Renovation quotes from contractors near you
Open-plan conversions, room upgrades, whole-house refurbishments and alterations. Describe the job and up to 3 renovation contractors quote.
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How it works
Tell us about the job
A few questions about what you need and where you are. There's no account to create.
Get up to 3 quotes
Renovation contractors that work in your area contact you with a price.
Compare and choose
Weigh up price, timing and what's included. Accept the one that suits you, or none.
Renovating is different from building new
A new building starts from a clean site. A renovation starts with whatever the last builder left behind, and that's why renovation budgets are harder to pin down. Walls come down to reveal old wiring, rotten timber, missing lintels or damp nobody knew about.
A good renovation contractor plans for this: they inspect the house before quoting, tell you what they can't see, and price the unknowns as provisional sums you can track, rather than surprises later.
When you need plans
Cosmetic work, such as new finishes, flooring, painting, replacing a kitchen in the same layout or refitting a bathroom, doesn't usually need building plans. Work that changes the structure or use of the building does, including:
- removing or moving load-bearing walls, including for an open-plan conversion
- adding rooms, floors or extensions
- enlarging window and door openings in structural walls
- converting a garage into living space
- anything affecting fire safety, drainage or the roof structure
Load-bearing walls
Knocking through to create an open-plan space is one of the most popular renovations, and one of the riskiest done badly. A wall carrying roof or floor loads needs a beam designed by an engineer to take its place. Don't let anyone remove a wall until they've confirmed whether it's load-bearing.
Old houses: asbestos and wiring
Houses built before asbestos was phased out may contain it in roof sheeting, ceiling boards, gutters, pipes or floor tiles. Disturbing asbestos releases harmful fibres. Under the Asbestos Abatement Regulations, 2020, asbestos must be removed by a contractor registered with the Department of Employment and Labour, and owners have duties to identify it. If you suspect asbestos, have it tested before demolition starts.
Old wiring is the other common surprise. Any new electrical work needs an electrical certificate of compliance, and an electrician may find the existing installation needs work to make the alterations compliant.
Living through a renovation
Decide early whether you'll live in the house during the work. Staying saves rent, but slows the work and means living with dust and noise. Ask the contractor how they'll phase the job so you keep a working bathroom and kitchen, how they'll control dust, and how the site will be secured each night.
What renovations costs
A light renovation of new finishes and minor repairs typically costs R5,000 to R10,000 per m², a mid-range job with new kitchens, bathrooms and flooring R8,000 to R15,000, and high-end or structural work R15,000 to R25,000 or more. Taking out a load-bearing wall for an open-plan space usually costs R30,000 to R60,000 for an opening of up to 3 m. These figures are a guide from limited published data.
- Light renovation (paint, tiling, minor repairs, new fittings)
- R5,000–R10,000/m²
- Mid-range renovation (kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, minor structural work)
- R8,000–R15,000/m²
- High-end or structural renovation
- R15,000–R25,000/m²
- Removing a load-bearing wall, opening up to 3 m
- R30,000–R60,000 per project
See the full renovations cost guideGet exact prices
Estimates only, last checked 28 October 2026. Get quotes for an accurate price for your job.
Before you hire: a renovations checklist
Renovations go wrong in predictable ways. These checks prevent most of them.
Ask for a site inspection before the quote
A contractor who quotes without seeing the house can't know what they're dealing with. Expect a visit, and questions.
Get unknowns priced as provisional sums
Ask the contractor to list what they can't see, such as the condition behind walls, and price it as provisional amounts you can track.
Confirm whether plans are needed
For structural changes, ask who will prepare and submit plans and engineer's drawings, and don't start before approval.
Check for asbestos in older homes
If your home may contain asbestos, have it tested before demolition. Removal must be done by a registered asbestos contractor.
Insist on certificates for electrical and plumbing work
New electrical work needs an electrical certificate of compliance. Ask whether your municipality requires plumbing certificates too.
Agree a programme and how variations are approved
Get a written timeline, and agree that no extra work is charged without your written approval of the price first.
Pay for progress, not ahead of it
Tie payments to completed stages, and keep a final payment back until snags are fixed.
Where these rules come from
- Asbestos Abatement Regulations, 2020, Department of Employment and Labour
- Question to the Minister of Human Settlements on the Housing Consumer Protection Act, Parliamentary Monitoring Group
Before you request quotes
The questions people ask us most.
Is it really free?
Yes. Requesting quotes costs you nothing. The providers pay to receive requests, which is how the service is funded.
Will I be flooded with calls?
No. Your details go only to the providers quoting on your job, up to 3 of them.
Do I have to accept a quote?
No. Compare the quotes, ask questions, and accept one if it suits you. If none do, you don't have to go ahead.
Are the providers any good?
More than 200 registered service providers quote through our network. Compare quotes carefully, ask for references and photos of past work, and use the checklist on each service page before you hire.
How quickly will I hear back?
The renovation contractors who quote on your job contact you directly by phone or email.
What if I'm not happy with any of the quotes?
You don't have to accept any of them. If the prices are all higher than you expected, ask each provider what's driving the cost. The answers often show what the job really needs.
Is my information safe?
We handle your personal information in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and share it only with the providers quoting on your job, up to 3 of them. Our privacy policy explains what we collect and your rights.
Renovations questions, answered
Do I need plans to renovate my house?
Not for cosmetic work such as new finishes or refitting a room in the same layout. You do need plans for structural changes: removing load-bearing walls, extensions, enlarging openings, or converting a garage into living space.
Can I remove a wall to make my home open-plan?
Usually, yes, but if the wall is load-bearing, an engineer must design a beam to replace it, and you'll need approved plans. Never remove a wall before confirming whether it carries load.
Does my renovation need NHBRC enrolment?
Not under the current law, which applies to new homes. The Housing Consumer Protection Act, 2024, will extend the NHBRC's role to renovations, but as of October 2026 it hasn't come into force.
How much contingency should I allow?
Renovations of older homes uncover surprises, so keep a contingency over and above the quoted price. A contractor who prices the unknowns as provisional sums makes the risk easier to see and manage.
What if my house has asbestos?
Don't disturb it. Have suspected material tested. Under the Asbestos Abatement Regulations, 2020, removal must be carried out by a contractor registered with the Department of Employment and Labour.
Should I move out during a renovation?
It depends on the scope. Large renovations go faster with the house empty. If you stay, agree with the contractor how the work will be phased so you always have a working kitchen and bathroom.
Related services
- New Building WorkNew homes, extensions and additions, from foundations to roof.
- Bathroom RenovationsFull bathroom refits and upgrades: plumbing, waterproofing, tiling and fittings.
- Kitchen InstallationsNew kitchens designed, built and installed, from cupboards to countertops.
- PaintingInterior and exterior painting, including roofs, walls and preparation.
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