A thatch roof is priced by its area, and the area comes from the size and the pitch. Put both in one request for lapa designs in Cape Town and we pass it to lapa designers, builders and thatchers working in Cape Town and nearby areas of Western Cape.
Lapa Designs and Building in Cape Town
Planning a lapa in Cape Town? Say how many people it should seat, whether you want a braai, bar or pool lapa, the style you have in mind and the space you have. Lapa builders serving Cape Town and Western Cape can then suggest a design and quote you directly.
Want to know more first? Our lapa designs guide covers the options, what to ask for and what affects the price.
Roofs & lapas in Cape Town: local notes
In Cape Town, thatch work runs from re-thatching old Cape reed homes in Constantia and Noordhoek to new thatched lapas and pool houses in Durbanville and the Atlantic seaboard valleys. Restaurants and venues on the city's farm fringes keep large thatched roofs. Many older buildings fall under heritage protection, and some neighbourhoods have their own guidelines, so check with the City and the heritage authorities before you alter an old roof.
Thatch in Cape Town
Cape Town thatch is Cape reed thatch more often than not. The fine, dense dekriet finish from the southern Cape covers older homes and cottages in Constantia, Bishopscourt, Noordhoek, Hout Bay and Kommetjie, along with farm buildings, restaurants and wine estates on the city edge. Rain comes in winter, driven by north-westerly fronts that test ridges and valleys, while summer is dry and windy, with the south-easter and a real fynbos fire season on the mountain slopes. That makes fire protection and annual checks before winter the two big themes. Some of the oldest buildings are protected, and work on old structures may need heritage approval, so check before stripping a historic roof.
Who asks for lapa designs around Cape Town, most often first:
- Homeowners: a braai or pool lapa sized for the family table and placed out of the wind
- Restaurants, pubs and beach bars: a bar lapa or outdoor dining area with blinds and good lighting
- Guesthouses and B&Bs: a small lapa per cottage or one shared braai lapa for guests
Local tips for Cape Town
Asked for most in Cape Town: cape reed re-thatching, fire retardant and drenchers, pre-winter repairs. Where the thatchers are: cape reed thatchers in the city and Boland; reed from southern Cape harvesters. A useful tip: ask whether the roof is Cape reed or grass, and quote like for like.
Around Cape Town the largest group asking is homeowners, which usually means a braai or pool lapa sized for the family table and placed out of the wind. Before you agree to anything: seating, fire distances and orientation. Getting a crew there: cape reed trucked from the southern Cape; crews based in the metro and Boland.
Service area: Cape Town and surrounds
Thatchers, suppliers and specialists on our network work in Cape Town and surrounding areas, including Century City, Woodstock, Epping, Montague Gardens, Paarden Eiland, Claremont, Salt River. Give your suburb or the farm's nearest town, so travel and delivery can be quoted honestly.