EXPERT ADVICE
OLD HOUSE, NEW HOME
Thatching can bear a substantial renovating cost, so planning is key. Here’s our expert guide to how and why costs can vary so much
The cost to thatch a roof can be a big project outlay, typically costing tens of thousands of pounds. And for good reason: thatching is a highly skilled trade, often requiring decades of experience for a master thatcher to be able to start their own practice.
The problem is compounded by warnings of straw shortages by Historic England, causing huge problems for the industry and threatening the very existence of the cherished thatched cottage on the British landscape. Which is strange timing, in a sense, given that thatched roofs can be one of the greenest, eco-friendly and warmest roofing options available.
While water reeds can be imported from Turkey, Austria, Hungary and China, traditional thatching straws are mainly grown in the UK. Despite British farms expanding, their desire to dedicate land to growing thatching straw seems to be disappearing.
So how much should you set aside to thatch a roof when renovating a period home?
COSTS WILL VARY
The costs associated with thatching a roof will vary dramatically depending on where you live in the UK and can be anything from £1,500 to over £3,000 per thatcher’s square, plus VAT. Andrew Raffle, secretary of the National Society of Master Thatchers, explains that the sizeable variation is down to a number of factors.
“Prices vary tremendously. The regional variance is due to a number of factors: demand, the different materials that people use, and whether it is being transported over long distances. Living standards are quite different in the south-west for instance, compared to the home counties.
“What we suggest is that the homeowner gets in touch with two or three local thatchers who can be found from our website [www. nsmtltd.co.uk] and they can find out
specifically in their area what the prices are.”
In generalised terms of roof thatching cost variance according to location, Andrew rates London as the most expensive and Devon and Cornwall to be cheaper.
We phoned a thatcher in each of these areas to get a rough idea of the variance in pricing. In Devon, one thatcher told us he charges between £1,500 and £1,800 in water reed for a thatcher’s square. For combed straw, he charges between £1,500 and £1,600 for a thatcher’s square – all prices exclude VAT.
