Thatch Care Plan
A master thatcher on your roof, every year
A thatched roof lasts longest when small problems are repaired early. Our Thatch Care Plan puts a master thatcher on your roof every year, for one fixed annual fee. The plan costs £995 + VAT a year.
What the plan includes
Six things, every year
A yearly roof inspection
A master thatcher inspects the whole roof: the coat, the ridge, the netting, the chimney flashing and the fire safety features. We also check for bird and vermin damage. The inspection is part of the 1 day.
Repairs in the same day
We use the rest of the day for repairs. 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 and complete it.
A written report with photos
You get a short PDF report: what we found, what we did, and our recommendations. If the roof needs work that the plan does not cover, the report includes a separate quote for it.
Your insurance report
When your insurer asks for a thatch report, every 5 years or when you change insurer, we write it at no extra cost.
Priority after a storm
If you ask, we inspect the roof after a storm. If you see damage, plan members go to the front of our list.
A plan for the roof
We monitor the ridge and tell you when the ridge and the coat will need work, so you can budget years ahead. We also tell you which trees or plants to cut back from the thatch.
1 day, all included
What we can do in the day
The plan gives your roof 1 day of work each year. That 1 day includes the inspection, the report and the repairs. It is not an inspection followed by another day of repairs.
Every roof is different, so this list shows what we can do, not what we do on every visit. The plan gives 1 day of work in total, and the inspection and the report are part of that day. The time each task takes decides how much we do. If the roof needs more work than the plan covers, we quote for it separately in your report. This is how we keep one fixed price for every roof.
- Repair small holes and patches in the coat
- Dress up small areas of slipped reed
- Remove moss and lichen by hand where the roof needs it
- Clear leaves and twigs from the roof
- Re-stitch small sections of loose wire netting
- Repair small patches of cement flashing at the chimney
Why yearly care
A roof that is looked after lasts longer
Small repairs cost less
A loose ligger or a small hole lets water into the coat. Repaired early, it is an hour of work. Left for years, it can become a new ridge or a large patch repair.
Your insurer wants the facts
Many thatch insurers now ask for a report every 5 years, and when you change insurer. Plan members get that report at no extra cost.
You can plan the big costs
Each yearly report says how long the ridge and the coat have left. You know years ahead when the next large job is due.
What the plan does not include
Re-ridging, re-thatching and any work that does not fit in the 1 day are not part of the plan. Your report lists this work with our recommendations and a separate, fixed-price quote. You decide if and when we do it.
The fee includes 1 day of work that we can do safely from ladders. If part of the roof needs scaffold, the scaffold is not included. We tell you the scaffold price before we start.
Who the plan is for
The plan suits owners who want the roof looked after without the need to remember it. It also suits landlords and estates with more than one thatched building, and owners whose insurer asks for regular reports.
Not sure if your roof is ready for the plan? Book a free roof check first.
Questions people ask us
What is the Thatch Care Plan?
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.
Is a thatched house hard to insure?
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.
How often does a thatched ridge need replacing?
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.
Should moss be removed from a thatched roof?
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.
Thatch Care Plan
Join the Thatch Care Plan
Tell us where the house is. We arrange the first visit and confirm the plan with you. The plan costs £995 + VAT a year.
- One fixed fee: £995 + VAT a year
- 1 day of inspection, report and repairs
- Your insurance report included
- Stop the plan at any time before it renews
Or call 07860 292801