Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Throcking, Hertfordshire
Get a clear view of the flat roof at a property in Throcking. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Splits, cracks and crazing
- Standing water left after rain
- Loose or cracked edge trims
Flat roof survey in Throcking
A flat roof leak frequently travels before it shows on the ceiling. It may start at a split, a lifted seam or a failed upstand well away from the damp patch. That’s why we check every detail across the roof, not only the area above the stain, and photograph anything that could let water in. Whoever carries out the work then has a clear starting point. We survey upstands and outlets, EPDM rubber and single-ply membranes, and people most often book us about standing water left after rain and blocked or damaged outlets.
Older buildings in small places like Throcking may be listed or in a conservation area, and that can affect how an extension roof or dormer is re-covered. Check with the council before planning any change of material. Finding out what state the roof is in gives you the facts to plan with. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Place
- Throcking (SG9)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Flat roofs in Throcking
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, ideally before any re-roofing is planned. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. Mixed in with those pitched roofs are plenty of flat ones, over rear extensions, dormers, garages and shops.
Anyone responsible for a site like Freman College will know that large flat roofs, common on schools and other public buildings, need their outlets, upstands and coverings checked regularly.
Throcking is about 6 miles north-east of Stevenage, in Hertfordshire. Wherever you are in Throcking, we can come and survey your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Throcking is one of the places in Hertfordshire we cover. We also survey roofs in Chelmsford.
Flat roof surveys in SG9 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Other places close to Throcking include Cottered (1 mile south-west), Chipping (1 mile north-east), Buntingford (2 miles east), Aspenden (2 miles south-east) and Layston (2 miles east). Further out, we also cover Stevenage (6 miles south-west), Bishop's Stortford (11 miles south-east), Welwyn Garden City (12 miles south-west), Hitchin (9 miles west), Hoddesdon (14 miles south) and Hatfield (15 miles south-west).
Around Throcking
A little further out are Clothall Castle (4.1 miles west). Open spaces near Throcking include Hawkins Wood.
What else we do in Throcking
What a flat roof survey doesn’t cover
To be straight with you, a roof survey has limits:
- An exact number of years the roof has left
- Structural calculations, which need a structural engineer
- Testing older roof sheets for asbestos
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll tell you before booking. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Mastic asphalt
- EPDM rubber
- Felt flat roofs
- Single-ply membranes
- GRP fibreglass
- Upstands and outlets
Do you need a flat roof survey in Throcking?
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. People normally call us when a leak appears, before a purchase, or when the roof may be near the end of its life.
Look out for signs like these:
- Leaks around rooflights
- Loose or cracked edge trims
- Blisters and bubbles in the covering
- Standing water left after rain
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Holy Trinity Church, flat-roofed rear additions and dormers added over the years are worth checking.
Questions to ask before booking
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
Questions from Throcking
Is my home in Throcking listed or in a conservation area?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Do you cover smaller places like Throcking?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Do I need to be at home?
It depends on what we need to see. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in, while outside access can be discussed when booking.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. Our survey is not a structural engineer’s report, and it doesn’t include calculations. We will recommend an engineer if we see signs that call for one.
Are you insured?
We’re covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Is a flat roof survey the same as a building survey?
No. We look closely at the flat roof rather than the whole building. It works alongside a RICS home survey, not instead of one, and structural calculations need a structural engineer.
What types of flat roof do you survey?
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 is holding up.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Throcking
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work around your tenants.
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the addresses.
How the survey changes by roof type
GRP fibreglass
GRP roofs can last up to about 30 years when they’re laid well. Cracking where boards meet or where the deck moves is a common early sign of trouble.
Felt and built-up roofs
On felt, the upstands and edge details often fail before the main surface. Every upstand and edge is checked, with photos of any that have lifted or cracked.
Practical tips
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. A few suggestions:
- Ask whoever fits equipment on the roof to make good the covering
- Check the outlets after the leaves fall
- Ask contractors to protect the roof if they work on it
- Keep records of when the roof was laid and what work has been done
After the visit, we write up the report with photos of what we found. It explains the covering, its condition and every defect, and what we recommend. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24 to 48 hours and Premium reports the same day.
Clear leaves and silt from outlets and gutters, above all in autumn. Water that can drain away does far less harm than water that sits.
What we do, step by step
When we arrive, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that is worrying you. We then inspect everything that can safely be seen. Most surveys take an hour or two for most houses, and longer for a large or complex roof. In a hamlet or village like Throcking, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- You send us the address and, for commercial roofs, an idea of the roof’s size.
- Inside, we look for signs of water under the roof where we can reach.
- The roof is inspected from every safe viewpoint, without walking on fragile surfaces.
- Each defect is photographed and its likely cause noted.
- You get a report setting out the condition and our recommendations, in order of urgency.
Before the survey
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
Arrange a survey
To get a price for flat roof surveys in Throcking, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. The address, the type of property and what you’d like to know help us price the survey accurately.