Core drilling in Cape Town cuts a clean round hole through brick, block, concrete or reinforced concrete using a diamond core barrel. On aircon work it is how refrigerant pipes, condensate drains and extraction ducts get through a wall without cracking the plaster around them.
It is also a standalone trade. Plumbers, electricians, ventilation installers and builders all use it, and it is quoted per hole.
Send the hole diameter, the wall or slab construction, the thickness and how many holes.
Get Core Drilling QuotesWhat It Is Used For
- Aircon refrigerant pipe runs and condensate drains through external walls.
- Extraction ducting for bathroom, toilet and kitchen fans.
- Plumbing penetrations through slabs and walls.
- Electrical conduit, sleeves and service entries.
- Balustrade anchors, dowel bars and starter bar holes.
- Openings for fire services, sprinkler pipes and cable trays.
- Concrete sampling and test cores.
Common Sizes
| Diameter | Usually for |
|---|---|
| 52 – 65 mm | Single aircon pipe pair, small conduit |
| 76 mm | The standard aircon penetration on most domestic splits |
| 102 mm | Bathroom extraction duct, larger pipe sets |
| 127 – 152 mm | Kitchen extraction, plumbing stacks, multi-pipe runs |
| 200 mm and above | Ducting, service risers, larger sleeves |
Wet and Dry Drilling
Wet drilling uses water to cool the barrel and suppress dust. It is faster, it extends bit life and it is what almost all concrete work uses. The trade-off is slurry, which has to be contained and removed — inside a finished building that means a water collection ring and a vacuum, and that belongs in the quote.
Dry drilling with vacuum extraction suits brick and block and avoids water damage in occupied interiors. It is slower and harder on the bit, so it usually costs more per hole in anything substantial.
Ask which method is being quoted and, for wet drilling indoors, how the slurry will be contained. Water running across a finished floor or down a wall cavity causes more damage than the hole is worth, and "we'll be careful" is not a containment plan.
Structural Elements and Hidden Services
This is the part that matters more than the price. A core barrel cuts through reinforcing steel without resistance and without telling the operator.
- Scan before drilling any slab, beam or column. Rebar scanning or GPR locates steel and voids before a bit touches the surface.
- Never cut structural reinforcement without engineer approval. Severing bars in a slab or beam changes how it behaves, and the damage is invisible until it is not.
- Post-tensioned slabs are a separate hazard entirely. Cutting a tendon is dangerous at the moment it happens and structurally serious afterwards. If there is any possibility the slab is post-tensioned, that has to be established before work starts.
- Check for services. Electrical conduit, water pipes, gas lines, comms and drainage all live inside walls and slabs.
- Older buildings. Asbestos-containing materials turn up in buildings of certain eras, and drilling them is not a general contractor's call to make.
- Get written approval for structural penetrations. In a body corporate, an estate or a commercial building, that usually means the engineer and the building owner both sign.
Core Drilling Prices in Cape Town
| Job | Indicative range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 52 – 65 mm, brick | R350 – R700 per hole | Standard wall thickness |
| 76 mm, brick | R450 – R950 per hole | The usual aircon penetration |
| 102 mm, brick | R650 – R1,200 per hole | Extraction ducting |
| 127 – 152 mm, brick | R850 – R2,200 per hole | Larger ducts and stacks |
| 200 mm and above, brick | R1,800 – R4,500 per hole | Rig setup becomes a factor |
| Concrete, any diameter | Roughly double the brick rate | Slower, harder on the bit |
| Reinforced concrete | +30 – 80% on the concrete rate | Depends on the steel encountered |
| Extra depth beyond standard wall | R250 – R750 per additional 100 mm | Double-skin and thick slabs |
| Call-out or minimum charge | R650 – R1,800 | Single-hole jobs are mostly this |
| Rebar scanning or GPR survey | R850 – R3,500 | Per visit, before any structural drilling |
| Slurry containment indoors | R450 – R1,500 | Collection ring and vacuum |
| Working at height | R2,500 – R12,000 | Scaffold, hoist or rope access |
| Making good and sealing | R350 – R1,200 per hole | Sleeve, seal and patch |
| Multiple holes, same visit | Per-hole rate drops sharply | Quote the full schedule at once |
Indicative Cape Town ranges, not a quotation. The setup cost dominates a single hole, which is why one 76 mm penetration can cost nearly as much as four. If you have more than one to do, schedule them into one visit.
Send the hole schedule, substrate and access, and compare core drilling quotes.
Compare Core Drilling QuotesWhat a Quote Should State
- Diameter and depth of each hole, and the substrate assumed.
- Wet or dry drilling, and how slurry or dust is contained.
- Whether rebar scanning is included, and what happens if steel is found.
- Who removes the cores and the debris.
- Whether making good, sleeving and sealing is in or out.
- Access equipment, and who supplies it.
- Working hours, if the building is occupied.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does core drilling cost in Cape Town?
A standard 76 mm hole through a brick wall commonly runs R450 to R950. Concrete is roughly double that, and reinforced concrete adds a further premium depending on the steel encountered. Most single-hole jobs land near the contractor's minimum charge.
Why is one hole nearly as expensive as several?
Because the setup is the cost. Travel, rig positioning, water or vacuum management and making good happen once whether you drill one hole or five, so the per-hole rate falls sharply on a multi-hole visit.
Can you core drill through a concrete slab?
Yes, but not without knowing where the reinforcement is. Slabs should be scanned first, and cutting structural steel needs engineer approval. If there is any chance the slab is post-tensioned, that has to be established before anyone drills.
What is the difference between wet and dry core drilling?
Wet drilling uses water to cool the bit and suppress dust, which is faster and standard for concrete but produces slurry that has to be contained. Dry drilling with vacuum extraction avoids water indoors but is slower and typically dearer per hole.
What size hole does an aircon need?
Most domestic split installations use a 76 mm core, which takes the refrigerant pipe pair, the condensate drain and the interconnecting cable. Larger systems and multi-pipe runs need more.
Do I need permission to core drill in a complex or office building?
Usually yes, particularly for anything through a structural element or an external wall. In sectional title that normally means trustee consent, and in a commercial building the landlord and often the engineer as well. Get it in writing first.
Core drilling is quoted alongside installation work through Aircon Installers Cape Town.
Related Aircon Services
Aircon Installers Cape Town is a free quote-matching service. We do not install, repair or service air conditioners ourselves. Every quote comes from a LEADERR APPROVED local contractor, and your contract is with the business you appoint. Assess each quote on its own merits before appointing anyone.
Describe the job once and compare quotes from LEADERR APPROVED contractors in your area.
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Send the hole schedule, the substrate and the access, and get core drilling quotes.
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