6 Things to Consider when Buying a Thatched Cottage
Buying a home with a thatched roof can feel daunting as it’s very likely something you’ve never done before, or for that matter, know anyone else who has either. When we were looking to purchase our thatched cottage four years ago, I remember spending a lot of time on Google where research can run from highly terrifying to downright silly and everything in between.
Four years on, we are very happy in our home. The renovation journey has been a bit of a wild ride but we love the space we have here and feel very grateful to call this our home. There are some things we researched a lot before we moved (ie. rodents!) and other things we should have but didn’t (house insurance!) so I hope this guide is useful to you, as I share with a little hindsight now, what you should consider before buying your first thatched home.
If you want to read about the pros and cons of living with a thatched roof, you can do so here.
For context, we moved to our thatched cottage in the South of England at the end of 2020. We were 30 and 35 when we moved, with three children under 6 years old. We come from very normal working/middle class backgrounds with no bank of mummy of daddy to rely on. We did however benefit from a small inheritance (2 x 10k) which helped us get on the property ladder initially, where we renovated a small two up two down Victorian mid terrace, followed by a three bed 1930s family home, before upsizing to this.
All that to say, we had some experience in house buying, house moving and house renovating when we moved here. And we also don’t have heaps of cash. Feel relatable? Hopefully these tips will help!
Quality and Lifespan of the Current Thatch
This is hard to tell without getting an expert in, so ask the current owners if they’re happy for you to get a master thatcher to come out and inspect. They are often happy to do so on the proviso that if you do need work carried out, they will be the first you’ll call on.
Other things to look out for:
How thick the thatch is and whether it is an even thickness all over.
Look on the underside of the thatch, you’ll notice the top layer of straw starts to darken as it ages, leaving the tips discoloured.
Don’t worry too much about moss and algae. Though a bit unsightly, this can actually help protect the thatch underneath and isn’t a huge matter for concern.
Has it been done in sections? It is quite common to only replace sections that need it, so often you’ll notice some areas look better than others. This can also be dependent on the exposure each part of the roof gets. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as although the roof may not look as uniform as if it was all replaced in one go, it does mean that you’ll probably only need to replace it in sections too, spreading the cost of repair out.
Have a look at the wired netting, does it look neat and tidy? Are there any signs of wear and tear or holes for large rodents to get through? This is a relatively cheap fix, so don’t worry too much about this.
This side had a few repairs last year (costing approx £200) to tide it over for another few years. It’s not leaking but will all be replaced next year before it does.
2. House Insurance for Thatched Cottages
House insurance is by far one of the trickier aspects of owning a thatched cottage and like all insurance companies nationwide, prices have been soaring recently.
It’s worth noting that there aren’t as many companies willing to insure a thatched house, so your options are more limited meaning prices don’t need to be as competitive.
Depending on various factors, you may also find that some insurers (despite saying they insure homes with a thatched roof) may not actually insure you. They often work on a points system where different risk factors score certain amount of points and if your home accrues enough points to push you over the threshold, they’ll decline your application.
However, it is still possible of course. We have a feature that writes us off with a lot of companies (our chimney top is not 180cm above the roof) but we were still able to pick from about 3 insurers. There are many basic factors you can change like smoke alarms in every room, fire extinguishers and blankets which will aid your application. Over the next few years we are going to work on some of the more significant requirements (like the small chimney pot) to improve our insurability.
Meanwhile, we just treat it like an extra to our mortgage and try not to think about the beautiful holiday we could have if we didn’t have to pay it!
3. Employ good and thorough solicitors for moving house
This is not thatched roof specific, but rather period house specific. Old houses are more likely to have complications when it comes to paperwork which can hold up a sale at crucial times. From missing deeds, to old handwritten notes where the ink has faded, to overages on land or unclear boundaries, you’ll need a good experienced solicitor to help the process proceed smoothly.
This may sound daunting but it will only be a problem if you did what we did and hire budget online solicitors, who almost broke the whole chain three days before exchange due to their incompetence and lack of experience. Employ good solicitors and everything should be tickety-boo.
Our thatched cottage looking Christmas card ready in the snow.
4. Is the thatched cottage listed?
There are over 60,000 thatched cottages in the UK with 75% of those being listed. Thankfully ours is in the 25% of cottages not listed which is a huge bonus for us, however, if yours is listed, please do extensive research on whether you want to take the house on as any changes you want to make may prove difficult. Listed properties do maintain there value well though as they often offer a beautiful and unique option to the market.
5. Thatched roofs aren’t as infested with rodents as the internet say they are
If you’re anything like us, this issue is the first thing you research on the way home from the house viewing. There certainly are tales of people having huge issues, but I think this is really just an old house problem and not hugely specific to thatched cottages. Of course, there is the element of the roof, which no doubt is attractive to rodents however, from our experience (and our neighbours who also have thatched roofs) the problem is neglible and easily dealt with.
Some people have cats who help keep the problem at bay and others are disciplined with traps and/or poison. We didn’t have a single issue for the first two years and have since had a few visitors in the loft which have been easily dealt with. None have entered the main part of the house thankfully and we don’t have any horror stories of dead rats stinking out wall cavities.
I have friends who live in regular homes with far worse rodent problems than we do,
For context, we live in the middle of nowhere surrounded by fields and we don’t have any pets.
The porch roof was replaced before we moved in, but the roof above it is in need of replacement. As you can see the ridge has lost it’s shape. The other side of this is featured above in the landscape photo showing the very worn thatch with the repair.
6. Fire Safety for Thatched Houses
It’s worth noting that fires are just as likely to start in homes with a regular tiled roof than they are in homes with thatched roofs - the only difference being they spread much more quickly if you have a thatched roof. There are many ways you can limit the dangers of this occurring of course, and your insurance company will also have lots of requirements to ensure your home is as safe as possible.
From fire extinguishers to fire blankets and smoke detectors in every room, I actually find it reassuring our home is a lot more equipped than previous homes we’ve lived in. More newly thatched roofs, often have a fire retardant membrane between the underside of the roof and your home which helps to slow down the burn significantly. Ask the owners if the house you’re considering has this. Insurance companies will insist on once or twice yearly chimney sweeps and annual or bi-annual electrical checks too.
Other than that it’s a case of using common sense. We don’t use a fire pit and are careful not to place the barbecue too close to the roof on the patio. We also would never light fireworks in the garden but that is something I’d avoid anyway so not a huge loss!!!
If you are worried about a fire, removing the log burner (if there is one) for a gas or bio-fuel one will significantly reduce the risk to your home, and in turn, your house insurance.
This image shows the different sections of thatch, how they’ve been done at different times and potentially, by thatchers with different skill levels. The ridge needs replacing as does the thatch to the right (which experts have told us was not done particularly well in the first place.)
You may have read all that and felt completely put off, however there is no denying that with any home with character comes a few complications. I mean heck, even new builds are full of their own complications so it’s only overwhelming because all the warnings have been listed together!
We have had a rollercoaster of a ride renovating our home over the last four years, however that is only due to the bodge job diy previous owners have cursed it with. There are many elements of living with a thatch roof that I absolutely love and they by far surpass the obvious aesthetic reasons and actually make it the most comfortable home we’ve ever lived in. When it comes to warmth in the winter, coolness in the summer and lack of damp, this house for us cannot be beaten. You can read more about the pros and cons of living with a thatched roof here.
There is also no denying that, since painting the exterior walls pink and windows a sunny yellow, looking up at the pretty thatched cottage we get to call home, I find it impossible to walk up the garden without a smile on face.