Thatched house.... advantages/disadvantages

[Flum]

we are looking to move. my dh point blank refuses to consider thatched but round where we live about 40% of houses are thatched so it does rule alot out.

He states the following (unbacked up by evidence) reasons:

Fire hazard - reasonable
High insurance - not sure this is true
High financial upkeep - reasonable
Difficult to find decent/reliable thatcher

sorry I'm sure this sounds really twee. and I don't really want to live in a thatched cottage just wondered if any of you do.......

If you don't really want to live in one and your DH won't consider one then why bother with them just look a little further a field.

I don't mean I really don't want to. I just mean I don't really mind either way. I really like the area where we live and I guess one of the reasons I like it is that there are lots of 'traditional' village houses. someones got to live in em. I don't think you get as much house for your money in them though.

OK well the first 3 I would agree with, although I susoect the higher insurance would be no more expensive than if you lived in a flood risk area.

The final one is a really stupid one (sorry flums DH) because surely lving in an area with so many thatched roofs most of the neighbours/area will use the same one or two thatchers and will be able to give all the reccomendations you need.

My mum lived in one for years

Fire Hazard - no idea but her place never burned down, neither did any others around

High insurance - I don't belive their insurance was very high, call a couple of house insurance cos and ask

High upkeep - no more so than any other - you can get massive grants for thatching

Difficult blah di blah - rubbish there are plenty

Fire Hazard - no more than any other roof if area below thatch is properly treated and insulated.

High Insurance - specialist possibly but don't think much higher particularly.

High Financial Upkeep - Correctly thatched roofs have a very long life span and need no more upkeep than a slate/tile roof.

Difficulty finding thatcher - if you live in a area with lots of thatch then it shouldn't be a problem. It is a skilled job but there are very good thatchers out there and more of them than you probably think.

they are nightmare

insurance sky high round here also requiring you to rewire your house with specialist wire so as not to cause fire hazard

good insulation but otherwise I wouldnt touch with a bargepole