Compare the area, the thickness, the frame, the ridge and the travel before you choose. A free request for a new thatch roof in Newcastle goes to a thatcher serving Newcastle and nearby areas of KwaZulu-Natal, and you see the quotes side by side.
New Thatch Roofs in Newcastle
Building a new thatch roof in Newcastle? Say what the building is, its size and shape, the pitch on the plans and whether the plans are approved. Thatchers who build new roofs in Newcastle and KwaZulu-Natal can then quote for the frame, the thatch, the ridge and any fire barrier.
The main a new thatch roof page explains the options, the materials and the costs in more detail.
What to know locally in Newcastle
Most thatch requests in Newcastle are for garden lapas in the established suburbs, a braai lapa at a club or church, or guest cottages and wedding venues on farms around Utrecht, Dannhauser and the Ingogo area. Thatched homes are fewer than in the Midlands, so ask a thatcher for past roofs you can look at. Plans and fire distances still apply: check with the Newcastle municipality before building.
Who builds with thatch in Newcastle
Newcastle is a steel and industrial town, and to be honest there is less thatch here than in the Midlands or on the coast. What there is tends to be garden lapas in suburbs like Aviary Hill, Signal Hill and Hutten Heights, braai lapas at sports clubs, guest farms near Utrecht and in the hills towards Normandien, and holiday spots around Ntshingwayo Dam. The weather is closer to the Highveld than to Durban: hot summers with sharp afternoon thunderstorms, lightning and hail, and cold, dry winters with frost. The surrounding grassland of northern KZN is where some of the province's thatching grass is cut, so material is close. Bigger crews often come from Pietermaritzburg or across the provincial line.
Typical a new thatch roof requests in the area come from:
- Homeowners: a new house or extension under thatch, with plans, fire barrier and mast planned from the start
- Farms and smallholdings: a new farmhouse, lapa or wedding barn under grass thatch with a firebreak around it
- Guesthouses and B&Bs: a new thatched guest cottage or extra rooms that match the existing roofs
Local tips for Newcastle
Asked for most in Newcastle: garden and club lapas, farm guest cottages, hail repairs. Where the thatchers are: A few local thatchers; larger crews from Pietermaritzburg and the Highveld. A useful tip: ask whether hail damage repairs come with photos you can give your insurer.
Around Newcastle the largest group asking is homeowners, which usually means a new house or extension under thatch, with plans, fire barrier and mast planned from the start. Before you agree to anything: approved plans, pitch and fire distances. Getting a crew there: grass often from northern KZN farms; crews may travel up the N11 or N3.
Service area: Newcastle and surrounds
Thatchers, suppliers and specialists on our network work in Newcastle and surrounding areas, including Madadeni, Osizweni, Blaauwbosch, Utrecht, Dannhauser, Charlestown. Give your suburb or the farm's nearest town, so travel and delivery can be quoted honestly.