Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Birchanger Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Birchanger from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Flashings that have lifted or split
Practical tips
There’s plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
After you move in, keep the report somewhere safe. Work through the urgent items before anything else, and keep the photos to compare against later. Premium comes with a follow-up after 12 months.
Keep an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Watch for gaps in the pointing, cracked flaunching and loose lead. A pair of binoculars from the garden shows a lot.
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Birchanger
A Basic Survey starts from £150, with the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all including VAT. Standard adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. Premium adds thermal imaging, a drone inspection where applicable and an in-person consultation. Choose the level that suits the home you are buying. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. We’re frequently asked to look into damp timbers or stains in the loft and patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem, across chimney stacks, lead flashings and valleys and gutters and downpipes.
Older buildings in small places like Birchanger may be listed or in a conservation area. If so, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so check with the council before work starts. Whether you’re buying or signing off new roofing, it is worth knowing where you stand. There are about 500,000 listed buildings and around 10,000 conservation areas in England.
If any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You will know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Location
- Birchanger (CM23)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens if roof problems are left?
Without a survey, you are relying on a glance from the pavement. That will not show slipped slates on the rear slope, a worn valley or cracked flaunching. A survey fills that gap before you commit, with photos of anything that needs attention. In a place like Birchanger, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
Every price we give includes VAT. Prices start from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the price for the job before you book.
Why book us in Birchanger
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Prices that include VAT
Take a look at our cost guide or what we found on two real jobs.
Birchanger questions
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Birchanger?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Birchanger?
It depends on the exact address and the weather on the day. Birchanger is inside, or right on the edge of, the flight restriction zone around Stansted Airport. We ask the airport for permission before flying there, and only fly if it is given. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or a downpour.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day, which suits people who work during the week. Let us know your preferred days when you book.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, over more than 20 years, with 98% customer satisfaction.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes. Buyers use the findings to ask questions, ask for repairs before completion or ask for a price change. The outcome is between you and the seller.
How do I arrange a pre-purchase roof survey in Birchanger?
The quickest way is to ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Tell us the address and a little about the roof, and we’ll take it from there. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Birchanger
Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about. About 4.1 miles south-east lies Barrington Hall, a reminder of how long the area around Birchanger has been built on. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead.
If you let a flat or house near Stansted Mountfitchet station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one. If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Church of St Mary, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Birchanger is about 2 miles north-east of Bishop's Stortford, in Hertfordshire. Birchanger gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful look at what can be seen safely, photos and a clear written report. Birchanger is one of the towns and villages in Hertfordshire where we work. For surveys nearby, see our Chelmsford page.
Every address in CM23 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys. We offer pre-purchase roof surveys to properties on Birchwood, Wood Lane and Harrisons and the roads around them. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Bishop's Stortford (2 miles south-west), Great Hallingbury (2 miles south), Thorley Street (3 miles south-west), Thorley (3 miles south-west) and Little Hallingbury (3 miles south). Further out, we also cover Hoddesdon (13 miles south-west), Hertford (13 miles south-west), Ware (11 miles south-west), Broxbourne (13 miles south-west), Sawbridgeworth (5 miles south) and Buntingford (10 miles north-west).
Near you in Birchanger
In Birchanger, that means homes and buildings near Summercroft Primary School and The Three Willows pub. For rail, the closest station is Stansted Mountfitchet station, roughly 1.3 miles north. Nearby you will also find Herts and Essex Hospital (1.4 miles south-west) and Moated mound (3.5 miles west). Open spaces near Birchanger include Portingbury Hills and Rushy Mead.
What we do, step by step
The visit has one job: to see as much of the roof as can be seen safely and record it clearly. Notes and photos go into the written report. The visit typically takes between one and two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Around Birchanger, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it is safe.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- Access to the house and the roof space is agreed in advance.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from ground level and from vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Before we arrive
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Tell us where we can park nearby
Arrange a survey
Booking is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or send us an email, let us know about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.
Advice
Towns and villages near Birchanger
More services for Birchanger
What a survey costs
Survey packages start from £150, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on:
- Which survey package you book
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Roof area
For a price for your roof in Birchanger, phone 07833 053749 or email us and tell us about the roof. We’ll confirm the figure before booking.
What we need to know
Before you get in touch, it helps to have:
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
For a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Birchanger, call 07833 053749 or email us. The address, the type of property and what you need to know help us give you an accurate price.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground.
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry and it will help the survey.
When you need someone else
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll point you to the right survey before booking. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Birchanger
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate