Thatched roof questions, answered

A Norfolk water reed coat lasts 50 years or more, so it is the hardest-wearing material. A combed wheat reed coat usually lasts 25 to 35 years, and a long straw coat 15 to 30 years. The ridge wears faster, so it needs replacing every 10 to 15 years. Roof pitch, shade from trees and the quality of the work all change these figures.

Usually every 10 to 15 years. The ridge takes the worst of the weather. If you replace it in time, the main coat below stays dry and lasts longer.

Long straw is threshed wheat straw, laid in a loose, shaggy coat with a rounded look. It is the traditional thatch of Hertfordshire and Essex. Combed wheat reed is wheat straw that is combed so all the stems lie the same way, then laid with the butt ends down for a neater finish. Water reed is a hard, hollow reed from wetlands such as the Norfolk Broads. It gives a crisp, dense finish and lasts longest, 50 years or more. We use English material where possible, and advise which suits your house.

We use English material where possible: water reed from Norfolk, and English-grown combed wheat reed and long straw. If English supply is short, we tell you before we order.

Yes. We thatch in long straw, combed wheat reed and water reed. Long straw is the traditional material in Hertfordshire and Essex, and many listed cottages must keep it. We re-thatch long straw roofs in long straw.

Not always. Light moss can protect the thatch, so it is often best to leave it. Yes, get rid of very thick moss: it holds water against the thatch, so the reed decays faster. We look at each roof and decide. Remove moss carefully by hand, or the coat gets damaged. Cut back trees that shade the roof or drop leaves on it.

Every roof is different, so we give you a free fixed-price quote after we see it. As a general guide, national 2026 price guides put a full re-thatch of a typical cottage in the South East at about £16,500 to £22,500 in combed wheat reed, and more in water reed. A re-ridge alone is usually £3,500 to £8,000. See our thatching costs page for more detail.

Yes. Add up to 6 photos to the enquiry form. A master thatcher looks at them and gives you an idea of the work and the cost. If we need to see the roof, we arrange a free visit. Repair quotes are always free.

For one fixed fee of £995 + VAT a year, your roof gets 1 day of work from a master thatcher. That 1 day includes the inspection, the written report and the repairs. The repairs can include small patch repairs, moss removal where needed, debris clearance and repairs to loose netting. When we can do a repair there and then, we do it. When the work needs a team, we arrange for a team to come back. If the roof needs work that the plan does not cover, your report includes our recommendations and a separate quote. You also get your insurance report when your insurer asks for it, and priority after a storm. The fee covers work we can do safely from ladders. If the roof needs scaffold, the scaffold costs extra.

Yes. Every job we complete has a 5-year written guarantee. We are members of the National Society of Master Thatchers and we do not use sub-contractors.

Yes. Most owners stay at home while we work. We work from scaffold and keep the site tidy. One client wrote that our care, attention and helpfulness minimised the disruption.

Find out when the roof was last thatched and re-ridged, what material it is, and whether the house is listed. Ask about fire barriers, chimneys and insurance. Then get a report from a master thatcher, not only a general surveyor. Our fixed-price thatch condition report tells you how many years the roof has left and what work it needs.

No, but use a specialist thatch insurer. They usually ask about the condition of the thatch, the chimneys, the flue liners and the electrics. Many insurers now ask for a thatch report every 5 years, and when you change insurer. Our condition report does this for a fixed fee, and it is included in our Thatch Care Plan. Insurers and fire safety guides also advise against wood burners and multi-fuel stoves in thatched houses.

Most thatch fires start at the chimney. Have the chimney swept often, and keep the flue liner in good condition. Fit smoke alarms in the roof space. On new and re-thatched roofs, a fire barrier under the thatch adds protection. Wood burners and multi-fuel stoves are not recommended in thatched houses.

Usually not for a like-for-like re-thatch. But a change of material or ridge style on a listed building can need listed building consent from your council. Speak to the conservation officer first. We give free advice and can come to the meeting with you.

Thatch needs a steep pitch, usually 45 to 50 degrees, so that rain runs off quickly. Building regulations also set fire safety rules, such as the distance from the boundary. Talk to us at the design stage.

We are based in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. We work within about 60 miles of our base. That covers all of Hertfordshire, west and north Essex, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and North London. Local work in Hertfordshire comes first.