Hertfordshire · London and the South East
The Folly Gutter Survey
A survey of gutters, valleys, outlets and downpipes in The Folly. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Gutters full of debris and silt
- Overflowing eaves gutters
- Leaks at the gutter joints
Gutter survey in The Folly
Gutters have to slope gently towards the outlet to drain properly. When brackets sag or joints part, water pools, drips and spills over at the low points. We check the line of each run as far as we can see it, along with the brackets and downpipe fixings. Recommendations are written down and prioritised by urgency where relevant. We survey outlets and hoppers, fascias and soffits and downpipes, and people most frequently book us about rotten fascias or stained soffits and dripping or leaking gutter joints.
Village roofs frequently face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are frequently the first to give way.
What you get is a clear record of the gutter on the day we saw it. It is useful straight away, and a good reference for later, for instance when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Location
- The Folly (AL4)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we look for on each type of roof
Plastic (uPVC) gutters
Plastic can become brittle with age and crack. We check joints, brackets and the line of each run.
Aluminium and other metal gutters
On big buildings, one blocked outlet can affect a long run, so we check the outlets carefully.
Places near The Folly
Also in The Folly
For landlords and managing agents
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf, and the report can go to both. Access is agreed with the tenant ahead of time.
With a portfolio of properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
FAQs for The Folly
Will you come out to The Folly?
Yes, The Folly is covered. We survey roofs across London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Is my home in The Folly listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you test soffits or gutters for asbestos?
No, that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor. We point out materials on older buildings that could contain asbestos so you can arrange that check.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but we don’t provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. If one is needed, the report says so.
Are you insured?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
How do I book a survey in The Folly?
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know the address and what you want to find out. We will confirm the price and agree a day with you.
How long does a gutter survey take?
For a house, expect about 1–2 hours on site, and longer for larger or complex roofs.
Why get it checked now?
Our report is a dated record of what we found, which helps when you plan work or brief a contractor. Without one, it’s guesswork from the ground. In a small place like The Folly, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
One thing that affects the price is the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all including VAT. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Why us?
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- Surveys seven days a week
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- PI and public liability insurance
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in The Folly
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. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. Shaw's Corner, about 2 miles north-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around The Folly. If your home is one of the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof.
Take a building like St Helen's Church of England Primary School: long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. For landlords with property near Harpenden station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak. Take an older house close to St Helen's Church: its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
The Folly is about 2 miles east of Harpenden, in Hertfordshire. We survey roofs in The Folly across London and South East England. Our area takes in places right across Hertfordshire, large and small. We also survey roofs in London.
We cover every part of the AL4 postcode area for gutter surveys and the streets around it. Local streets include Folly Fields and Lower Luton Road, and we cover them all. Nearby, we also carry out gutter surveys in Lea Valley (1 mile west), Amwell (1 mile south), Mackerye End (1 mile north-west), Blackmore End (1 mile north) and Batford (1 mile west). Within a short drive, we also cover Watford (11 miles south), Hemel Hempstead (8 miles south-west), Stevenage (8 miles north-east), St Albans (5 miles south), Welwyn Garden City (5 miles east) and Hitchin (9 miles north).
Local landmarks in The Folly
We work in homes and buildings around Sir John Lawes School and The Cherry Trees pub and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Harpenden station, roughly 2 miles west. Other landmarks nearby include St Albans City Hospital (4.2 miles south) and Harpenden Museum (2.2 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Wheathampstead Local Nature Reserve.
Practical tips
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Look for downpipes coming loose
- Don’t leave hidden gutters out of a clear-out
- Look out for overflows when it pours
- Book gutter clearing once a year, more often near trees
If we think the problem lies underground, we’ll say so, so you can arrange a drain survey. Anything else we notice on the roof, as far as we can see it, is noted too.
Have overhanging branches and climbing plants cut back from the roof by someone who can do it safely. Fewer leaves in the gutters means fewer blockages.
The survey, step by step
We will ask a few questions first, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. Then the inspection itself takes about one to two hours for most houses, or half a day or so for a commercial building. Rural addresses near The Folly can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- You tell us where you’ve seen overflows, drips or damp.
- The eaves gutters, downpipes and fascias are checked from ground level and windows.
- We look at hidden gutters as far as safe access allows.
- Where it’s safe, we check the loft for signs of water.
- A photo-illustrated written report and recommendations follows.
Before we arrive
- Find any records of previous roof work
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Getting a price
For a price for gutter surveys in The Folly, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. The address, the type of property and what you need to know help us price the survey accurately.
Read more
What a gutter survey does not cover
A survey is a careful look at the gutter, but it can’t do everything. Its limits include:
- Asbestos testing of old gutters, downpipes or soffits
- Damage hidden inside walls or behind boards
- Blockages deep inside downpipes
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will recommend the right survey before booking. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in The Folly
- Outlets and hoppers
- Parapet and box gutters
- Downpipes
- Valley gutters
- Eaves gutters
- Fascias and soffits