They are the architectural epitome of the English character.
But the thatched cottage, a beloved feature of small villages, is under threat, conservationists warn.
A combination of wet summers, outdated machinery, the war in Ukraine and Brexit has led to skyrocketing costs for straw production.
These factors, combined with the shortage of skilled thatchers, are driving up the cost of thatched roof repairs.
And with re-cladding a small cottage easily costing £30,000, there are fears that residents will have no choice but to replace the roof tiles with more durable slates or tiles.
There are around 60,000 thatched houses in the UK, many of which are listed buildings and require reroofing every 15 to 30 years.
Today there are only around 800 thatchers and 24 farmers in the UK who specialise in reed straw production.
The price of straw imported from abroad has also risen due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Houti rebel attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea.
Chris Dodson, 44, a fourth-generation master thatcher from Cambridgeshire, told The Sunday Times he worked in a team of four and that jobs were booked up three years in advance.
It takes them about nine weeks to complete a job, but some thatchers working alone can take up to six months to reroof a single cottage.
“Thatching is obviously labour intensive, it is a centuries-old process,” said Mr Dodson.
He said it was difficult to quote his clients prices for the work due to the changing global situation and weather.
“This year, after such a wet winter, it’s going to be very stressful,” he added.
Farmer Peter Snell, 45, said about 10 percent of his wheat straw crop had been destroyed by heavy rain this year.
“We’re getting much heavier rain now than we used to,” said Mr Snell, who has 50 hectares of straw on his farm in Horton, Dorset.
‘Probably about 10 percent was almost razed to the ground this month.’
According to Snell, straw prices have risen from £800 a tonne in 2010 to £1,500 this year due to bad weather and the exodus of Eastern European workers since Brexit.
Jenny Chesher, who lives in a three-bedroom listed cottage in Somerset, is one of the homeowners facing uncertainty.
She is expecting a bill of £20,000 for re-thatching her house, which is partly thatched, but her thatcher is unable to give her a price or start date for the work due to the current shortage of thatch.
“Our thatcher is putting off the bigger jobs, including ours, and not giving a start date because of the amount of straw he needs,” she said.
Conservation organisation Historic England recently warned that straw farmers need help to improve the efficiency of old machinery – some of which is 80 years old – and to implement new options to make harvesting faster and less vulnerable to weather and labour shortages if the thatched roofing industry is to survive.
Managing Director Duncan Wilson said: ‘For generations, skilled craftsmen have made their living maintaining thatched buildings, which are a vital part of our beautiful countryside.
‘The reed industry depends on a constant supply of quality materials.
‘We are pushing for measures that will make growers’ work more stable, financially viable and safer.’