Second opinion on ZAR 2,338,000 renovation budget for a 40 m² Johannesburg villa

A

AishaSlate

Homeowner
Established
The headline budget is not the part I trust least. My specific concern is what may appear once surfaces are opened and whether the current scope leaves those discoveries entirely at my cost.

I am reviewing a preliminary ZAR 2,338,000 allowance for work on a 40 m² Johannesburg villa. It includes updates to the kitchen and bathrooms, new finishes, painting, electrical investigation and some energy-efficiency work; an extension is not intended. Before choosing a contingency, what written breakdown should I request from the surveyor or contractor? I want firm prices separated from allowances and exclusions, with structural disturbance, moisture, hidden services, sequencing and material lead times addressed before finishes are ordered.
 
I would initially carry 15–20%, with the higher end retained until the electrical condition, plumbing access and moisture risk are understood. Ask each contractor to state explicitly what happens after tiles or fittings are removed: who pays for damaged pipework, unsuitable wiring, wet substrates and making good? Also request a sequence showing when those areas are opened up, inspected and priced before finishes are ordered.
 
I would not settle on a contingency percentage yet. ZAR 2,338,000 is substantial against 40 m², but that tells us little if the quote mixes firm prices, allowances and broad descriptions.

Does “electrical checks” mean testing only, remedial work, or possible rewiring? Are plumbing routes accessible without removing finished surfaces? I would also ask for moisture investigation around bathrooms and external walls, plus confirmation that apparently non-structural work will not disturb anything load-bearing. The exclusions may matter more than the headline total.
 
That is the weakness I was sensing: the preliminary figure does not yet define those boundaries clearly enough. I will ask for electrical testing and remedial work to be separated, plumbing access and reinstatement to be priced explicitly, and moisture findings to be recorded before final finishes are committed. I will also request a line-by-line exclusions list rather than simply increasing the contingency and hoping it covers everything.
 
Add dates to that exercise. Ask which materials have long lead times, when final dimensions can safely be taken, and whether substitutions change labour or preparation costs. The programme should allow investigation and drying time before cabinets, flooring or paint lock the sequence.

Also have the contractor identify any part of the proposed work that could affect permit timing in Johannesburg. Even without an extension, a later scope change could disrupt the schedule. Keep the contingency controlled by written approval rather than treating it as money automatically available to spend.
 
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