There is no specific statutory licence to work as a roofer in South Africa. The trade-test qualification that applies is Plater (Roofing) under the MERSETA and QCTO system, though many roofers hold general builder qualifications and increasingly train through CETA learnerships. What is not optional is working-at-height safety: under the OHS Act and the Construction Regulations, harnesses, fall-arrest and inspected platforms are mandatory. Sort your training and your safety setup, then your kit, channels and pricing.
How to register and get qualified
No specific licence is required, but the recognised routes are:
- The Plater (Roofing) trade test under MERSETA (the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services SETA) and QCTO (the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations), or a general builder qualification.
- CETA (Construction Education and Training Authority) learnerships, increasingly common.
- The BMI Group's Coverland Roofing Academy, which offers a National Certificate at NQF Level 2 in Waterproofing and Roof Repair (a 12-month programme). Corobrik and similar bodies offer CETA-accredited roofing training.
The governing standards centre on SANS 10400-L (roofs), the primary building-regulation standard for roof structural design, coverings, waterproofing and drainage. Key points:
- Waterproofing systems must stay watertight for at least five years without maintenance.
- All waterproofing on flat roofs must be done by a "competent person" following the manufacturer's instructions.
- There are roof-pitch requirements, and undertile-membrane requirements for coastal areas and pitches under 26 degrees.
SANS 457-2 and 457-3 cover softwood and hardwood poles for roof construction, and SANS 10400-B covers structural loading (wind uplift and hail resistance).
On working at height, the OHS Act and the Construction Regulations require a safety harness and fall-arrest equipment, an inspected and certified scaffold or working platform, and a risk assessment with a method statement. This is the part of the trade that most often goes wrong on site, so build it into every job and every quote.
Kit and start-up costs
Roofing kit includes access and fall-arrest gear, and the big items can be hired at first. Approximate prices, so confirm current costs:
- Circular saw and angle grinder: about R5,000.
- Pneumatic roofing nailer: about R4,000 to R8,000, or hire at first.
- Air compressor: about R3,000, or hire at first.
- Scaffolding set: hire at first (about R500 to R1,500 per day), buy later.
- Safety harness and lanyard per worker: about R1,500 each.
- Tin snips, chalk lines and speed square: about R1,500.
- Waterproofing torch or roller equipment: about R3,000.
- PPE (hard hat, safety boots, gloves): about R1,500.
A realistic launch kit lands at roughly R20,000 to R35,000.
What you can charge (estimates)
Roofing has some published indicative rates (procompare.co.za), but treat them as benchmarks that vary by job, not fixed prices:
- New roof installation: roughly R500 to R1,000 per square metre, averaging about R800 per square metre.
- Thatched roof: roughly R500 to R800 per square metre.
- Roof repair: roughly R88 to R100 per square metre.
- Roof inspection: roughly R1,000 to R1,800.
Hail-damage repair and re-roofing through insurance work is a steady earner. Confirm your numbers against the local market.
Common mistakes
- Skimping on fall-arrest. Working at height without harnesses, inspected platforms and a method statement breaches the Construction Regulations and risks lives.
- Cutting the waterproofing warranty short by ignoring the manufacturer's instructions, so the five-year watertight requirement is not met.
- Forgetting undertile membrane on coastal jobs and low pitches.
- Underpricing insurance reinstatement that carries extra admin and call-backs.
- Putting off VAT. You must register for VAT once turnover passes R2.3 million from 1 April 2026, and you can register voluntarily from R120,000.
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