It appears impossible to avoid talk of money at the moment. Seemingly, every time I turn the radio on, the news is of impending financial meltdown, of wages dropping, living costs soaring, economies shrinking. I have never taken a great deal of interest in such matters, although I probably should. The man from whom I buy thatching fixings from encapsulated it nicely when he said that, as long as he had no debts and a pound more than he needed, he would be happy. If only captains of industry thought along similar lines, the world would be a less cut-throat place.
It may seem slightly incongruous to hear a thatcher say the above, as the trade has a reputation for being highly expensive. In fact, it is one of the questions most often posed, along with the lifespan of a roof-how much does it cost? The answer is of course as varying as the number of thatched roofs-as each one is unique, so each price is unique. I always try to charge a price that is fair for all concerned-fair to the owner of the roof so they get a quality roof for a reasonable price, and fair to myself so I can use the best materials, not have to rush the work, and still make a living.
One must look at what thatching a roof entails to get a true sense of it's worth-firstly, the materials are either grown or harvested in a labour intensive manner, which means they have a great deal of embodied value. A single bundle of reed can cost over £3, and a large roof could require 3000 bundles. Next, the effort involved in thatching a roof can be staggering-every piece of material has be transported to the roof, carried up, put in place and fixed down. A bundle of reed will have been handled an average of six times before it becomes part of the roof, and that is not including the harvesting process. Each roof is a handmade, bespoke piece, crafted out of natural materials by someone who will have trained for perhaps eight years. It should last for generations, not only keeping the house warm and dry but providing a great deal of pleasure and pride for the owners. When you consider that, at a cost of twenty to thirty thousand pounds for a three or four bedroom farmhouse, the roof may very well be cheaper than the car in the driveway, you start to get a sense of the true value of thatch.
