Essex · London and the South East
Start Hill New Roof Snagging
We take a careful look at the new roof at your property in Start Hill, and put it all in a photo-illustrated written report.
- Cracked lower roofs or marked walls after the work
- Flashings not properly dressed or fixed
- Vents that weren’t fitted or are covered
About our new roof snagging in Start Hill
We carry out new roof snagging in Start Hill and across London and South East England. A visit normally takes roughly 1–2 hours at most homes, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. We inspect as far as it is safe to see including by drone where it applies. You then get a photo-illustrated written report. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. We are frequently asked to look into untidy or loose verge details and signs of condensation in the roof space, on ridges and verges, new flat roofs and replacement roofs.
Somewhere as small as Start Hill, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings frequently sit beside a few newer homes. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
After the visit, you get a photo-illustrated written report, sent by email. It explains the condition of the new roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Where
- Start Hill (CM22)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Local roofs and buyers in Start Hill
With Barrington Hall about 2.8 miles south-east, Start Hill sits in an area with a long building history. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Clay tiles and timber weatherboarding mark out many of the older buildings in Essex, and plenty of post-war and modern estates besides. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most.
Start Hill is about 2 miles east of Bishop's Stortford, in Essex. Surveys in Start Hill work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Start Hill is one of the towns and villages in Essex where we work. You can also see our page for Chelmsford.
All of CM22 is within our area for new roof snagging. Streets in the area include Start Hill and Provenance Close. If you are just outside Start Hill, we cover Bedlar's Green (1 mile south), Takeley Street (2 miles east), Burton End (2 miles north), Takeley (2 miles east) and Smith's Green (3 miles east). We also work in nearby towns like Chelmsford (15 miles south-east), Braintree (15 miles east), Harlow (8 miles south-west), Saffron Walden (11 miles north), Waltham Abbey (15 miles south-west) and Great Dunmow (6 miles east).
Local landmarks in Start Hill
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Three Willows pub. For rail, the closest station is Bishops Stortford station, about 1.9 miles west of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find House On The Hill Toy Museum (2.4 miles north) and Moated mound (4.5 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Portingbury Hills and Rushy Mead.
Different roofs, different checks
Valleys
Lead or other valley linings should be laid and lapped neatly as far as safe access allows.
Underlay and ventilation
Roof ventilation reduces the risk of condensation. We check for vents where they’ve been fitted.
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. Other limits to bear in mind:
- How the roof will perform for years to come
- Repair costs for putting snags right
- Areas out of view from every safe vantage point
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will tell you before you book. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Start Hill
- Flashings and valleys
- Ridges and verges
- Replacement roofs
- Loft conversions and dormers
- New-build homes
- New flat roofs
Before and after the survey
Nothing here needs a ladder. A few suggestions:
- Keep the contract and invoices together
- Walk round the house to look for knock-on damage
- Agree snagging with your roofer at the start
- Watch for gutters overflowing in rain
Once the snags have been dealt with, keep the report with your roof paperwork. It’s a dated record of the roof at handover.
Tell your roofer at the start that the work will be inspected. It sets clear expectations and time is set aside for snags.
DIY checks: what’s safe
You can learn a lot from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry.
How the survey works
The aim of the visit is simple: to see as much of the new roof as can be seen safely and record it clearly. Notes and photos go into the written report. It usually takes between one and two hours for a typical new house roof, longer where the roof is large or complicated. Rural addresses near Start Hill can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We ask what work was done and when it was finished.
- The coverings, ridges, hips and verges are checked as far as can be seen safely.
- Valleys, flashings, gutters and the underlay at the eaves are looked at.
- Where it’s safe, we check the loft, then look for debris or damage left behind.
- We send a photo-illustrated written report of each snag.
How to prepare
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
Getting a price
Getting a price is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and give us a few details about the property and we will suggest the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Advice
Signs you need new roof snagging in Start Hill
Many people book because something does not look right. Others just want an independent check before paying before the job is closed.
People usually book a survey when they’ve noticed one of these:
- Untidy or loose verge details
- Debris left in gutters or valleys
- Signs of condensation in the roof space
- Loose or badly finished ridge tiles
If you let a flat or house near Bishops Stortford station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Before you book anyone
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Is VAT included in the price?
FAQs for Start Hill
Is Start Hill in the area you cover?
Yes, Start Hill is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Start Hill as anywhere else.
Do you cover smaller places like Start Hill?
Yes, Start Hill is covered. We work right across London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys or testing. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before any work.
What do you check on a new roof?
All the parts of the roof we can see safely, from the ridge and verges down to the eaves and gutters. We look in the loft where it’s safe and check for damage left by the job.
What insurance do you have?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
Do you use drones?
Where it helps and the rules allow, yes. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
What’s the price of a snagging inspection?
New roof snagging starts from £150, including VAT. The price depends on the size of the roof and the access. To get a price, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.