Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Cottered Flat Roof Survey
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings across Cottered, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Get in touch for a price.
- Outlets choked with leaves and silt
- Edge trims that have lifted or split
- Pools of water lying on the roof
Flat roof surveys for homes and businesses in Cottered
Buying a home with a flat-roofed extension, dormer or garage? It helps to know that roof’s condition before you exchange. Many felt roofs need renewing after around 15 to 20 years, and EPDM and GRP often go on for longer. We set out the type of covering, its condition and the defects we found, with photos of each. That gives you facts to raise with the seller or agent. Typical surveys look at leaks around rooflights and upstands pulling away from walls, on GRP fibreglass, upstands and outlets and single-ply membranes.
Somewhere as small as Cottered, flat roofs tend to be on extensions, garages and converted outbuildings. The checks are the same as anywhere: the covering, the edges, the upstands and where water drains away. We simply plan the journey and access in advance. Garages and outbuildings are easy to forget, so mention any you want included as you book.
After the visit, you get a report with photos, sent by email. It sets out the condition of the flat roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Where
- Cottered (SG9)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Honest limits
Before you book, it is worth knowing what a survey won’t do:
- Asbestos testing, which needs a specialist asbestos surveyor
- Parts of the roof that aren’t safe to walk on or view
- What’s under the membrane without opening it up
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Mastic asphalt
- Felt flat roofs
- GRP fibreglass
- Upstands and outlets
- Single-ply membranes
- EPDM rubber
Other services in Cottered
Surveys for landlords and agents in Cottered
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work around your tenants.
How the survey works
Every visit follows the same pattern: we listen to what’s been worrying you, inspect the roof from every safe viewpoint, take photos as we go and record our findings for the written report. It normally takes about 1–2 hours for most houses, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Older rural homes like those around Cottered can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- You let us know about the roof, its covering if you know it, and any leaks.
- We check the roof from wherever it can safely be seen.
- The covering, falls, upstands, outlets, edge trims and rooflights are checked and photographed.
- Inside, we look for damp and staining under the roof where there’s access.
- You get a report with photos and our recommendations.
Before the survey
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Getting a price
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Advice
Cottered questions
Will you come out to Cottered?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when booking.
Is my home in Cottered listed or in a conservation area?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Can you find where water is getting through my flat roof?
We check the covering and every detail where leaks commonly start, recording anything that could let water through. Where the source is not obvious, a roof leak investigation or electronic leak detection may be the next step.
Do you check flat roofs for asbestos?
Our survey does not include asbestos testing. Older buildings, from before 2000, may have asbestos in cement sheets or soffits. Anything that might contain it is flagged, so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check before work starts.
Will you walk on the flat roof?
Only where it’s safe to do so. If not, we use safe viewpoints and look inside, and we note any area we couldn’t see. Fragile surfaces are never walked on.
Can you tell me how long my flat roof will last?
There is no honest way to give an exact number of years. Typical ranges are around 15 to 20 years for felt, 30 to 50 for EPDM and up to about 30 for GRP, but the report tells you how your roof is really doing.
Should I worry about standing water on my flat roof?
Standing water on a flat roof deserves a closer look. It often means a blocked outlet, poor falls or a dipping deck, and it wears the covering faster. Our survey notes the ponding and what seems to be causing it.
Local flat roofs in Cottered
Listing and conservation areas can both shape what roof work is allowed on an older home. The council is the place to check, along with Historic England’s list, before anyone quotes for re-roofing. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Next to the main roofs there is normally a flat roof somewhere, whether on an extension, a garage or a commercial unit.
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Parish Church of St John the Baptist, flat-roofed rear additions and dormers added over the years are worth checking.
Cottered is about 5 miles north-east of Stevenage, in Hertfordshire. Bookings from Cottered are handled just like any other: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Cottered is one of the places in Hertfordshire where we work. There is also a page for Chelmsford.
Flat roof surveys in SG9 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Local streets include Peasecroft, The Crescent and Warren Lane, and we cover them all. Close by, we survey roofs in Throcking (1 mile north-east), Rushden (2 miles north-west), Chipping (2 miles north-east), Buntingford (2 miles east) and Aspenden (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Stevenage (5 miles south-west), Bishop's Stortford (11 miles south-east), Welwyn Garden City (11 miles south-west), Harpenden (15 miles south-west), Hitchin (8 miles west) and Hoddesdon (13 miles south).
Around Cottered
Around Cottered, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Bull Public House and the streets around them. Other landmarks nearby include Clothall Castle (3.5 miles north-west). Not far away are Hawkins Wood.
What affects the price in Cottered
Prices vary from roof to roof, for these reasons:
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- How big the roof is
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where applicable, from £400 including VAT. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
What we need to know
Before you get in touch, it is useful to have:
- Any deadline, like an exchange date
- What’s prompted the survey
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- The address and postcode of the property
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from ground level or a window, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To send them or to book, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground.
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us as you book and it will help the survey.
What we are asked to look at in Cottered
Flat roofs take the full force of the weather on a surface that drains slowly. In time, the covering dries out, cracks and loosens at its edges and laps. Most people book a survey after a leak, before buying, or when they think the roof is getting old.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Blisters and bubbles in the covering
- A sagging deck under the covering
- Ponding water that does not drain away
- Edge trims that have lifted or split
Anyone responsible for a site like Freman College will know that a large flat roof with plenty of outlets and rooflights has many places where a membrane can fail.
What to check before booking
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Their report turnaround times
- Are they insured for the work?