Yealms, Leggetts & Withies
Of the building trades still being
practiced, roof thatching may be the
oldest.
Thatched roofs were seen in the U.S.
from the late 1600s well into the 1800s
but have since become extremely rare.
They are far more common in parts of
Europe and Asia. In Great Britain, an
estimated 60,000 buildings have thatched
roofs, providing work for about 700
thatchers.
Cost is a major reason for the scarcity
of thatched roofs in this country. In Great
Britain, it typically costs as much as
$10,000 to $15,000 to install a new
thatched roof on a single-family house.
Special treatment to meet U.S. fire and
building codes can drive the price even
higher.
There seems to be