Only 60,000 thatch roof houses in the UK

[Pauline]

Interesting article in the New York Times about thatch roof houses in the UK. Most are on historic houses but in our part of Dorset there were building requirements to have new thatch roof houses. We live in a 22 year old house with a thatch roof.

The Feud Inside England’s Community of Master Home Thatchers

Inside the tiny community of English master thatchers, a fight is unfolding over a tradition that may not survive.

www.nytimes.com

(Gift Link, so you should be able to read without a link)

 

[Ian Sutton]

Quite a few over here in Norfolk, and there's even a modest cottage (oops) industry in harvesting the reeds from the Norfolk Broads, though it's so small that plenty is brought in.

 

[Pauline]

I was surprised at only 60,000 thatch houses. There are a lot in the southwest and in the Cotswolds. We live in a group of five houses built by a local builder in 2004. At that time one of the five had to be thatch. There are a lot of new-ish build houses here with thatch.

 

[Ian Sutton]

I was surprised at only 60,000 thatch houses. There are a lot in the southwest and in the Cotswolds. We live in a group of five houses built by a local builder in 2004. At that time one of the five had to be thatch. There are a lot of new-ish build houses here with thatch.

Expense (installing and maintaining) and insurance costs would be a major contributor to the smaller numbers.

 

[Pauline]

Tell me about it! There is only one company in our area that insures thatch - NFU Mutual.

We have a great local master thatcher who replaced the 10 year old ridge when we bought the house. He is taking off our old roof and putting on a new roof in September. Our water reed from Poland is in his barns waiting.

We could have kept this roof for another 8-10 years with another ridge replacement but we decided to have it redone earlier for a variety of reasons. Big cost but we both love the thatch. It is a great insulator.