Thatched Properties

Thatched cottages are often seen in idylic country villages, often over stone or timber framed homes. Thatched cottages date a little later, from the 18th Century and are found throughout the UK, mostly in villages or rural communities. They can be found in many areas of the UK and there are approximately 60,000 of them across the country.

Thatched properties are not all the same. They are often made of different types of reed, again dictated by what was available locally. The top type of Thatch is wheat straw from Norfolk. Thatched properties appear either as a 'one off' in an area where only one set of owners has retained the thatch roof to villages such as Cavendish in Suffolk or Amberely near Horsham where it is prominent. 

Risks of a Thatched Property

The main known associated risks with Thatched Cottages is an increased risk of fire. However, due to the precautions made and the care that people take of Thatched Cottages, in comparison there are less insurance claims for fire than for other homes.

There are two main other issues for Thatched cottage owners. The first is the sheer cost and frequency of having the roof cared for. This can cost between £600 and £800 per square foot. The Thatch is likely to need to be replaced every 15 to 25 years. The second risk is the same as for older properties in that the rest of the building is likely to need careful maintenance and restoration when redecorating. Old walls are unlikely to cope with wall paper (they are rarely straight!) and even painting can cause issues as the walls need to 'breathe'.

More Information about Thatched Properties

There are some really great sites to help you find out more about Thatched Properties. The first site is the Thatchers Owners Group. This has helpful articles and links to specialist services, sympathetic to thatched properties. You can look through the website for free, but to join costs a one off fee of £95. Not bad value as you get a free book 'The complete guide to living with Thatch' by Michael Billet.

Further information on thatched properties can be found by looking through the Period Property website and from unusual sources such as East Herts local government which has an excellent article on thatched properties. Britain Express has an interesting article on the history of thatching.
Finally, if you are not sure whether a Thatched property is really for you, then it might be worth staying in one for a while. Believe it or not there is even a company which has thatched only holiday homes, click here for more information about The Thatched Cottage Company.

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