This English style cottage takes on a modern feel when we incorporate custom gables and eaves, as seen in this before and these after photos. A Premier roof can transform an aging house into an attention-getting custom home. ~Located in Long Island, NY	...Continued from left.	A Thatch(water-reed)roof will last some 70 yrs with only minimal maintenance. However, a ridge made of straw will need to be reworked every 10 to 20 years. Straw thatching for entire roofs has proven far less effective in the U.S. than reed has. The weather, mainly heat and humidity tends to break up the straw.