‘Chic’ refurbishment a no-no

In the Cape Peninsula there is a growing tendency among property investors to buy either to demolish and replace the existing home or renovate and upgrade it.

So says Mike Greeff, CEO of Greeff Properties, who adds that all too often, a “chic” refurbishment is a disaster.

“What characterises the Cape Peninsula’s homes is their historic integrity. Without making pretentious claims to any great architectural excellence, they reflect attractive styles that were ‘in’ in the Cape Dutch, Victorian, Edwardian or post-war fifties and sixties periods.

“Introducing a chi-chi interior decorator to such homes can carry a great risk. After scouring the retail outlets for supposedly with-it lamps, artefacts, down-lighting, tiling, kitchen and bathroom hardware, laminated or veneered wooden components, they will cram these into the home, producing an interior that is halfway between a Broadway apartment and a sixties industrial minimalist office. It will represent no style or period, it will be wholly inappropriate to its shell and it will reflect only one thing – the owner’s desire to impress.”

Greeff said that most older Cape homes do need upgrades – their electrics, plumbing and sewerage are frequently unreliable – but all renovations should be done in consultation with a heritage specialist.

Even in relatively new homes, he said, it is only too easy to “wreck” an interior.

Particularly regrettable, he said, is the use of cheap materials, often now imported from the east, in place of the solid wood, cast iron, brass and ceramic products which have stood the test of time and have an innate honesty that gives character to any room.

Façades, said Greeff, should be treated with huge respect.

“We had a case where a home with white walls and Alphen green shutters was given a pink and grey makeover. It took two years of complaints from the neighbours to restore a semblance of dignity to the building.”

Badly upgraded houses, said Greeff, have been known to lose 15% of their value on resale.

“That in itself should serve as a warning to those who rush in here.”

Martin Schultheiss, CEO of Harcourts Africa, says homeowners should seek expert advice about home values and growth prospects in their area before making a final renovation decision.

“You need to be very careful not to overcapitalise. Prices in many areas are still at a low ebb following the recession, which might make it difficult to recoup your renovation expenditure if you suddenly had to change your plans and sell.

“And in any case most neighbourhoods will only support prices up to a certain level. After that, potential buyers with more money will most likely be looking at a more expensive area, so if your home is already at the upper end of the price range for its area, you should probably move rather than spend any more on it.”

Schultheiss says homeowners also need to make sure that any changes they plan will comply with municipal regulations, that additions will match the style and décor of the original building and that any alterations make sense.

“You don’t want to end up with a four or five bedrooms and just one bathroom, for example, or spacious new reception rooms contrasting with a cramped, outdated kitchen.”

And lastly, he says, you must take into account the inconvenience and discomfort of living in a home while renovating it. “It is really only worth putting up with this if you plan to stay on in your home long enough after the work is finished to enjoy the improvements you’ve made.” – Eugene Brink

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