A thatch roof inspection tells you the real condition of the thatch, the ridge, the timber frame, fire and lightning protection and the electrics in the roof. Buyers ask for one before a thatched house transfers, insurers often want one before they cover thatch, and estates and HOAs may ask for one too. A good report has photos and plain notes on what needs doing now and what can wait. Send one request and we pass it to independent thatch inspectors and experienced thatchers near you, who quote you directly.
What gets checked
- The thatch: thickness, wear, holes, moss, how well it sheds water, signs of old repairs.
- The ridge, valleys and joins around chimneys and dormers.
- The timber: poles and laths from inside the roof space, rot, borer and termites.
- Fire protection: fire retardant and its certificate, a fire barrier, drenchers, chimneys and spark arrestors.
- Lightning protection: a free-standing mast and its certificate.
- Electrics in the roof: exposed wiring, fittings near the grass.
Buying a thatched house
A thatch roof can look fine from the street and still be near the end of its life. An inspection before you sign, or as a condition of the sale, tells you whether you face maintenance, repairs or a full re-thatch, and gives you something concrete to discuss with the seller. Ask the seller for any records they have: when the roof was thatched, repairs, fire retardant certificates, the lightning mast certificate and the electrical certificate of compliance. Ask your insurer early too, because cover for thatch can depend on what the report finds.
Regulations and certificates
The National Building Regulations (SANS 10400, Part T covers fire protection) apply to thatched buildings, including fire safety distances, and SANS 10407 is the South African code of practice for thatching. Lightning protection should be installed to the relevant SANS standard. Electrical work in a thatched roof must be done by a registered electrician who issues a certificate of compliance. Some inspectors issue their own certificate: ask whether one is issued, and whether your insurer or estate accepts it.
Getting a useful report
Ask what the report will cover, whether the inspector goes into the roof space, and whether photos are included. Ask for the findings sorted by urgency, with a rough idea of what each item involves. If the inspector is also a thatcher, they may offer to do the work: that is fine, but you can still get other quotes. Keep the report: it is a useful starting point for the next inspection, for your insurer, and for the next buyer if you sell. Lodges and estates often ask for the same format each year, so findings can be compared.
What to put in your request
- Why you need it: a purchase, an insurer, an estate
- How many thatched buildings and their sizes
- Any deadline for the report
- Whether you need a certificate
- Access to the roof space
Thatch Roof Inspections for homes, lodges, farms and venues
- Homeowners: a report before buying a thatched house, so there are no surprises later
- Estate homes and HOAs: inspections the HOA asks for, with fire and lightning checks
- Game lodges and bush camps: every chalet and the boma inspected and ranked for repairs
- Guesthouses and B&Bs: an inspection for a new insurer before the policy starts
- Farms and smallholdings: the farmhouse and lapa checked before a sale or a new policy
- Restaurants, pubs and beach bars: the thatch over the dining area checked for the insurer
- Resorts and holiday parks: a yearly inspection across all thatched units with photos
- Wedding venues, schools and churches: a lapa and chapel inspected before a busy wedding season
- Builders, architects and developers: an independent check of a thatch roof before handing over
Frequently asked questions
Do you inspect thatch roofs yourselves?
Does my insurer need an inspection?
What are the thatch roof electrical regulations?
How long does an inspection take?
Thatch Roof Inspections 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