A thatch roof is priced by its area, and the area comes from the size and the pitch. Put both in one request for thatched houses in Cape Town and we pass it to thatchers and builders of thatched homes working in Cape Town and nearby areas of Western Cape.
Thatched Houses in Cape Town
Own or want to buy a thatched house in Cape Town? Say whether you need an inspection, repairs, upkeep or a re-thatch, the size of the roof, and whether it is grass or Cape reed. Thatchers and inspectors working in Cape Town and Western Cape can then quote you directly.
New to this? Read the thatched houses guide for the choices and the points worth checking before you agree to a quote.
Cape Town notes on roofs & lapas
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.
Cape Town: the buildings, the weather and the thatchers
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.
The requests we see from Cape Town usually come from:
- Homeowners: a thatched family home kept sound with yearly upkeep and the right insurer certificates
- Guesthouses and B&Bs: a thatched main house with guest rooms that must stay dry and tidy
- Wedding venues, schools and churches: a thatched homestead used as a wedding or function venue
Local tips for Cape Town
Common here: cape reed re-thatching, fire retardant and drenchers, pre-winter repairs. Ask each supplier about this: ask whether the roof is Cape reed or grass, and quote like for like. Where they work from: cape reed thatchers in the city and Boland; reed from southern Cape harvesters.
Sizes vary: A small cottage to a large estate home. Here, homeowners lead the requests, typically for a thatched family home kept sound with yearly upkeep and the right insurer certificates. One local point to raise: 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.