complete apartment renovation: every room, often with a layout change such as opening the kitchen to the lounge.
- Rental upgrade: tough, easy-to-clean finishes for a flat you let out.
Is apartment refurbishment the same as renovation? People use both words. We use refurbishment for finishes and fittings, and renovation when plumbing, electrics or layout change too. Living in a studio or bachelor flat? Our small space renovations page covers layouts for tiny homes.
Your flat, their buildingRules come first
Building rules01 02 03 04
Apartment Renovation Rules in Cape Town: Body Corporate, Conduct Rules and Plans
Do you need permission to renovate an apartment? From the body corporate, almost always. From the City, only for structural or certain building work. Here is how it works under sectional title. Apartment renovations Cape Town buildings approve quickly come with clear drawings.
Body corporate approval
Sectional title schemes run under the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act. The conduct rules of your scheme set working hours, noise, lift use and what owners may change. Anything touching common property, such as outside walls, windows, balconies or shared pipes, needs written approval from the trustees.
Section vs common property
Usually your section is the inside of the flat. The structure, the outside, the roof and shared services are common property. Changing a window, closing a balcony or moving a drain into a shared stack is a body corporate decision.
City plans
Non-structural work inside your section, such as a new kitchen or flooring, normally needs no plans. Removing a structural wall or changing the outside of the building does, with an engineer where the structure changes.
Disputes
If you and the body corporate cannot agree, the Community Schemes Ombud Service (CSOS) handles disputes in sectional title schemes. Most issues are avoided by sending clear drawings and a programme with the application.
Room by room
Apartment Renovation Services Cape Town: Kitchens, Bathrooms and Floors
What should you renovate first in an apartment? Usually the bathroom and kitchen, because they carry the plumbing and cause the most trouble for the neighbours if they leak.
Apartment bathroom renovation
Waterproofing is the big one. A leak through a concrete slab ends up in the ceiling of the flat below, and the repair bill usually lands with you. We waterproof the whole wet area, test before tiling, and keep the drain connections to the shared stack sound.
Apartment kitchen renovation
Flats often have a narrow galley kitchen. New cupboards to the ceiling, an integrated fridge and a breakfast counter into the lounge make it work. The extractor needs a route out, or a good recirculating unit if the building does not allow one.
Floors and noise
Many conduct rules require an acoustic underlay under hard floors so footsteps do not carry to the flat below. Check before you choose tiles, laminate or timber.
Electrics and lighting
New lighting, more plug points, and a separate circuit for an inverter if you want backup power. All electrical work ends with a certificate of compliance.
Most apartment renovation services Cape Town owners need fit inside the section, which keeps approvals simple. Layout changes that remove walls are covered on our open plan living conversions page.
2026 prices
Apartment Renovation Cost Cape Town: 2026 Guide Prices
How much does an apartment renovation cost in Cape Town? Using 2026 figures: Fonster puts a kitchen facelift at R30,000 to R70,000 and a full bathroom at R60,000 to R120,000, and Kandua puts whole-home work at R5,000 to R8,000 per m² for light and R8,000 to R15,000 per m² for medium renovations. Apartment renovation Cape Town prices also depend on the building.
These are guide ranges for a whole-flat job, not a quote. Single rooms cost less: a kitchen facelift or a bathroom on its own is priced by the room. What affects apartment renovation prices most? Floor level and lift access, the age of the plumbing, whether you move the kitchen or bathroom, and the finishes you choose. Keep 10 to 20% contingency, as Kandua recommends. Our apartment renovation cost Cape Town quotes list every room and trade separately.
Landlords and investors
Rental Apartment Renovation Cape Town: Upgrades That Pay for Themselves
Renting out the flat? A rental apartment renovation is about getting it let quickly, keeping it let, and spending as little as possible on repairs between tenants. Apartment renovation contractors Cape Town landlords use should think like an owner.
Durable finishes
Porcelain tiles or good vinyl planks instead of soft laminate, scrubbable paint, solid cupboard doors and quality hinges. They cost a little more and last several tenancies.
Fast turnaround
Every empty month costs rent. We plan an apartment renovation for landlords around a tight programme, with materials ordered before we start.
Compliance
A valid electrical certificate of compliance and safe gas installations protect you and your tenant. We hand over certificates for the work we do.
Water and power savings
Low-flow taps and shower heads, a geyser timer or efficient water heating, and LED lighting. Cape Town electricity tariffs rose 6.7% to 7.5% in July 2026, and tenants notice.
Across Cape Town
Apartment Renovations Across Cape Town: What Each Area Needs
Apartment renovations Cape Town wide change with the building, the view and the weather. Our apartment renovation company Cape Town team adjusts to each building.
Sea Point, Green Point and Mouille Point
Older blocks near the sea. Salt air rusts steel window frames and balustrades, and strict conduct rules apply to noise and working hours.
City Bowl and CBD
Gardens, Tamboerskloof and the CBD have older walk-ups and new towers. Parking for builders and lift bookings need planning, and some buildings are in heritage areas.
Southern suburbs
Claremont, Rondebosch and Newlands flats are popular with students and young professionals. Damp and mould from the wet winters are common, so ventilation matters.
Northern suburbs and Century City
Bellville, Durbanville and Century City have newer complexes with strict managing agents. Finishes must often match the building’s standard.
How we work
How Apartment Renovations in Cape Town Run, Step by Step
How long does an apartment renovation take? A bathroom or kitchen on its own takes a few weeks. A complete apartment renovation usually takes two to three months, depending on size and building rules. Every apartment renovation Cape Town job we run follows these steps.
Visit and brief
We see the flat and the building, check access, lift and parking, and agree what you want done.
Body corporate application
We give you drawings, a scope and a programme to submit to the trustees or managing agent.
Itemised quote
Every room and trade priced separately, with the building’s working hours built into the programme.
Protect the building
Lifts, passages and floors are covered, and neighbours are told when noisy work is planned.
Renovate in sequence
Plumbing and electrics, waterproofing, tiling and floors, then cabinetry and finishes.
Clean, certify, hand over
Common areas cleaned, certificates issued, and a snag walk with you.
Before you sign
How to Choose an Apartment Renovation Company in Cape Town
What should you ask an apartment renovation company before they start? Apartment renovation contractors Cape Town owners can trust will answer these easily.
- Have they worked in sectional title buildings, and do they know how to deal with managing agents?
- How will they protect lifts, passages and the flat below?
- How do they waterproof and test the bathroom before tiling?
- Will they work within the conduct rules on hours and noise?
- Does the quote list every room and trade separately?
- Who issues the electrical certificate of compliance?
Related services
Pair Apartment Renovations Cape Town With These Services
Townhouse renovations
Complex-friendly upgrades for kitchens, stairs and patios.
Townhouses →
Small space renovations
Built-ins, sliding doors and smarter layouts for compact homes.
Small spaces →
Plumbing renovations
New pipes, geysers and drainage, certified by a PIRB plumber.
Plumbing →
Electrical renovations
Rewiring, DB boards, plug points and a CoC at the end.
Electrical →How much does an apartment renovation cost in Cape Town?
As a 2026 guide, a light refresh costs about R5,000 to R8,000 per m² and a medium renovation R8,000 to R15,000 per m² (Kandua). A 60 m² two-bedroom flat is roughly R300,000 to R900,000 depending on scope. A kitchen facelift or a bathroom on its own is priced by the room.
Do I need body corporate approval to renovate my flat?
Almost always. Conduct rules set working hours, noise and lift use, and anything touching common property, such as windows, balconies, outside walls or shared pipes, needs written approval from the trustees.
Do apartment renovations need City building plans?
Not for non-structural work inside your section, such as a new kitchen, bathroom fittings or floors. Removing a structural wall or changing the outside of the building needs plans and, for structural changes, an engineer.
Can I live in my apartment during the renovation?
For a single room, often yes. For a complete apartment renovation, most owners move out, because the kitchen and bathroom are out of action and dust gets everywhere.
How long does a full apartment renovation take?
Usually two to three months for a complete renovation, depending on size, building rules and finishes. A bathroom or kitchen alone takes a few weeks.
Can I change the flooring in my apartment?
Usually, yes, but many conduct rules require an acoustic underlay under hard floors to stop noise reaching the flat below. Check the rules before choosing tiles, laminate or timber.
Who pays if my bathroom leaks into the flat below?
Usually the owner of the flat the leak comes from. That is why we waterproof the whole wet area and test it before tiling.
What is the difference between apartment renovation and refurbishment?
Refurbishment usually means new finishes and fittings. Renovation goes further, changing plumbing, electrics or the layout.
FAQ
Apartment Renovations: Questions Cape Town Owners Ask
Straight answers for flat owners and landlords. Prices are 2026 guide figures; your itemised quote replaces them.
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Contact the local team
Talk to Our Apartment Renovation Team
Tell us about the flat, the building and what you want done. We reply on WhatsApp or email.