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
