Good roof thatchers are worth finding: thatching is skilled work, and the difference between a roof that lasts and one that leaks in a few seasons is in how tightly the courses are laid, sewn and dressed. Many crews are based around Pretoria, the northern edge of Johannesburg, the KZN Midlands and the Boland, and travel far for work. This page covers how to check a thatcher, what a full quote should include, how payment usually works and when to book. One request reaches thatchers who work in your area.
Check the work, not the website
Ask each thatcher for addresses of roofs they did a few years ago, and drive past. A good roof has a smooth, even surface with no sagging lines, a straight ridge and crisp eaves. Ask the owners whether it leaked and how the crew left the site.
- How long has the thatcher been working, and who will be on your roof?
- Do they belong to a thatchers' association? Ask, and check with the association.
- Do they work to SANS 10407, the code of practice for thatching?
- Can they handle the plans, or work with your architect?
What a full quote includes
Thatchers usually price per square metre of sloped roof area. Make sure you know what that rate covers. A complete quote should list:
- the grass or Cape reed, and the thickness laid
- the frame of gum poles and laths, if they are building it
- the ridge type, and any fire barrier or fire retardant
- scaffolding, transport, crew accommodation and travel
- removal of old thatch on a re-thatch
Two quotes with the same rate per m² can be far apart once the extras are added, so compare the totals.
Deposits, stages and paperwork
Many thatchers ask for a deposit to buy grass and then payment in stages as the work progresses. That is normal, but keep the deposit reasonable and tie each payment to a visible stage: frame done, thatch to halfway, ridge finished. Get it in writing, with the start date, the scope, VAT and who removes the waste.
If electrics run in the roof, a registered electrician must do them and issue a certificate of compliance. A lightning mast is usually a separate installer.
Before work starts, agree where the grass will be stored, where the crew will park and sleep if they come from far, and how the garden below the roof will be protected from falling grass and wire offcuts.
When to book
Grass is harvested in the dry winter months, and many people want their roof done before the summer rains. Good thatchers are often busy through that window, so ask early. Rain stops thatching, so allow for delays in summer. If you are in a hurry for repairs after a storm, say so in your request.
A thatcher who has time to visit, measure the roof and look at the frame before quoting usually gives a more reliable price than one who quotes from a photo. Be wary of a quote far below the others: ask what was left out, how thick the thatch will be and what grass is being used.
What to put in your request
- What the job is: new, re-thatch or repair
- Roof size, shape and pitch
- Photos of the roof or plans
- When you want the work done
- Access for scaffolding and a truck
Roof Thatchers for homes, lodges, farms and venues
- Homeowners: one thatcher for the house roof, checked against past roofs and references
- Estate homes and HOAs: thatchers who know the estate's guidelines and can work with the HOA's approval process
- Game lodges and bush camps: a crew that travels to the lodge and re-thatches chalets between busy periods
- Guesthouses and B&Bs: a thatcher who can work around guests and finish rooms one at a time
- Farms and smallholdings: a thatcher who will come out to the farm and use grass cut nearby
- Restaurants, pubs and beach bars: repairs and re-thatching done when the restaurant is closed or quiet
- Resorts and holiday parks: a thatcher on a maintenance plan for many units across a resort
- Wedding venues, schools and churches: a crew with the scaffolding and experience for a large roof span
- Builders, architects and developers: a reliable subcontractor who thatches to the plans and the code of practice
Frequently asked questions
Do you supply the thatchers?
How many quotes should I get?
Will a thatcher from another town charge more?
Should the thatcher give a guarantee?
Roof Thatchers 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