Richard Dray Master Thatcher

This porch is now complete, these little structures can often be slower and trickier than big sections of roof but I do love a challenge 😊

Another week another thatching project 👍
Loving doing this little roof, it's the wonderful customers, it can really make a job☺️

What a busy week but great fun working at a different location every day, 2 some days repairing, surveying and quoting for some lovely people, just what life's about 😊

I've had a wonderful week near Exeter replacing this block ridge on part of this lovely cottage 😊

Today we finished the job on dartmoor 😊
It's been tricky but we're done 😊

Well considering the 4 day weeks and bad weather we're making reasonable progress and only another 4/5 days work to finish hopefully 🙏

We started a new job this week up on Dartmoor, one I had thatched 30yrs ago with my dad.
We've made a decent start over the 4 days and we have the flat window section on the left to do next week,
The granite swimming pool is a beautiful garden feature in this hot weather 😊

Lovely to see it with the scaffolding removed

Looks like we're getting there 👍

I don't know what's happening with our weather but it won't slow us down, nice few days progress 😊

A few days ago we started rethatching this little beauty which my grandad had previously thatched, there getting rare as he died in 1985 but it's lovely to see the old ways of fixing with tar cord eaves and Hazel sways with wire.

This is why I'm not a fan of butt up ridges, once the spars weaken it can slip and water was going in everywhere especially as there was down hill spars all over 🤦‍♂️plus problems on all 5 yes 5 chimneys, the sooner we rethatch this old girl the better 👍

We've had a lovely time in Slapton repairing this beauty, she needed much more love than originally thought but we got to the finish today luckily as the pavement license runs out on Friday 😊

All done up on Dartmoor with this one and what a wet, windy and snowy one it has been but our lovely clients looked after us so not so bad, down to the 'sunny' southhams on Monday for the next project 😍

We've had lots of wasps nests on this job, I find the patterns very beautiful but I've never seen one on the outside hanging like this one!

This week has truly tested us with some nasty weather up on Dartmoor we've had it all high winds, torrential rain and 3 inches of snow this morning 🤦‍♂️
HAPPY EASTER everyone 😊

We've had a great few days this week and this will be up by Friday lunchtime ready for ridging, Holly's enjoying this job too its a dog's life......

What a great end to the week we've had today it's my first day without codeine, my back's improving at last 👍
Looks like the previous thatcher had a sweet tooth, I'm amazed these still have the same wrapper!

Great start this week up on Dartmoor, shame about the rain but we're getting on nicely in reasonable comfort 👍

We had a bird leave us a gift Thursday night, not sure what bird could have passed such a huge log, it's purple as if it's eaten ivy berries, I know owls leave pellets but this is soft and free from bones or fur so not sure who's left it, any ideas?
That's my thumb for size reference, it was 1.5cm across!

Apart from Mondays wash out what a lovely week, we saw 1000's of starlings flying in formation which is a great spectacle.

Had a stroll down the reed beds this morning, they look beautiful with the frost.

I'm currently struggling with a suspected slipped disc in my back which is a real pain as I'm missing being out in this beautiful sunny winter weather.
I did however find this lovely old picture of the cottage at the junction to Lustleigh being thatched which I thought I would share with you 😊

It's reviews like this that make all the hard effort and time given to a project worth while,

Richard is an absolute superstar!
Not only is he super talented, he puts customer satisfaction at the top of his contracts with an infectious personality to boot.
We asked him to thatch our tired cottage having seen his reviews and my, my, he lived up to hype.
From first contact, during the job and tidying up through to confirmation that we were happy with everything (abso flipping lutely we were!), we were treated first class.
We work during the day so he sent us regular pictures of how it progressed which so lovely to see....it was absolutely fascinating to see it all come together.
Working with him was lovely Pete, an equally talented craftsman. A duo not to be missed 😊
The end result is gorgeous, we couldn't be happier.
Word of warning, get in early, he's a sought after man.
Thank you Richard and Pete, you're the best
Jemma and Musa xx

Well that's us for another year and I couldn't of managed it without the help and support of my team, we feel very lucky as we've worked on some great projects and with some lovely people again this year, many thanks to all our wonderful clients for trusting us to make their rooves beautiful once again 😊
Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and a healthy and happy new year 🙏

Today I had a first for me, a roof damaged by cows!!
I've had crows, ducks, squirrels, rats and mice but never cows 😂😂
All sorted and we did a few extra repairs whilst there too 👍

Even though we've had snow and freezing temperatures we've cracked on and we should finish Monday 😊
I have an interesting job next week which is a first for me.........