A thatch house is a different kind of home: cool in summer, warm in winter, quiet in a storm, and a roof that needs regular care. In South Africa they range from Cape Dutch homesteads with Cape reed roofs in the winelands to Highveld estate homes, bushveld lodges and small country cottages. This page covers the main styles, what living under thatch is like, insurance and upkeep, and what to check when you buy one. One request reaches thatchers and inspectors who work in your area.
Cape Dutch, Highveld and cottage styles
Cape Dutch and Cape vernacular homes, with whitewashed walls, gables and dense Cape reed roofs, are part of the Western Cape landscape; older ones may fall under heritage rules, so check before you change them. On the Highveld, many estates in Pretoria East, Centurion, Midrand and Johannesburg's northern suburbs have large thatched homes on steep grass roofs. Bushveld lodges, farmhouses and country cottages use thatch too, often with grass from nearby grasslands.
Whatever the style, the same rules hold: a steep pitch, a thick, tightly sewn layer, a sound ridge and a roof that gets sun and air so it dries after rain.
What living under thatch is like
Thick thatch insulates well, so rooms under it usually stay cooler in summer and warmer in winter than under a thin sheet roof, and rain and hail are quiet. Vaulted ceilings with exposed poles are common. There are trade-offs: fire risk, a little dust and grass falling from an open ceiling, birds and insects that like the roof, and the need for a yearly check.
Keep braais and fires well away, make sure chimneys end above the thatch with a spark arrestor, and keep fire extinguishers handy. See thatch fire protection and thatch pest control.
Insurance and upkeep
Insurers usually ask more questions about thatch. Many want lightning protection on the Highveld, and some want a fire retardant or a drencher system: ask your insurer and keep the certificates. Electrics in the roof must be done by a registered electrician with a certificate of compliance.
Plan a yearly check before the rains: comb and top up thin spots, keep valleys and the ridge sound, cut back trees and clean off moss on shady sides. See thatch roof maintenance.
Buying a thatched house
- Get a thatch inspection before transfer: thatch, ridge, timber, fire and lightning protection, electrics.
- Look for thin spots, exposed binding wire, a cracked ridge, moss and sagging lines.
- Ask when it was last re-thatched or treated, and by whom.
- Ask your insurer for a quote before you sign.
- Check the estate rules on thatch if the house is in an estate.
A roof that needs a re-thatch soon is not a reason to walk away, but it is a cost to know about before you agree a price. Ask a thatcher for a quote during the offer period if you can.
What to put in your request
- Inspection, repairs, upkeep or re-thatch
- Roof size and the age of the thatch
- Grass or Cape reed
- Any leaks, moss or bird damage
- Buying, selling or insurer request
Thatched Houses for homes, lodges, farms and venues
- Homeowners: a thatched family home kept sound with yearly upkeep and the right insurer certificates
- Estate homes and HOAs: thatched homes built and kept to the estate's guidelines, with masts where needed
- Game lodges and bush camps: the owner's house and main lodge under thatch, maintained with the chalets
- Guesthouses and B&Bs: a thatched main house with guest rooms that must stay dry and tidy
- Farms and smallholdings: a farmhouse or Cape reed homestead, sometimes with heritage rules to check
- Restaurants, pubs and beach bars: an old thatched house turned into a restaurant or tea garden
- Resorts and holiday parks: thatched cottages on a resort, maintained to one standard
- Wedding venues, schools and churches: a thatched homestead used as a wedding or function venue
- Builders, architects and developers: a thatcher for a new thatched home, or repairs before a sale
Frequently asked questions
Do you inspect or repair thatched houses?
Is a thatched house hard to insure?
Is it expensive to maintain a thatch roof?
Can I replace the thatch with tiles?
Thatched Houses by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg