We are cousins, Richard and Darren Tuck, and we combined our experience and training since the mid 1980’s to launch our own thatching business in 2002.
Local in the true sense of the word, our fathers are Chideock born and bred. We have worked within a 30 mile radius of Chideock for the past 25 years and are following in the footsteps of our great-grandfather, Jim Tuck, who was a thatcher at the beginning of the 20th Century.
We are committed to providing a personal, professional service and will strive to commence to date, endeavouring to ensure customers will be delighted with the outcome. As highly skilled craftsmen and members of the National Association of Master Thatchers, we pride ourselves that every job is carried out individually with the utmost care and dedication.
We are able to undertake all aspects of traditional and modern thatching, believing that moving with the times, as well as respecting tradition, combines to achieve the desired effect as well as the most efficient outcome. We have the experience and skills to provide a whole new roof structure if required, to re-thatch specific elevations or problem areas only, provide new ridges to extend the longevity of the roof, design and build thatched porches, undertake surveys for insurance purposes or just provide an honest opinion to enable financial planning for thatched property owners.
We work in both wheat reed and water reed, using traditional fixing methods of hazel spars as well as more modern fixings direct to the roof structure. Water reed has a longer life expectancy but in the South West many listed buildings are required to be re-thatched using traditional wheat straw. We work in accordance with the Dorset Model which advises on planning requirements as well as fire precautions. Ridges are always undertaken in wheat reed and can be “block pattern” style or traditional “flush” style depending on preference.
This year, for the first time, we have grown some of our own wheat reed. This was grown in Chideock and harvested and combed out using mostly family labour!
Although we have a waiting list, once a quote is accepted we will advise of an estimated month of commencement which will be updated regularly as we believe that communication is essential.
Please contact us for a free, professional no-obligation quote:
telephone:
Richard on (01308) 427989 or 07901702104
Darren on (01297) 489543 or 07765157389
e-mail: enquiries@tuckthatching.co.uk