Guides · Sandy valley homes
Sun Valley, Capri and Ocean View sit on the floor of the valley that runs between Fish Hoek and Noordhoek. It's an old sand corridor: the valley floor is deep quartz sand, and before most of it was built over and planted, the summer south-easter carried beach sand from False Bay right through the gap towards Noordhoek.
The suburbs themselves came in a fairly short space of time. Sun Valley was laid out on the old Brakkloof farm in the 1960s. Ocean View was established in 1968, first under the name Slangkop, for families forcibly removed from Simon's Town, Noordhoek, Sunnydale and other parts of the South Peninsula under the Group Areas Act; it took its present name in 1970. Capri Village was developed later on part of the old Sunnydale farm and now also has newer complexes and sectional title homes. That means a lot of the plumbing and wiring in the valley is now well over fifty years old.
What sand, wind and age do to a house here
Sand in the drains. Sandy ground moves a little over the years, and older drain joints open up or shift. Sand then washes in, settles, and catches everything else that goes down the pipe. Our guide to blocked drains explains the usual causes.
Wet winters. The basin floor between Noordhoek and Kommetjie has a high water table, and the low-lying vleis can fill and join up after long spells of rain. Groundwater and stormwater looking for a way into a cracked sewer pipe add to blockages.
The south-easter. Anything on the roof takes a beating in summer. Solar geysers, PV panels and the brackets holding them need to be fixed properly, and an overflow or vent pipe that has worked loose will show up as a damp ceiling.
Wiring that has grown in stages. In homes from the 1960s and 1970s it's common to find an older distribution board with extra circuits added over the years for kitchens, extensions and outbuildings, sometimes without proper earth leakage protection.
Signs worth acting on
- A drain that blocks again within weeks of being cleared, or gurgles when the bath empties.
- Sand or grit coming out when a drain is rodded.
- A water meter that moves with every tap closed.
- A damp patch in the ceiling below the geyser or solar panel, especially after a windy spell.
- An earth leakage switch that trips in wet weather, or no earth leakage switch at all.
How we fix it
For drains, we put a camera down the line before recommending anything, so you can see whether it's sand that can be flushed out or a joint that has failed and needs a section replaced. For geysers, we check the valves, drip tray and the mounting, and if the geyser is near the end of its life we talk you through solar and heat pump options. For electrics, we test the board and every circuit and quote to bring it up to standard.
Selling or letting in the valley
A seller in Cape Town needs a plumbing certificate (a City of Cape Town requirement) and an electrical certificate (a national one), and many sales also need gas and beetle certificates. We handle all four in one visit, arranging gas and beetle through partners we manage. Our Fish Hoek, Noordhoek and Kommetjie guide covers what the plumbing inspection checks.
In sectional title complexes in Capri, check with the body corporate before work starts on shared pipes. In Ocean View, the City has been handing over title deeds to residents of City housing who never formally received them; once the deed is in place, the same certificates apply as anywhere else in Cape Town. Additions such as a backyard room often have their own wiring and plumbing, and these are checked too. Agents can see how a transfer runs with us.
How we work in Sun Valley, Capri and Ocean View
Our office is a few minutes away in Fish Hoek. One flat call-out rate covers the whole South Peninsula and Southern Suburbs. Every job is recorded with photographs on site in our own app, you get a fixed itemised quote before work starts, and our workmanship carries a 12-month guarantee. For genuine emergencies we're on site within 3 hours, day or night, with no after-hours charge. Our plumber is PIRB registered and our electrician is registered.
Common questions
Why do drains block so often in Sun Valley and Capri?
The valley floor is deep sand. It gets into drains through loose gully covers and cracked or shifted joints, and once it settles in a pipe it catches everything else. A camera inspection shows whether you are dealing with a one-off blockage or a damaged section of pipe.
I own my home in Ocean View but don't have the title deed. Can I sell?
Not until the deed is sorted out, because the transfer runs from the registered owner. The City of Cape Town has been handing over outstanding deeds to residents of City housing and runs a title deeds desk for this. Once the deed is in order, the normal certificates for selling apply.
Does the south-easter affect a solar geyser?
It can. The panels and tank on the roof take the full force of the wind, so the mounting frame and its fixings need to be sound and properly secured. If you notice movement, loose brackets or new damp patches in the ceiling after a windy spell, have it checked.