Building and home advice
Practical advice on boundary walls, plastering materials and project costs, helping you plan building work with confidence.
SkimmingSkim Coat vs Filler: What Your Walls Actually Need
A skim coat is a thin layer of finishing plaster, usually 2mm to 3mm per pass, trowelled across a whole surface. Filler is a paste used to patch individual defects. They solve different problems, and using the wrong one is why so many walls look worse after being “fixed”. The rule of thumb: filler is […]
Read article →
SkimmingHow to Get a Smooth Wall Finish Before Painting
A smooth wall finish is what separates a paint job that looks professional from one that looks like a weekend. Paint does not hide texture. Sheen, side light and a good roller all make defects more obvious, not less. There are three routes to a paint-ready wall: sanding, filling, or skimming. Choosing the right one […]
Read →
SkimmingSkimming Walls: Process and Finish Explained
Skimming walls is the process of trowelling a thin layer of finishing plaster, usually 2mm to 3mm per coat, over a surface that is already sound. Done well it leaves a flat, closed, paint-ready wall. Done badly it leaves trowel lines and blown patches that show up the moment the light hits them. Here is […]
Read →
SkimmingPlastering vs Skimming: Which Do You Actually Need?
The plastering vs skimming question comes up on almost every renovation quote. The short version: plastering builds a new wall surface at 10mm to 30mm thick, while skimming refines an existing one at 2mm to 5mm. One is structural. The other is cosmetic. Get the choice wrong and you either overspend by thousands, or you […]
Read →
Flooring & TilingKitchen Tiling Cape Town: Floors, Walls & Splashbacks
Kitchen tiling Cape Town costs in 2026: floor and wall rates, splashback pricing from R2,000, and how to tile around cabinetry without wasting tile.
Read →
Flooring & TilingBathroom Tiling Cape Town: Cost & Waterproofing
Bathroom tiling Cape Town costs R11,800-R27,500 for a standard bathroom in 2026. What waterproofing costs, what goes under the tiles and the falls to the drain.
Read →
Flooring & TilingTiling Contractors Near Me: Vetting Checklist
A practical checklist for vetting tiling contractors near me: experience, waterproofing competence, lippage tolerance, insurance and a written guarantee.
Read →
Let's get your project moving
Tell us about the property and the work required. Our team can assess the job, coordinate the right trades and prepare a clear written quote.