A very rough guide to the costs and quantities involved in thatching a roof. I must emphasise that these items are only a rough guide, no one else will commit themselves to publish these details, too many variables exist with each roof to be more precise without seeing it, the same problems make the rough estimation of the cost per square meter of completed thatching difficult, this has been included as I am very aware that some people do not have the faintest idea of what they are contemplating financially.

Older thatchers including me work in 'squares' an area of 10 feet X 10 feet measured from the ridge apex, around the eave to the wall giving the superficial surface area of the roof.  Subtracting and adding to allow for valleys, hips and other features are done on the fly applying memory of previous jobs. It is the same in metric. For example an area of one square should cost of £600 - £800 per square, this is reasonable (depending on the complexity) price for any of the material types here, including thatching, ridging, netting, clearing site and scaffolding I would also expect to be no more than within 10% correct in material acquisition Most experienced thatchers carry a buffer stock of materials to allow for these discrepancies, and will over order and place superfluous into stock.

Using the table below should get you + - 20 % -- it is not an exact art as every material we use and every roof is non standard.

Your thatcher should give you a quotation for your whole completed roof taking into account all these factors.

These tables are mainly for the use of those wanting to thatch their own small structure, the bigger the roof the more accurate it will be. Calculated as metre squared. See http://www.thatch.org/glossary.htm for the terms used and read the other pages on this web to familiarise yourself with what is going on. Material prices can and do fluctuate wildly. added  Feb 2009

Water Reed

Combed Wheat Reed

Long Straw

Ridge

Long Straw

Long Straw

Ridge per linear metre