Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Ashwell
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Ashwell, from an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
Ashwell homes and their roofs
Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new. The wider area around Ashwell has a long history of building, with Hinxworth Place about 1.8 miles west. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
If you own a rental within reach of Ashwell & Morden station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Ashwell is about 5 miles north-east of Letchworth, in Hertfordshire. Roofs in Ashwell get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Hertfordshire. Our area takes in places right across Hertfordshire, large and small. Our Milton Keynes page covers surveys nearby.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in SG7 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. That includes homes and businesses on High Street, Station Road and Alms Lane. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Ashwell End (1 mile west), Bury End (2 miles west), Newnham (2 miles south-west), Caldecote (2 miles west) and Hinxworth (2 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover Stevenage (9 miles south), Hitchin (8 miles south-west), Letchworth (5 miles south-west), Letchworth Garden City (5 miles south-west), Stotfold (4 miles south-west) and Baldock (4 miles south).
What’s near Ashwell
Typical jobs here are in homes near Rose And Crown Public House, among other places. Ashwell’s nearest station is Ashwell & Morden station, roughly 2 miles east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Bygrave House (2.2 miles south) and Fairfield Hospital (4.8 miles south-west). The countryside around Ashwell includes Fox Covert.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Ashwell
The best time to book is once your offer has been accepted and before you exchange contracts. At that point you can still ask questions, because nothing is binding yet. Visits run on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when the chain is moving fast. The report comes within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. If you’ve noticed blistered or split felt on a flat roof and a ridge or slope that dips, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Houses in smaller places like Ashwell can stand more in the open than those in a built-up town, so their roofs may take more wind and driving rain. Ridges, verges and flashings are where that weather normally shows first. For a purchase or a new roof, those exposed edges are checked closely. Wind lifts anything already loose, so a small fault on an exposed roof does not stay small for long.
What you get is a clear record of the roof on the day we saw it. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, for instance when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Where
- Ashwell (SG7)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Leave it or get it looked at?
After exchange, any roof defect is yours to deal with. Before then, you can still ask questions, ask for work to be done or reconsider. A survey after you’ve moved in tells you the same things, but with far less room to act on them. In a smaller place like Ashwell, wherever a roof is exposed, a loose ridge or flashing does not stay loose for long. Wind gets under it and lifts more, and water follows.
To find out what your survey will cost, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and a few details. We will confirm the figure before booking.
Why book us in Ashwell
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Packages from £150, with VAT included
- An independent view of the roof
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
See our cost guide or our case studies.
Also near Ashwell
What else we do in Ashwell
Should I look at the roof myself first?
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are frequently out of sight.
Ashwell: your questions answered
Do you carry out roof surveys in Ashwell?
Yes. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and Ashwell is part of that. Just ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know about the property.
Will you come out to Ashwell?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it isn’t a RICS home survey. It complements one rather than replacing it.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys or testing. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, like cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings, and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
Will you need to get into the loft?
Where we can, yes. From the loft space we can see staining, timbers and underlay. If we can’t get in, the report says so.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day, which suits people who work during the week. Just say which days work for you.
Do you use drones?
Where it helps and the rules allow, yes. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
We confirm the price for the job before you book. These are the things that affect it:
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- The size of the roof
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included.
What to tell us when you get in touch
If you can, have these to hand when you get in touch:
- Dates you’re working to, such as exchange
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
Getting a price is simple: just call 07833 053749 or email us, let us know about the property and we will suggest the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
Tips from our surveys
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner:
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
With the findings in hand, you can talk to the seller or their agent. Some buyers ask for repairs before completion, others ask for a change to the price. What happens next is your decision and the seller’s, and we can’t promise any result.
Keep the loft ventilated. Poor ventilation lets condensation build up, wetting timbers and insulation. Avoid packing insulation into the eaves so tightly that air cannot flow.
What happens on the day
We do not take risks to get a closer look. We inspect whatever is safely visible, and anything we cannot see is noted in the report. Most visits take an hour or two at a typical home, or half a day or so for a commercial building. A visit to Ashwell is planned like any other: the time, the access and where to park are agreed beforehand. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. If there are outbuildings or garages you want looked at, mention them.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Preparing for the visit
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Arrange a survey
Most bookings start with a short call: ring 07833 053749 or send us an email. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Related advice
What we’re asked to look at in Ashwell
The fixings and underlay often fail before good slates or tiles do. Good slate can last well over a century, yet the nails holding it rust and let slates slide. That kind of wear is common on older roofs.
It’s worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
For an older house near a landmark like St Mary's Church, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Will the report include photos?
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?