Anyone got experience of Norfolk thatchers?

[Penners]

Our daughter and her husband are starting to think about booking a thatcher, feeling that they will need a complete re-thatch done in a couple of years (yes, that's the waiting list!).

Does anyone have any personal experience of a good thatcher in Norfolk or north Suffolk? All recommendations gratefully received.

They also have a supplementary question. Does anyone know anything about fire boards, which are used for sarking underneath thatch? Specifically:-

1. The best type to use.

2. Given that daughter and husband have an attic room, can the fire boards be plastered on their underside for the attic room ceiling? Or is it better to lay plasterboard first (for skimming), then fire boards on top of the plasterboard?

Any experiences, advice or even vaguely relevant information will be gratefully studied.

 

[Flyfisher]

I know what thatch looks like, and that pretty much sums up my experience of it.

However, there's a house in the village being re-thatched - I could ask them for a card if it would help.

 

[robgil]

why a re-thatch Penners? i was always under the impression that usually its just a new weathering coat and ridge.

http://www.countrysidethatchers.co.uk/ , we will be getting these guys to do our weathering coat and ridge , never used them before but it was the guys father who thatched our house last time so it seems appropriate to let him take care of it.
he did say that so long as he had the job , if the roof leaks between now and then he will send his fellas round to fix it free of charge. cant really grumble about that.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

This site maybe helpful:
www.buildingconservation.com

Keith Quantrill springs to mind from our research 18 months ago when we were going to buy that chocolate box cottage!

 

[fjpdesigns]

There are two I can recommend.
Ian Blanchard, who reridged and repaired our roof last year. He's from Redgrave. 01379 898184.
The other is called Gary from Stowmarket area. I haven't got his home number or his second name but you can get hold of him from Harts' Homebrew in Stowmarket. 01449 675918 . Co-owner of the shop is Keith Hart, a bit of a legend in thatching circles and Suffolk hostelries ( as I know to my cost). Gary was Keith's apprentice and although Keith is now officially retired he still goes out to give Gary a hard time. He's a cracking old boy and the two of them were/are first rate thatchers.
Best to get in quick - thatchers tend to have a loooooong waiting list.
Joe

 

[Bayliss]

I was recommended Paul Watling & Son of Woodbridge. Previous owner of my cottage employed them. They have an long waiting list as you would expect from quality craftsman work, but if you are OK with that then you will do no better. They are an family run business in the best tradition and own their own farm where they grow their thatching products. Did my roof an couple of years back with ten year warranty for the workmanship. Tel : 01728 628561

 

[Penners]

Many thanks, everyone, for those suggestions, which I will pass on to my daughter.

FF - yes, if you could ask for a card, that would be much appreciated. The more quotes the better!

I think daughter is aware of the lonf booking time meeded for a thatcher, which is why she's starting to make first contact now, some two years before the job will be done.

Rob - yes, yours is a fair point. But I gather she's been advised that on this occasion it needs to be a full re-thatch. But perhaps that will be clarified by any thatchers who quote.

Anyone know anything about fire boards?

 

[Stephen]

Penners

I suggest you look at members of East Anglia Master Thatchers Association - http://www.eamta.co.uk/

The two covering Norfolk are


Mr. K.Dunthorne
Green Farm, Burgate Great Green, Wortham,
Diss, Norfolk IP22 1QL.
Tel:- 01379 783457

Mr. S.J.Letch
Laurel Farm, Skinners Lane, Starston,
Harleston, Norfolk IP20 9PX.
Tel:- 01379 852335
Mobile:- 07796 796200

I know Stephen Letch and know of Keith Dunthorne.

Regards

Stephen

 

[Penners]

Many thanks for that, Stephen. I shall pass it straight to the younger generation.

While I have your ear, do you have any views or opinions on fire boards as sarking under the thatch?

 

[robgil]

i would say get as many quotes as you can and discuss the roofs needs , also , many retired thatchers will give you a totally unbiased opinion on the roofs condition. we were told our roof needs work as it looks really bad , however we were then told it had a good few years left in it as it stands. a thatched roof can look worse than it is , unless its really bad.
also , as far as i am aware being a master thatcher means diddly , any thatcher can be a master thatcher , or have i picked that up totally wrong?

 

[robgil]

Many thanks for that, Stephen. I shall pass it straight to the younger generation.

While I have your ear, do you have any views or opinions on fire boards as sarking under the thatch?

there are other ways to fire proof thatch , there are chemicals that can be sprayed on for instance.

 

[Penners]

there are other ways to fire proof thatch , there are chemicals that can be sprayed on for instance.

Thanks, Rob. The great advantage of fire boards (from what little I've heard about them) is that, as well as greatly reducing the risk of fire, they also provide protection against the thatch collapsing into the building, in the unlikely event that a fire should occur.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Wossa fire board then?

 

[Penners]

That's what I'm trying to find out, FW!

 

[Penners]

Aha! Just found this (in case anyone else is interested): http://www.thatched-group.com/articles/building/RoofsforNewThatchedExtensions.htm

 

[robgil]

there are other ways to fire proof thatch , there are chemicals that can be sprayed on for instance.

Thanks, Rob. The great advantage of fire boards (from what little I've heard about them) is that, as well as greatly reducing the risk of fire, they also provide protection against the thatch collapsing into the building, in the unlikely event that a fire should occur.

they are good , however the disadvantages are having to remove all the thatch to install them , also i dont know how heavy they are but could there be an extra weight issue? a wet thatched roof with a meter of snow ontop can be quite heavy already.

 

[Penners]

the disadvantages are having to remove all the thatch to install them

Yup - that's why my daughter is considering them with a full re-thatch.

Fair point about weight.

 

[Stephen]

I would not recommend using spray on treatments for fire protection. They can leach out over time and there is some concern that such materials could speed up the degradation of the thatch.

As for boarding, yes there are several types you could use including fire boards that are used instead of plasterboard. The important thing is to ensure that there is ventilation below the thatch i.e. between the thatch and any boarding.

Stephen

 

[Penners]

Thanks again, Stephen.

 

[AMc]

A penny has finally dropped about your fireboards which I'd assumed were some form of thatch sarking over the rafters...

My builder insisted that building control would want "fireboard" to clad the metal beams supporting the wall where we removed a long redundant chimney stack. While we were both confident that the metal would last longer than any of the wooden joists or floors in a fire, he was adamant it was necessary to meet the regs despite its dubious utility in that application.
It looks like regular 11mm(IIRC) plasterboard except it's pink faced & can be used as a direct replacement, I didn't double line with plasterboard and can't see why you'd need to. It's heavier than regular plasterboard, but not substantially so by comparison with hardibacker tile board for instance. It comes in full sheets, unlike tile board. I believe it's anti-fire properties are providing an inflammable barrier. I'm not sure how much support it would provide to prevent to a substantial force from above certainly not much more than regular plasterboard as you can still cut it with a stanley knife (unlike hardibacker).

It was 'a bit' more expensive than regular plasterboard, came from Travis, fixed and fitted in the same way as regular plasterboard then gypsum plastered so I can't see any reason not to specify it if the ceilings need replacing as part of the job and you're prepared to live with the flat surfaces.