Roofs and flat roofs
What should you ask if the roof is thatch rather than tile or slate?
Ask which parts of the thatch were visible, when it was last coated or sparred if anyone knows, and what the surveyor could not say about the timbers underneath. Thatch is a covering with its own defects. A comment written as if it were a tiled roof will miss the point.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
A surveyor looks at the coat, the ridge, the eaves and the flashings against chimneys, and at whether the loft, if there is one, shows damp or insect attack in the timbers. They do not strip a course of reed. Fire separation, spark arrestors and insurance conditions are often outside a standard visual comment. RICS does not publish one remaining life for thatch, and this page will not invent one.
If you are choosing the level of survey, a thatched and altered house is a poor fit for the lightest inspection. Ask the firm whether the surveyor actually inspects thatch, and ask your insurer what they want in writing. Those are two different questions. The survey does not bind the insurer.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Do you inspect thatch as part of this instruction, and what will you not comment on?
- What could you see of the ridge, the eaves and the chimney junctions?
- What would a thatcher need to see that you could not see?
What are the typical next steps?
- Tell the insurer you are buying thatch before you rely on a buildings quote.
- Ask the seller for any thatcher’s invoices. They are history, not a warranty, unless the paper says so.
- Do not compare the fee or the findings with a neighbour’s concrete-tile roof. The covering is different.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Does a new ridge mean the whole coat is new?
No. Ridges are often redone while the coat below is older. Ask what was actually renewed.
Will the survey say whether the chimney is safe with thatch around it?
The surveyor can comment on what was visible. A sweep or a specialist may still be needed for the flue. The survey is not a fire certificate.