Paving Wiz lays driveways, patios and walkways in Newlands, Claremont Upper, Bishopscourt and Rondebosch. Newlands is the wettest suburb in Cape Town and much of it sits in the shade of the mountain and of very mature trees. Water and shade together change which surface is the right one.
Rain and shade together
Contents
Rain alone is manageable. Rain plus permanent shade is what produces the green film that makes a Newlands path slippery by July. Anything that stays wet and never sees direct sun will grow algae, and the smoother the surface the more slippery that film is.
Texture is the answer, not chemistry. A slightly rougher paver or an exposed aggregate finish stays walkable when it is damp, where a smooth slab does not.
Where the water is coming from
On the upper slopes, a lot of the water arriving on a property did not fall on it. It comes off the ground above. Paving a courtyard without intercepting that flow just gives it a faster route to the house. A channel drain across the top of the paved area is usually the cheapest thing in the whole quote and the one that does the most work.
Surfaces for permanently damp ground
| Surface | Grip when wet | Algae in deep shade |
|---|---|---|
| Smooth concrete slab | Poor | Grows readily, stays slippery |
| Standard textured paver | Good | Grows, but grip holds |
| Exposed aggregate | Very good | Grows slowly, texture keeps grip |
| Permeable block | Good | Drains, so stays drier |
What it costs in Newlands
A Newlands job is usually priced around water — where it comes from, where it goes, and what grows on the surface in the meantime.
| Element | Cost | Why it comes up here |
|---|---|---|
| Paving, standard grey brick | R300 – R420/m² | Base rate |
| Permeable build | R350 – R500/m² | Shifts run-off into the ground |
| Channel drain | R450 – R900 per metre | Intercepts run-off off a slope |
| Sealing against algae | Quoted per m² | Deep-shade areas that stay damp |
Labour on its own is R100 to R200 per square metre. The full breakdown — pavers, labour and sub-base — with more worked examples is on our paving prices Cape Town page.
Newlands paving questions
My paving is green and slippery every winter. What fixes it?
Texture first, drainage second. A rougher surface holds grip through the film, and getting the water off the area stops it forming as fast.
Is permeable paving worth it here?
Often, yes. On a plot taking run-off from above, letting water through the surface beats piping it somewhere.
What does a 25m² courtyard cost?
R7,500 to R10,500 in standard brick, or R11,250 to R16,250 in exposed aggregate.
Get a written quote in Newlands
Tell us what you need paved in Newlands, roughly how big it is and what is on the ground now. We come out, measure it, check the fall and put a written figure to it. There is no charge for the visit.
We also cover the rest of the southern suburbs. Related guide: permeable paving in Cape Town.
Prefer to talk? Call 081 408 9946