Building Contractor in Mowbray, Cape Town
Building Contractor in Mowbray
68 Projects Building Co handles renovations, rear extensions, damp repairs, and rental turnarounds on Mowbray's older housing stock.
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Your Local Mowbray Builders
Old Houses Reward Builders Who Look First
Mowbray is one of Cape Town's older suburbs and it shows in the construction: solid brick walls with no cavity and no damp-proof course, timber suspended floors, pressed metal ceilings, corrugated iron roofs, and services that have been patched rather than replaced for decades.
None of that is a problem in itself — these houses were well built and will outlast plenty of newer ones. It does mean the work has to start with establishing what is actually there. Quoting a Mowbray renovation off a floor plan alone is how budgets get broken halfway through.
Our Services
Building Services We Offer in Mowbray
Whether you are restoring a period home, extending at the rear, or turning a property around between tenants, we handle the whole job under one team.
Home Renovations
Full renovations of Mowbray's Victorian and Edwardian stock, services included.
Building Extensions
Rear extensions on long, narrow plots where the street elevation has to stay intact.
Bathroom Renovations
Added and upgraded bathrooms, worked around the drainage runs an old house allows.
Roofing
Corrugated iron re-roofing, valley and flashing repairs, and waterproofing on old pitched roofs.
Ceilings & Bulkheads
Pressed metal ceiling repairs, cornices, and bulkheads that match the period of the house.
Property Maintenance & Repairs
Damp treatment, timber floor repairs, and between-tenant turnarounds.
Kitchen Renovations
Opening up the back-of-house kitchens and sculleries typical of terraced homes.
Structural Alterations
Removing internal walls, forming openings, and underpinning where settlement has occurred.
Why Choose Us
A Builder Who Understands Solid-Wall Construction
Modern methods applied to an old house cause damage. Cement-rich plaster on solid brickwork traps moisture, sealing a suspended timber floor rots it, and cutting into a party wall without checking what it carries is how ceilings crack. We work these houses the way they were built to be worked on.
- We work the Main Road corridor daily, from Observatory through to Claremont
- Real experience with solid-wall construction, rising damp, and timber floors
- One team coordinating structural, roofing, plumbing, and electrical work
- Clear scope and written quote before any work starts
- We check the heritage position before you commission drawings
- Clean, considerate work on occupied and tenanted properties
Properties We Work On
Period Houses and Student Lets
Mowbray mixes owner-occupied period homes with a dense student and young professional rental market. We work on both, and the approach differs — a restoration runs to your timeline, a let runs to the academic calendar.
Victorian and Edwardian semi-detached homes
Terraced and row houses on narrow plots
Subdivided houses and student accommodation
Flats and small apartment blocks
Rental and investment properties
Small commercial premises off Main Road
How It Works
How a Mowbray Project Runs
A clear process keeps your project on scope, on budget, and free of surprises from the first site visit to handover.
Site Visit
We assess the property, including what the original construction is actually made of before anything is priced.
Design & Plans
We plan the layout and establish the heritage position early, since most Mowbray homes are over 60 years old.
Detailed Quote
You receive a clear quote covering labour, materials, structural work, and finishes.
Construction
Our team carries out the build with attention to structure, weatherproofing, and detail.
Handover
We complete the finishes, check the work, tidy the site, and hand over your finished space.
Serving Mowbray & Beyond
Working the Main Road Corridor and the Southern Suburbs
We work throughout Mowbray, Observatory, Rosebank, Rondebosch, Salt River, and Woodstock — as well as the wider Cape Town area. Wherever your property is, we bring the same standard of workmanship, clear communication, and reliable project management.
Frequently Asked Questions About Building in Mowbray
Common questions from Mowbray homeowners and landlords — covering heritage approvals, extending terraced homes, rising damp, period features, and quotes.
Do you work throughout Mowbray?
Yes, across the whole suburb and the areas around it, including Observatory, Rosebank, Rondebosch, and Salt River. Mowbray is compact and we are on the Main Road corridor constantly, so getting to a site is quick.
Most Mowbray houses are over 60 years old. What does that mean for alterations?
It means the National Heritage Resources Act applies. Any structure older than 60 years is protected, so alterations affecting the exterior generally need a heritage assessment alongside the normal council submission. It rarely stops a sensible project, but it adds time and shapes the design — which is why we establish it at the site visit rather than after drawings are paid for.
Can you extend a semi-detached or terraced house?
Yes, and the usual route is to extend at the rear so the street elevation is untouched. The party wall needs care: older semis often share structure in ways the plans do not show, so we check what the wall is built of and how the roof ties in before pricing the work.
The walls are solid brick with no cavity. How do you deal with the damp?
Solid-wall construction with no damp-proof course is the norm in Mowbray, and moisture wicks up through the brickwork. We diagnose the actual source first — condensation and leaking plumbing get blamed on rising damp constantly. The fix is usually a chemical DPC injection, replastering with a salt-resistant system, and correcting ground levels and drainage outside.
Can you repair pressed metal ceilings and original timber floors?
Yes. Both are worth saving where they survive, and both are commonly damaged by roof leaks and damp rather than age. We repair and patch in rather than strip out where the material allows, and replace like for like where it does not.
Do you handle turnarounds for student lets and landlords?
Yes. Mowbray's rental market runs on the academic calendar, so we scope the work to fit the window between tenancies and agree a fixed handover date.
How do I get a quote?
Get in touch to arrange a free site visit. We assess the property, discuss your ideas, and provide a written quote covering the full scope of work.
Still have questions? We're here to help!
Contact UsPlanning a Building Project in Mowbray?
Contact 68 Projects Building Co for a free site visit, honest advice, and a clear quote for your Mowbray renovation, extension, or repair.
Areas We Service
Based in Cape Town, we provide renovations, structural repairs, waterproofing and property maintenance across the Southern Suburbs, the Northern Suburbs and surrounding areas. We work on both residential properties and commercial or industrial premises. If your suburb isn't listed below, get in touch — chances are we cover it too.
Residential Suburbs
- Bakoven
- Bantry Bay
- Bellville
- Bergvliet
- Bishopscourt
- Bloubergstrand
- Brackenfell
- Camps Bay
- Century City
- City Bowl
- Claremont
- Clifton
- Clovelly
- Constantia
- Diep River
- Durbanville
- Edgemead
- Fish Hoek
- Fresnaye
- Gardens
- Goodwood
- Green Point
- Higgovale
- Hout Bay
- Kenilworth
- Kirstenhof
- Llandudno
- Meadowridge
- Milnerton
- Mouille Point
- Mowbray
- Muizenberg
- Newlands
- Observatory
- Oranjezicht
- Panorama
- Pinelands
- Plattekloof
- Plumstead
- Rondebosch
- Rosebank
- Salt River
- Sea Point
- Simonstown
- Southfield
- Sunset Beach
- Table View
- Tamboerskloof
- Tokai
- V & A Waterfront
- Vredehoek
- Welgemoed
- Woodstock
- Wynberg
Industrial Areas
Not sure if we cover your area? Reach out for a free site visit and quotation.
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