Thursday 14 February 2013

Thatched Roof Thursday #18 - Almost Done




Cruck House thatched roof is nearly done.  I am doing an update now even though this Coventry thatched roof it isn't completely finished.  It is possible that the whole roof might be covered with a wire mesh (I am not sure) which might hide some of the detail.

When I was taking photos today, a man stopped to talk to me.  He had been living in the area for 38 years. He said that this is the third roof this house has had since he lived there.  So that gives you an idea of how long they last.

At some point I will show you the finished article in bright sunshine and hopefully I can get some technical details from the thatcher.  Well, that is the plan.



That is certainly a very thick and protective layer on top of this home.  Impressive.

PS -  Happy Valentine's Day to you ALL :)

16 comments:

SRQ said...

Indeed a very interesting process. I love the look...but, it might be a bit much to go through every 12 years or so.

Tanya Breese said...

wow, they sure don't last long do they?

Chrissy Brand said...

What an art!

LONDONLULU said...

I'm quite impressed they even last that long, though also can't imagine rehauling the roof every decade or so! I agree with Chrissy, it's a true art. Would love any technical detail you find out.

And a Happy Happy Valentine's to you! (though it's over in the UK:)

Petrea Burchard said...

I wonder if they get any government financial support to have this done so (relatively) often? It seems homes like this might attract tourists, and it's in England's best interest to keep them nice.

Deb said...

I always thought a thatched roof lasted around 25 years, they seem to around here!

Stefan Jansson said...

Indeed it is a interesting process. Nice to see how it is done.

PerthDailyPhoto said...

A thatched roof does look impressive, I really thought they would last a bit longer though..it's very interesting keeping up with the progress of this roof LOL, am enjoying a lot. Have a happy weekend.

Adele said...

Very interesting, LOL. I look forward to Thursdays, to see what is happening with this roof. I think I will be disappointed when its finished!!

Daryl said...

so it works out to roughly 10 yrs per roof ... i wonder what it costs .. it looks great .. and happy valentine's day to you too

LOLfromPasa said...

Hi All. There are some interesting comments here. Do let me respond :).

A lot of you have picked up on how long these roofs last. I am reliably assured that 'it depends on the materials used and the structure and location of the building'. As Deb says, they can last up to 25 years and I believe that some types of water reeds last up to 40 - 60 years. It will be interesting to find out exactly what they are using here and hopefully the roof will last a lot longer than previous roofs on this house. It has been up for sale a number of times over the years and I recall it looking pretty abandoned for long periods of time. Over to me to find out more!

It is an art, Chrissy, and it has been so much fun watching the progress here.

Petrea - I doubt it. But, you are right, they are an attraction. I live about 3 miles away from this house and used to live much closer. I always had a look and much of the time it was in complete disrepair. So sad to see. Everyone I know know this place too. Maybe there is hope it will end up a beautiful house. It is on a main road into to Coventry.

Adele - I am sure it will look beautiful and hopefully stay so for longer than past roofs. I won't show you this place again until it is finished with a back drop of sunshine! A must :).

Lulu - Thank you!

LOLfromPasa said...

Daryl - You popped by when I was writing the rather long comment above.

I have just been thinking (so unusual for me :). If this is the 3rd roof in 38 years, then the first 2 roofs must have lasted 38 years. That doesn't sound too bad but still very expensive I expect. I will try and find out more. Oh what fun!

TheChieftess said...

What a fascinating cultural exchange!!! I'm just fascinated by these roofs!!! No leaks at all??? Even in the worst of storms???

LOLfromPasa said...

Chieftess - Leaks? Don't think that is a problem. FIRE! Big problem. A friend of our has a garage that was hit by lightning. Whole thing destroyed. I found (or noticed..ha ha) two more thatched roofs today. There are more about than I ever imagined.

Jack said...

It has been interesting to watch this roof being thatched. We are all learning something we didn't know.

Unknown said...

These roofs have always impressed me. Great detailed shot at the bottom.