Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Ware, Hertfordshire
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings for Ware, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photos.
- Failed seals around rooflight kerbs
- Loose or cracked edge trims
- Dips that suggest the deck is deflecting
Flat roof surveys for homes and businesses in Ware
If the house you’re buying has a flat roof on an extension, dormer or garage, it’s worth knowing its condition before 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 a photo of every defect. That gives you facts to raise with the seller or agent. We survey GRP fibreglass, felt flat roofs and mastic asphalt, and people most often book us about cracked or split membrane and a sagging deck under the covering.
Shops, surgeries, schools and small business units in towns like Ware often have flat roofs. They’re easy to forget until water comes through a ceiling tile, and by then the insulation underneath may be wet. A proper look at outlets, upstands and the membrane itself shows where it stands. Let us know who manages the building so access to the roof can be arranged.
We keep jargon out of it: where something needs attention, it says so plainly, and where it can wait, that’s said too.
- Where
- Ware (SG12, SG9)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips from our surveys
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Ask contractors to protect the roof if they work on it
- Check from a window for ponding after heavy rain
- Check new fixings through the roof are properly sealed
- Never stand on rooflights or fragile sheeting
You can use the report to ask roofers to quote for the same work. Because everyone is pricing the same findings, the quotes are easier to compare. You stay in control of who does the work and when.
Book a survey every few years, and again after new fixings, units or rooflights go in. That catches changes early and builds up a record of the roof.
Towns and villages near Ware
Other services in Ware
Ware: your questions answered
How do I find out if my home in Ware is listed?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Is Ware in the area you cover?
Yes, Ware is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photographs.
How quickly is the report sent?
Each package has its own report time. Basic: within 48 hours. Standard: 24 to 48 hours. Premium: the same day. If you have a deadline, such as an exchange date, tell us as you book.
Does a flat roof survey replace a RICS survey?
No. It is a survey of the flat roof. It isn’t a RICS Level 2 or 3 survey of the whole building, and it is not a structural engineer’s report. Many buyers use it alongside a building survey.
Does someone need to be in?
That depends on the survey. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in, while outside access can be discussed when you book.
What’s the best way to book?
Just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address. We’ll ask a few questions, confirm the price and agree a date.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We survey seven days a week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Tell us which days suit you when booking.
Do you need a flat roof survey in Ware?
The details are frequently where a flat roof lets go first. Upstands, trims, outlets and rooflight kerbs each move and weather in their own way. Where they weren’t finished well, they tend to fail before anything else.
It is worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Ponding water that does not drain away
- Blistering in felt or asphalt
- Outlets that hold water back
- Splits and cracks in the covering
The streets around a church such as Christ Church Ware are often among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, the flat roofs on later extensions tend to wear out long before the main roof.
Questions to ask before booking
- When you’ll get the report
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
Flat and commercial roofs around Ware
Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. Mixed in with those pitched roofs are a good many flat ones, over rear extensions, dormers, garages and shops. If your home is older, it’s 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.
If you look after a building such as Christ Church CofE (VA) Primary School and Nursery, large flat roofs, common on schools and other public buildings, need their outlets, upstands and coverings checked regularly. Landlords with a home close to Ware station may find that flat roofs over rear additions and dormers in rented property are worth checking between tenancies.
Ware is about 7 miles north-west of Harlow, in Hertfordshire. Ware gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful look at what can safely be seen, photos and a clear written report. Across Hertfordshire, we cover Ware. There’s also a page for London.
Flat roof surveys in SG12 and SG9 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Streets in the area include High Street, Station Road and London Road, and we cover them all. Being close to the A10 and A119, Ware is easy for us to reach for flat roof surveys. Other places close to Ware include Thundridge (1 mile north), Cold Christmas (2 miles north-east), Wadesmill (2 miles north), Chapmore End (2 miles north-west) and Tonwell (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Stevenage (9 miles north-west), St Albans (13 miles west), Bishop's Stortford (9 miles north-east), Welwyn Garden City (7 miles west), Harpenden (14 miles west) and Hitchin (14 miles north-west).
Landmarks near Ware
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Hertford Regional College, The Chauncy School and The Albion Public House. There’s a railway station in Ware itself: Ware station. A little further out are Barrowfield (1.2 miles south-west) and Hertford County Hospital (2.8 miles south-west). For a walk, there is King's Meads.
What we do, step by step
Every visit follows the same pattern: we listen to what’s been worrying you, inspect the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. It normally takes an hour or two for a small flat roof at home, and longer for a large commercial one. For a visit in Ware, we need access to the loft, any rooms with leaks or stains, and the outside of the building. Mention gates, side passages and anything at the back. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- First you give us the address, what the roof covers and any leaks you’ve noticed.
- We view the roof from the ground, from windows and from the roof where it is safe to do so.
- The covering, falls, upstands, outlets, edge trims and rooflights are checked and photographed.
- We check the rooms or spaces under the roof for staining where we can reach them.
- You get a report with photos and our recommendations.
Before we arrive
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Book a survey
If you are buying, it’s useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just call 07833 053749 or drop us an email when you are ready.
Advice
Roof by roof
EPDM rubber
EPDM is a synthetic rubber membrane, often laid in a single sheet on smaller roofs. We check the laps, the edges, the corners and any punctures.
Single-ply membranes
Single-ply PVC and TPO membranes are common on commercial roofs and newer buildings. We check the welded laps, the edges, the fixings and any punctures.
Honest limits
Before booking, it is worth knowing what a survey will not do:
- An exact number of years the roof has left
- A structural engineer’s assessment of the deck
- What’s under the membrane without opening it up
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will recommend the right survey before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What this survey covers
- Single-ply membranes
- Upstands and outlets
- GRP fibreglass
- Felt flat roofs
- EPDM rubber
- Mastic asphalt
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work around your tenants.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which helps when tenants work during the week.