Owners of water reed thatched homes on mainland Ireland who want a yearly check, a proper record and a thatcher they can call.
No. The Thatch Care Plan is for water reed thatched roofs only. Mike is a professional water reed thatcher, and the plan does not cover straw or any other thatch material.
The plan is for homes on mainland Ireland. Inspections on offshore islands will incur extra costs for ferries, travel and time. These are quoted separately, so please ask before you join.
More than the visit itself. It covers travel to your home, the inspection, sorting the photos, writing your report and preparing estimates for any recommended work afterwards.
No. It is a visual inspection and condition report by a professional water reed thatcher. Many insurers ask for a thatcher’s inspection, and our report is written to make that easy, but your insurer decides what they accept.
Only you and Mike. Your reports, photos and documents sit in your own private area behind a login. Files are not stored anywhere on the public web.
It helps, so Mike can talk you through what he finds. If you cannot be there, we agree access in advance.
He tells you on the day and confirms it in writing the same day.
No. You choose what goes ahead. Each job in your report comes with an estimated cost at the member rate. Estimates are not fixed prices, and the final cost is confirmed with you before any work starts.
Pay for your year in one go by card or bank transfer. Bank transfer is preferred for repair deposits.
In My Home, under Receipts and invoices. Every receipt and invoice for your plan and for any work on your roof is filed there by year, next to your reports. Only you and Mike can see them.
Yes, when Mike does the work. Any major work by Mike on your water reed roof, whether a new thatch, rethatch, reridge or repair, includes one free year of the Thatch Care Plan, worth up to €1,100 including VAT. The free year covers the yearly inspection, the report, the paperwork and estimates. The free year includes a once-per-year inspection and report. The inspection happens near the end of your free year, about 11 months after the work is completed, just before your 20-day renewal reminder. It does not include any repairs or maintenance work. Estimates are provided for any work recommended.
Your free year works like any plan year and includes a once-per-year inspection. 20 days before it expires, Mike gets in touch with a reminder email and an easy link to renew for a paid year. There is no obligation and no automatic renewal, so if you do nothing, the plan simply ends.
At the moment plans are paid once for the year, by card or bank transfer. If you need to talk about another arrangement, email care@thatchingireland.com.
Our yearly rates are reviewed each January in line with the Irish CSO Consumer Price Index (CPI). The current rates and the date of the last review are shown on the Pricing page, and members get at least 30 days’ notice of any change. Your price stays the same for the year you have signed up for.
Yes. You have 14 days to change your mind after joining. Every plan lasts one year and then expires, with no automatic renewal, so there is nothing to cancel at the end. 20 days before it ends you get a reminder email and choose whether to sign up for another year. For refunds after a visit is booked, see the terms.
The rest of your current plan year can transfer to the new owner free of charge. A thatched home with a record of yearly care and a plan already in place is a real selling point. Your record of care can be passed on to the buyer too, at your request.
Many owners can. The Department of Housing runs a Thatching Grant and a Historic Thatch Grant. Our planning pack helps you prepare an application.
Still wondering? Ask us at care@thatchingireland.com.
