"Why Do I Have to Wait So Long for My New Thatched Roof?”

This has been our most popular Blog this year, so for anyone who missed it, here it is!

This is a common question in the UK from thatched roof owners who need their roof replacing.

The long wait time can be attributed to several factors

1. Limited availability of skilled thatchers: Thatching is a specialized trade that requires years of training and experience. However, there are relatively few thatchers working in the UK today, and the number has been declining in recent years. This means that there is a limited pool of skilled professionals available to carry out thatching work.

2. High demand for thatched roofs: While the number of thatched roofs in the UK has declined over the years, there is still a significant demand for them. Many people value the unique aesthetic and historical appeal of thatched roofs, and as a result, there is a high demand for thatching services.

3. Time-consuming nature of the work: Thatching is a time-consuming process that requires a great deal of care and attention to detail. Each roof is different and requires bespoke thatching work, so it can take several weeks or even months to complete a re-thatching job. Additionally, thatchers are often booked up months or even years in advance, so it can take a long time to get on their schedule.

4. Material shortage: In UK the traditional thatching material is a straw made from long-stemmed wheat and the harvest yield in 2019 and 2020 was way down on normal years, resulting in a material shortage. Also, less farmers are participating in this type of crop as it is time consuming and due to the manual aspect, it is hard work!

Overall, the long wait times for re-thatching roofs in the UK are due to a combination of factors, including a shortage of skilled thatchers, high demand for thatched roofs, and the time-consuming nature of the work plus a shartage of materials. Historic England are determined to keep this old English tradition alive by trying to address these issues and pushing for funding to train more thatchers and to encourage more farmers to grow the much-needed materials.

Why we are different!

Here at Reed Roofing we only use high quality water reed and we have plenty of materials in stock plus we have three teams of Master Thatchers, therefore our lead times for replacement thatched roofs in the UK is measured in months not years! Also, our completion time on site is very quick but still to a very high standard, also without the need for scaffolding, resulting in much less inconvenience for our customers.

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