Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Northaw, Hertfordshire
We take a careful look at the flat roof at your property in Northaw, with photos and a written report.
- Blistering in felt or asphalt
- Pools of water lying on the roof
- Leaks around rooflights
What we look for on each type of roof
Mastic asphalt
Mastic asphalt is a heavy, seamless covering often found on older blocks, balconies and commercial roofs. The survey checks for crazing, cracking, blistering and splits where the asphalt turns up the walls.
Rooflights and upstands
Where a flat roof meets a wall, the upstand has to stay sealed as the building moves. We check for splits, gaps and loose flashings above the upstand.
Flat roof surveys for homes and businesses in Northaw
Our flat roof survey checks the waterproof covering and every detail around it, from edges and upstands to outlets and rooflights. Felt, asphalt, EPDM, GRP and single-ply PVC or TPO roofs are all part of the work. We survey extension, garage and dormer roofs as well as bigger roofs on flats, offices and units. You get a written report with photos and our recommendations. We survey GRP fibreglass, single-ply membranes and felt flat roofs, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are damaged trims at the roof edge and splits, cracks and crazing.
In a small place like Northaw, a flat roof can stand in the open, which is hard on edges, upstands and joins in the covering. Felt roofs, which frequently last around 15–20 years, typically show it first. Rubber and GRP last longer, though trims and joints still need a look. On an exposed roof, the edges tend to go first.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent, whichever applies.
- Place
- Northaw (EN6)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Common roof problems in Northaw
Buyers frequently book after their home survey suggests a closer look at a flat roof. Owners and managing agents use a survey to plan upkeep, or ahead of a sale or a new lease. In each case, the report gives a written, photographed record of the roof’s condition.
Typical things we are asked to look at include:
- Damaged trims at the roof edge
- Raised blisters across the surface
- Pools of water lying on the roof
- Splits and cracks in the covering
Landlords with a home close to Cuffley station may find that a flat roof over a rented flat is easy to forget until the tenant reports a leak.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What happens after the report arrives
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- How soon the report will arrive
- Whether the price includes VAT
Before and after the survey
You don’t need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Ask contractors to protect the roof if they work on it
- Note where water lies after a downpour
- Watch the ceilings below the flat roof for stains
- Check that new brackets or units haven’t damaged the covering
If anything in the report isn’t clear, just ask us. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation, so you can talk the findings through.
Keep outlets, gutters and hoppers clear, particularly after the leaves fall. A flat roof that drains well wears much more slowly.
When you need someone else
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so there are some things a survey can’t cover:
- Asbestos testing, which needs a specialist asbestos surveyor
- Parts of the roof that aren’t safe to walk on or view
- A fixed date for when the roof will need replacing
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll point you to the right survey before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- GRP fibreglass
- EPDM rubber
- Mastic asphalt
- Felt flat roofs
- Single-ply membranes
- Upstands and outlets
Northaw: your questions answered
Will you come out to Northaw?
Yes, Northaw is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Is Northaw in the area you cover?
Yes. We work right across London and South East England, and Northaw is part of that. Just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and tell us about the property, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. Our survey isn’t a structural engineer’s report, and it does not include calculations. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we will recommend one.
Can you survey any kind of flat roof?
Felt, mastic asphalt, EPDM rubber, GRP fibreglass and single-ply membranes are all part of the work. We record what the covering is and how it’s holding up.
Will you walk on the flat roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. Otherwise we use windows, vantage points and the spaces below, and the report says if any part couldn’t be seen. We do not walk on fragile rooflights or sheeting.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we are allowed to reach.
Can you survey a flat roof on an office or unit?
Yes. Commercial and residential flat roofs are both covered. Expect about 3 to 4 hours on site for most commercial roofs, with larger roofs quoted on their size.
Why get it checked now?
Most flat roofs are out of sight, so they’re easy to forget. Many owners only find out a roof is worn out when water comes through. Regular surveys mean it won’t come as a surprise. Older and listed buildings around Northaw may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so leaving a defect until it’s urgent leaves less time to plan.
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Prices start from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Northaw
- An independent look at the roof
- A report with photographs
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or what we found on two real jobs.
How it works
After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a written report with photographs. On timing, it normally takes an hour or two for an extension, garage or dormer roof, and around 3–4 hours for a commercial flat roof. Somewhere as small as Northaw, access is frequently the only tricky part. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- We start with the address and, on larger roofs, the roof area and access.
- Inside, we look for signs of water under the roof where we can reach.
- We view the roof from safe positions and never walk on fragile surfaces.
- We record every defect with a photo and its likely cause.
- The report explains the condition and recommends what to do first.
Before we arrive
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Check pets are kept safely away
Book a survey
A quick phone call is typically the easiest start: phone 07833 053749 or email us. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Related advice
What else we do in Northaw
Flat roof surveys in Northaw: local notes
The wider area around Northaw has a long history of building, with Wyllyotts Manor about 2.1 miles west. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Next to the main roofs there is usually a flat roof somewhere, whether on an extension, a garage or a commercial unit.
For site and facilities teams at buildings like Northaw Church of England Primary School, a large flat roof with lots of outlets and rooflights has many places where a membrane can fail. If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Parish Church of St Thomas A Becket, later flat-roofed additions are common on older houses, and their edges and upstands often show the first signs of wear.
Northaw is about 2 miles north-east of Potters Bar, in Hertfordshire. If you’re in Northaw, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Across Hertfordshire, we cover Northaw and the places around it. London is in our area too.
Postcode districts we cover here for flat roof surveys: EN6. If you need a flat roof survey at a property on Vineyards Road, Church Lane and Northaw Road West or a nearby road, we can survey it. If you are just outside Northaw, we cover Cuffley (1 mile east), Brookmans Park (2 miles north-west), Newgate Street (2 miles north-east), Bell Bar (2 miles north-west) and Little Berkhamsted (3 miles north). We also work in nearby towns such as Watford (11 miles west), Hemel Hempstead (14 miles west), Stevenage (14 miles north), St Albans (8 miles west), Welwyn Garden City (7 miles north) and Harpenden (12 miles north-west).
Landmarks near Northaw
Typical jobs here are in homes near Two Brewers Public House and Mount Grace School. For rail, the closest station is Cuffley station, roughly 1.6 miles east. A little further out are Potters Bar Museum (2.1 miles west) and Chase Farm Hospital (3.3 miles south-east). Not far away are Fir and Pond Woods.