Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Manuden, Hertfordshire
Flat roof surveys across Manuden, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Pools of water lying on the roof
- Failed upstands where the roof meets a wall
- Edge trims that have lifted or split
How a flat roof survey works in Manuden
Each flat roof is looked at from the safest viewpoints we have: on the roof where it is safe, from windows and higher ground, and from the rooms below where we can reach them. Fragile rooflights and fragile sheets are never walked on. If part of the roof can’t be seen or reached safely, the report says so, so the limits of the survey are clear. If you’ve noticed blisters and bubbles in the covering and upstands pulling away from walls, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
In a village or hamlet like Manuden, flat roofs are normally on extensions, garages, outbuildings or barn conversions. The checks are the same as anywhere: the covering, the edges, the upstands and where water drains away. The journey and access are planned beforehand. Garages and outbuildings are easy to forget, so mention any you want included when you book.
Most points in the report come with a picture, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Where
- Manuden (CM23)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Flat roof surveys around Manuden
If your home is older, it is worth knowing whether it’s listed or in a conservation area before planning roof work. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, and councils can also use Article 4 directions to control changes in conservation areas. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. Flat roofs fill the gaps in between, on extensions, garages, dormers and business premises.
If you let a flat or house near Stansted Mountfitchet station, the flat roof over a let home is worth a look before it becomes a tenant complaint. Take an older house close to Church of St Mary the Virgin: flat-roofed rear additions and dormers added over the years are worth checking.
Manuden is about 4 miles north of Bishop's Stortford, in Hertfordshire. Roofs in Manuden get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Hertfordshire. Manuden is one of the towns and villages in Hertfordshire we cover for flat roof surveys. For surveys nearby, see our Chelmsford page.
Flat roof surveys in CM23 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Streets in the area include The Street, Watts Yard and Mailers Lane, and we cover them all. If you are just outside Manuden, we cover Mount Pleasant (1 mile west), Bentfield Green (1 mile south-east), Uppend (1 mile west), Farnham (2 miles south-west) and Stansted Mountfitchet (2 miles south-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Stevenage (15 miles west), Bishop's Stortford (4 miles south), Hoddesdon (14 miles south-west), Hertford (13 miles south-west), Ware (11 miles south-west) and Broxbourne (14 miles south-west).
Around Manuden
In Manuden, that means homes and buildings near Yew Tree Inn. Manuden’s nearest station is Stansted Mountfitchet station, about 2 miles south-east of the centre. A little further out are Herts and Essex Hospital (3.8 miles south) and House On The Hill Toy Museum (1.9 miles south-east). Not far away are Portingbury Hills and Aubrey Buxton Nature Reserve.
What happens on the day
Once we’ve finished looking, we write up our findings in a report with photos, emailed to you. As for time on site, it normally takes about 1–2 hours for a house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. In a hamlet or village like Manuden, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We start with the address and, on larger roofs, the roof area and access.
- We check the rooms or spaces under the roof for staining where there’s access.
- The roof is inspected from every safe viewpoint, without walking on fragile surfaces.
- We record every defect with a photo and its likely cause.
- You get a report setting out the condition and our recommendations, in order of urgency.
Getting ready for the survey
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
Arrange a survey
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. To book or ask a question, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
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For landlords and managing agents
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed ahead of time. Surveys run on any day of the week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
When you need someone else
Our survey isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Parts of the roof that aren’t safe to walk on or view
- A promise that the roof won’t leak in future
- What’s under the membrane without opening it up
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- Mastic asphalt
- EPDM rubber
- Upstands and outlets
- GRP fibreglass
- Felt flat roofs
- Single-ply membranes
Why act early in Manuden
If you’re buying, find out about the flat roof before you exchange. Once you’ve exchanged, any work on the roof is down to you. Our report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. Around Manuden, older homes often have old roof timbers, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it is left.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
Why us?
- Package prices that include VAT
- Visits on any day of the week
- Every finding written up with photos
- 98% of customers satisfied
See our cost guide and our case studies.
Also near Manuden
What else we do in Manuden
Common roof problems in Manuden
A flat roof lies open to sun, rain and frost, and water drains off it 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:
- Blistering in felt or asphalt
- Loose or cracked edge trims
- Splits and cracks in the covering
- Upstands pulling away from walls
Anyone responsible for a site like Manuden Primary School will know that a large flat roof with a good many outlets and rooflights has many places where a membrane can fail.
Questions to ask before you book
- Whether the price includes VAT
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Which limits apply to the survey
What you can safely check yourself
It’s useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are frequently out of sight.
Questions from Manuden
Do you cover smaller places like Manuden?
Yes. Manuden is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
Do you cover Manuden?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Manuden as anywhere else.
Will you walk on the flat roof?
Where it’s safe, the roof is inspected from the roof itself. Otherwise we use windows, vantage points and the spaces below, and the report says if any part couldn’t be seen. Fragile surfaces are never walked on.
Can you test old roof sheets for asbestos?
We do not test for asbestos. Where a roof has materials that might contain asbestos, such as old cement sheeting, the report flags them so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check them.
Does someone need to be in?
Not always. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
How much does a flat roof survey cost in Manuden?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The final figure depends on the roof and the package you choose, confirmed before anything is booked.
Does the report include photos?
Yes. Photos are part of every report.