Old Cape Dutch House Converted from Thatch to Roof Sheeting

Thatch Roof Conversion by Bosazza Roofing & Timber Homes

We converted this old Cape Dutch style roof in the Eastern Cape, from Thatch to Roof Sheeting

This thatch roof conversion was on a big family home in Komani (formerly Queenstown). The roof was converted from thatch to corrugated roof sheeting, transforming the entire look of the home.

Thatch roof which has been converted to aluzinc roofing
Thatch Roof Converted to Roof Sheeting, Eastern Cape

The roof design is complex with many hips and valleys. Our clients found that the thatch on the roof needed consistent maintenance (especially in areas around the valleys). They took the decision to convert from thatch to another type of roofing.

Below is a picture of the original thatch roof before the conversion. It is a great example of a traditional Cape Dutch style house.

The original thatch on the roof was in a fair condition, which means that we were able to over-sheet
The original thatch roof before it was converted

What Roofing Products can you use for a Roof Conversion?

We use a range of roofing products to convert roofs. Your choice must take into consideration the shape of the roof, the climate that you live in and your personal preference of product.

For roofs like this one, with straight angles and edges, there are plenty of options including Metrotiles, corrugated sheeting or shingles. Find out more about the roofing products that we use on our Thatch Roof Conversions page.

The original design of the roof in Komani is very traditional and although it has many valleys, it is made up of mainly straight edges and angles. Our client decided to convert the roof to AZ200 corrugated roof sheeting.

Thatch roof converted from thatch to roof sheeting in the Eastern Cape
The roof has lots of valleys and joining sections

The Extra Details that give this roof Curbside Appeal

We created real curbside appeal for this roof with a few important details:

Thatch roof convert from thatch to roof sheeting
Premium roof sheeting with Colorplus technology

Premium Roof Sheeting with Colorplus® Technology

Aluzinc roof sheeting is currently a popular choice with our clients for all roofing projects, not just roof conversions. It has a slick, clean look and is available in a range of colours – the most popular of which is Thunderstorm. Colorplus® technology keeps the colour vivid over time, even in our extreme African climate.

The Parapet Wall Flashing

We fit a wall flashing where the roof sheeting meets a wall. This roof needed a lot of flashings! We concentrated on getting a neat, clean line where the flashing ends and the wall begins.

Hip ridging is installed where the corners meet
Neatly finished roof flashings and matching fascia’s

Matching Fascia’s in Thunderstorm Blue

We painted the fascia boards to match the Thunderstorm blue colour of the sheeting so that the roof is finished with a neat edge.

The Eave Ceilings

The eave ceilings are the area between where the wall meets the roof sheeting at the top, and the roof sheeting overhangs. We created a really beautiful finish on these sections by installing eave ceilings that cover the roof poles.

The Eave Ceilings
The eaves are closed in with Nutec boards to cover the roof poles

We have developed a system that uses textured Nutec boards to create eave ceilings which, while neat and tidy, also match the style of our thatch roof conversions well. The boards are installed with the wood-grain texture running at a 90° angle to the walls. This allows us to join the boards neatly without joining strips so that the eaves are “seamless” all the way around the house. The corners join in a symmetrical triangular pattern which adds style to the ceilings.

PROJECT COMPLETION: May 2019

In Conclusion

If you’ve fallen out of love with your thatched roof, it can be transformed with a roof conversion. It’s important to always consult a professional roofer who is experienced in the process and can advise you on the most appropriate system to convert from thatch.

If you’re thinking of converting your roof but have questions, leave us a comment below – we’ll do our best to help!

14 thoughts on “Old Cape Dutch House Converted from Thatch to Roof Sheeting

  1. Our thatch roof insurance is killing us. 20 yrs old this year. We need a change. Please contact us for a quote

    1. Hi Brendan! Thanks for taking the time to read our post – I’m sorry to hear that you’re experiencing problems with your thatched roof. Please check your inbox – we would love to assist you with a quotation.

      1. Hi there,

        What information would you need to send a quote for a over-sheeting conversation on a thatch roof?

        Thanks.
        Gabriella Grieve

        1. Hi Gabriella,

          Thanks for your comment and question – we need to know where the roof is situated, get a copy of the plans (or a sketch with rough dimensions) and see a few recent pictures of the thatch so that we can see the shape of the roof and the current condition of the thatch.

          I will email you directly – please look out for an email in your inbox!

          Kind regards,

          April

  2. Very exciting. Two questions:

    1. What was the cost for the the conversion to roof sheeting for the house in the Eastern Cape?

    2. So you work in Johannesburg?

    1. Hi Jon,

      Thanks so much for taking the time to read and comment on our article. The roof conversion on this project cost in the region of R 345 000.00 (excluding VAT). We are based in the Eastern Cape but are able to work nationwide on larger projects. Look out for an email in your inbox from me – I will make contact to ask for more details.

      Kind regards,

      April

  3. Hi
    Have a 280 m 2 thatched roof. Mainly squared and straight edges
    Looking at the shingles and oversheeting if possible? And if so what cost. Outer layer Thatched again 5 years ago. Good condition

    Or alternate suggestions???

    1. Good afternoon Marlene,

      Thanks for getting in touch – we are based in the Eastern Cape but we can consider travelling to the Western Cape for larger projects, depending on the viability of the project. The cost of transporting our team and equipment as well as their accommodation close to site during the project can push our prices up too much to make it viable for either you or us.

      If you would like to email more details of the project and I can let you know whether it will work – please send to info@bosazzaroofing.co.za.

      Many thanks,

      April

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *