Construction Opportunity: Thatcher

Thatcher Current Vacancies

2007-03-06:

Thatchers are skilled craftspeople who roof, re-roof or repair thatched properties.

The preparation of the roof and materials before work starts is vitally important.
The old roof is stripped and timbers are checked, repaired, treated or replaced where necessary before thatching begins.

Thatchers secure bundles of straw or reed to the roof battens using tarred cord or metal hooks fixed to the roof timbers.

They work section by section, starting at the eaves and working up to the ridge.
Thatchers use a range of cutting and fixing tools: shearing hooks, needles, eave-knives, various hooks, hammers and mallets.

Some also grow and harvest their own thatch materials.

Working hours are dependent on available work, but may include early starts, late finishes and weekends.

Hours of work are longer in summer and shorter in the winter, although some thatchers work at night under floodlights.

Thatchers work outdoors in most weather conditions.
Much of the work is done from ladders or scaffolding. Small numbers of thatchers work in Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

There may be some opportunities for qualified thatchers to work on contracts overseas.

There is a lot of competition for thatching work.
Experienced thatchers earn between 17,000 and 22,000.

Conservation regulations often do not allow owners to replace thatch with other materials, therefore the number of thatched properties is reasonably stable. (Permalink)