Thatched roofs have brought charm to buildings across the British countryside for millennia, and there are still 60,000 thatched properties across the UK. Of those three quarters are listed buildings, meaning that the thatch must be maintained in a traditional manner. This is where master thatchers like Simon Willey come in. Apart from bringing the thatch to your home in the back of his truck and using modern scaffolding for safety, the job he does and the materials he use are the same as those used by master thatchers for centuries.
Aside from traditional buildings, the number of thatched homes is growing every year. Thatch is an environmentally friendly and sustainable roofing material meaning that new home are being built with it. It is watertight and remains so for decades, it is a wonderful insulator keeping the heat in during the winter and out during the summer. Straw and water reed thatch has been used for centuries for roofing and its tough, durable nature means that it will last for up to half a century of everything the British climate can throw at it.
The skill of replacing a thatched roof so that the new roof is one which Simon learned over two decades ago and he is now a member of the Somerset master thatchers association. Part of his work is consulting with home owners and professionals, such as architects and planners, regarding thatch both for new and traditional properties.
If you have a thatched property, then it is important going to an expert when it needs to be replaced, that way you know it won't need to be replaced again for a long, long time. Simon works across Somerset and Devon.
For more information:
Simon Willey Master Thatcher
Or call on
Tel: 01823 667744
Mob: 07974 306 612
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