Greater London · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Arnos Grove
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Arnos Grove, with a written report you can act on. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Flashings that have lifted or split
What affects the price in Arnos Grove
Prices vary from roof to roof, for these reasons:
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so they’re priced to match. You will know the figure before booking.
What we need to know
The more you tell us, the easier it is to price the survey. When you get in touch, it helps to mention:
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
- The address and postcode of the property
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- The kind of building and roof involved
Unsure which package suits your roof? It is easiest to call 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We’ll explain the options and the price.
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Arnos Grove
Many older houses carry decades of roof repairs. Slates slip when their nails corrode, lead valleys and flashings wear, and chimney pointing crumbles. Most of it can’t be seen from the street. We look closely and record what we see, with photos so you can see it for yourself. We explain each finding in plain English, so you know what it means for the house you are buying. Typical surveys look at quick fixes on flashings and valleys and flashings that have lifted or split, across natural slate, the roof space and chimney stacks.
Many London homes have been converted into flats, extended at the back or given a loft conversion with a dormer. Every alteration brings new junctions, flashings and flat-roof areas to look at. If you are buying a flat or house in Arnos Grove, or have just had new roofing work done, those junctions are often where problems start. Dormer cheeks, lead work and new flat roofs are worth checking closely, as faults there are easy to miss.
Findings are set out part by part, from the coverings down to the gutters. You will see the good as well as the bad.
- Where
- Arnos Grove (N11, N14, N13)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Buying a home or a new roof in Arnos Grove
Outer London has plenty of Victorian and Edwardian terraces with slate roofs, but also a great many interwar semis, often with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles. If your home in Arnos Grove is one of them, bay roofs, hips and later dormers each have their own details. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new. Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
With Bruce Castle about 2.6 miles south-east, the area around Arnos Grove has a long history. Older homes in the area can come with listed status or conservation area rules, which affect re-roofing, so check with the council before you buy. As a London address, Arnos Grove can be tricky for parking: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day easier, as a space near the door can’t be promised. The streets around a church such as Syro-Malabar Catholic Church of London are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Arnos Grove is about 3 miles north-east of Finchley, in Greater London. Roofs in Arnos Grove get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Greater London. We cover towns and villages across Greater London, large and small. There’s also a page for London.
Surveys in N11, N14 and N13 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Streets in the area include Oak Lane, High Road and York Road. You will find Arnos Grove on the A109 and A1004, so it is easy for us to get to. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include New Southgate (1 mile west), Bounds Green (1 mile south), Southgate (1 mile north), Palmers Green (1 mile east) and Oakthorpe Park (1 mile east). Further out, we also cover London (8 miles south), City of Westminster (7 miles south), Marylebone (7 miles south), Kensington (9 miles south), St Pancras (6 miles south) and Shoreditch (7 miles south).
What’s near Arnos Grove
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Ranelagh pub, Broomfield School and Broomfield Park, among other places. For rail, the closest station is New Southgate station, about 0.6 miles west. Other landmarks nearby include Broomfield House Museum (0.5 miles east) and The Mall Wood Green (1.7 miles south-east). For a walk, there’s Highgate Hill and Darland's Lake.
Before and after the survey
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Request records of any re-roofing
- Check we will be able to get into the roof space
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
Once the home is yours, the report becomes a maintenance list. Deal with the urgent items first, and keep the photographs to compare against later. Premium comes with a follow-up after 12 months.
Every so frequently, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Watch for stains, damp timbers and chinks of daylight. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
Can I check my roof myself?
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level.
It’s useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
Why get it checked now?
Plenty of buyers go ahead anyway, but with their eyes open. The report shows what needs doing first, so you can plan work before small faults get bigger. Work on a London roof is rarely simple to arrange, with parking, neighbours and access all to think about. Knowing what’s needed early gives you time to plan it calmly, rather than in a rush after a leak.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
What you get with us
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Packages from £150, with VAT included
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
Read our cost guide or our case studies.
Roof by roof
Clay and concrete tiles
Many post-war houses have concrete interlocking tiles. They wear slowly, but surfaces erode and edges crack, and low-pitched roofs need their laps to be right.
Gutters and parapets
Some older terraces have a butterfly roof with a central valley gutter. If the home you are buying has one, that gutter and its outlet get a careful look.
What happens on the day
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. In Arnos Grove, as in much of London, lots of properties are flats or terraces without side access, so rear slopes are viewed from windows, the loft or, where a flight is allowed, by drone. If the building has a managing agent or access rules, tell us when you book.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- Access to the house and the roof space is agreed beforehand.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it is safe.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.
Before we arrive
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
How to book
A quick phone call is typically the easiest start: phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. You will have a price before anything is arranged.
Read more
Nearby places to Arnos Grove
What else we do in Arnos Grove
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Arnos Grove
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Arnos Grove?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
Can parking be tricky for a visit in Arnos Grove?
Sometimes, yes. Where there are permit zones, a visitor permit or nearby pay-and-display bay works well, and a driveway is even better.
How experienced are you?
We’ve been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have completed over 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
How do I arrange a pre-purchase roof survey in Arnos Grove?
Just ring 07833 053749 or send us an email. We will ask a few questions, confirm the price and agree a date, weekday or weekend.
When will the report arrive?
It depends on the package: within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Tell us your exchange date and we’ll help you choose.
Do you need access inside the house?
Where possible, yes. The loft tells us a lot about the roof, and upstairs windows give useful views. The agent or seller can arrange entry.
Do you work in Arnos Grove?
Yes. We survey roofs across London and South East England, and that includes Arnos Grove.