Roof leaking before winter?
Send three photos on WhatsApp and we’ll tell you if it’s a repair or a re-thatch.
New Roofs
Homes, lapas, bomas & patios
Re-Thatch
Tired roofs made like new again
Repairs
Leaks, ridging & storm damage
Fire Safety
Retardant spraying & certificates
Our Thatching Services in Cape Town
From a first lapa in Durbanville to a full re-thatch on a Constantia homestead: same crew, same standards, start to finish.
Why Cape Town Homeowners Choose Us
One crew, no subcontracting
The thatchers who start your roof are the ones who finish it: trained in-house, on our own sites, by our master thatchers.
Quotes you can read
Reed grade, thickness, pitch, timber spec and treatment listed line by line. No surprise variations halfway up the roof.
Compliance sorted upfront
Fire-retardant certificates, lightning protection advice and engineer sign-off where your plans or HOA require it.
Clean, careful sites
Sheeted interiors, protected pools and paving, and a swept site every evening: guesthouses can stay open while we work.
Recent Thatching Projects Around Cape Town
A look at the last few seasons: homes, lapas and lodge work across Cape Town and the Western Cape.
“Our roof had been patched by three different companies. Their lead thatcher walked it with us, explained exactly why it kept leaking, and re-thatched the whole north side. Two winters later: bone dry.”
Thatching Questions Cape Town Owners Ask
How much does a thatch roof cost in Cape Town?
For new work, budget roughly R950–R1 450 per square metre of roof area including structure, reed, ridging and fire treatment: the spread comes down to pitch, access and whether you want gum poles or sawn timber. A re-thatch on an existing sound structure runs lower. Every quote we issue is itemised, so you can see exactly which line moves the number.
How long will the work take, and can we stay in the house?
A typical lapa is seven to twelve working days. A full house re-thatch of 300 m² is three to five weeks depending on weather. Almost all our clients stay in place: we sheet and tape the interior before a single bundle comes off, and we can phase the roof in sections so you always have a dry side.
Will my insurer cover a thatch roof?
Yes, but nearly every South African insurer now requires proof of fire-retardant treatment, and many ask about lightning protection and chimney clearances. We spray SABS-approved retardant at the specified coverage rate and issue a signed certificate with batch numbers and litres applied: the document your insurer and the City of Cape Town both want on file.
How do I know whether I need a repair or a full re-thatch?
The honest test is thickness and fixings. If the reed has thinned to the point that fixing wire is showing on the slopes, patching just moves the leak. If it’s localised: a ridge, a valley, a storm-damaged patch: a repair will genuinely buy you years. Send us three photos on WhatsApp and we’ll tell you which one you’re looking at before we come out.
Do you work outside the City of Cape Town?
Site visits are free anywhere in greater Cape Town: Atlantic Seaboard, Southern and Northern Suburbs, Helderberg, the South Peninsula and the West Coast to Yzerfontein. We take Winelands and Overberg work regularly too; travel is quoted upfront and never added later.
What maintenance will the roof actually need?
Plan on a proper look every second year: comb the slopes, clear the valleys, check the ridging and the fixings. Budget for a ridge rebuild somewhere around year twelve to fifteen: it is a fraction of a re-thatch and it is the single best money you will spend on a thatch roof. We diarise free inspections at year one and year five on everything we build.
Still unsure about your roof?
Ask us directlyThatching Tips & Advice
Straight answers to the questions Cape Town owners ask us on site.