The Short Answer
Thatchers price by the "square", 3m by 3m. On our estimates a rethatch costs £1,500 to £3,000 a square, or £170 to £330 per m², so a typical 80m² cottage roof is £13,300 to £26,700. A new ridge on its own is about £7,000, and it's due every 10 to 15 years.
Don't assume you need a full rethatch. Historic England says patch repairs can put off recoating by several years, and that many owners recoat when the roof could have been repaired. And if there's a wood burner under the thatch, read the fire section below first.
Thatching prices by roof size
| Roof | Area | Rethatch |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 60m² (7 squares) | £10,000 to £20,000 |
| Medium | 80m² (9 squares) | £13,300 to £26,700 |
| Large | 100m² (11 squares) | £16,700 to £33,300 |
An average roof takes two or three thatchers about a month.
How long does thatch last?
| Material | Typical life of the coat |
|---|---|
| Long straw | About 20 years |
| Combed wheat reed or water reed | About 30 years |
| Norfolk reed | 50 years or more |
| Ridge (any material) | Renewed every 10 to 15 years |
Water reed, combed wheat or long straw
Historic England's research found long straw was the main thatching material across lowland England for centuries. The other common materials are combed wheat reed and water reed.
The material changes how much comes off. Water reed roofs are stripped back to the timbers, while long straw roofs are usually only partly stripped and given a new coat over the old base (a "spar coat").
Repair, recoat, ridge or rethatch?
| Job | When | Cost guide |
|---|---|---|
| Patch repair | Local wear, holes, bird or rodent damage | Day rate, about £300 a day per thatcher |
| New ridge | The ridge wears out before the coat | About £7,000 |
| Spar coat | Straw roofs worn thin all over, sound base | Less than a full rethatch |
| Full rethatch | Coat at the end of its life, or a failed base | £13,300 to £26,700 for 80m² |
Historic England says patch repairs can often be done from a tower scaffold, and that a flush ridge (the traditional kind on most historic thatch) uses less straw, is quicker to make and lasts as long as a raised block ridge. I'd get a repair quote before agreeing to a rethatch.
Wood burners and thatch
Listed buildings and changing material
Many thatched houses are listed. Historic England says changing the thatching material on a listed building, straw to water reed for example, needs listed building consent, decided on the building's significance. Ask the council's conservation officer before agreeing a specification.
Get thatched roof quotes
Thatchers price by the square (3 m by 3 m) and by material. These answers help them plan a visit.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to rethatch a roof?
On our estimates, £1,500 to £3,000 per thatcher's square (9m²), so about £13,300 to £26,700 for a typical 80m² roof.
How often do you need to rethatch a roof?
Roughly every 20 years for long straw, 30 for combed wheat or water reed, and 50 or more for Norfolk reed, with the ridge renewed every 10 to 15 years. Patch repairs can stretch the gap.
Is it worth buying a house with a thatched roof?
Go in knowing the running costs: a ridge every 10 to 15 years at about £7,000, a rethatch every few decades, and Historic England's advice not to use a wood burner under thatch. Have a thatcher inspect it before you buy.
How much does a thatcher charge per day?
About £300 a day, on our estimates.
What is a thatcher's square?
An area 3m by 3m: 9m². Thatchers price and measure roofs in squares.
How much does a new thatched ridge cost?
About £7,000 on our estimates. Ridges wear out before the rest of the thatch.
Do I need permission to rethatch?
On a listed building, changing the thatching material needs listed building consent. Ask the council's conservation officer before agreeing a specification.
How we priced thisView sources (3, 2 official)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- OfficialConservation of Traditional Thatch (updated 19 February 2025), Historic England. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- OfficialReducing the risk of fires in thatched properties with wood-burning stoves, Historic England. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- Trade guideThatched roof cost breakdown, Checkatrade. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
