Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Bull's Green Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Bull's Green, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Get in touch for a price.
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
Pre-purchase roof survey in Bull's Green: what you get
Buying a home is a big commitment, and the roof is one of the costliest parts to put right. A pre-purchase roof survey looks at it closely before you are tied in. We check the slates or tiles, the ridges and valleys, the flashings, the chimneys and the gutters, and the roof space where it is safe to get in. You get a written report with photos. We’re frequently asked to look into sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes and patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem, on gutters and downpipes, natural slate and chimney stacks.
Somewhere as small as Bull's Green, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings frequently sit beside a few newer homes. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
The report records the roof as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, such as when you want to compare after future work.
- Where
- Bull's Green (SG3)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- 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 Bull's Green
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. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
Landlords with a home close to Welwyn North station may find that the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Bull's Green is about 3 miles north-east of Welwyn Garden City, in Hertfordshire. We cover Bull's Green and the rest of Hertfordshire, as part of our work across London and the South East. Bull's Green is one of the towns and villages in Hertfordshire where we work for pre-purchase roof surveys. You can also see our page for London.
Here we cover the SG3 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Whether your property is on Bramfield Road, Burnham Green Road and Coltsfoot Lane or a nearby road, we can survey it. If you’re just outside Bull's Green, we cover Tewin Wood (1 mile south), Burnham Green (1 mile south-west), Datchworth (1 mile north), Harmer Green (1 mile south-west) and Woolmer Green (1 mile north-west). Further out, we also cover Hemel Hempstead (14 miles south-west), Stevenage (5 miles north), St Albans (10 miles south-west), Bishop's Stortford (14 miles east), Welwyn Garden City (3 miles south-west) and Harpenden (8 miles west).
Around Bull's Green
We work in homes and buildings around The Horns Public House and the streets around them. Bull's Green’s nearest station is Welwyn North station, about 1.9 miles south-west. A little further out are Hertford County Hospital (4.2 miles south-east) and Benington Castle (4.2 miles north-east). Open spaces near Bull's Green include Tewin Orchard and Hopkyns Wood.
Nearby places to Bull's Green
More services for Bull's Green
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Bull's Green
Chimneys take the worst of the weather and they’re frequently the least maintained part of a roof. Mortar erodes, the flaunching around the pots cracks and the flashings work loose. On terraced and semi-detached homes, a stack may be shared with next door, which matters if work is needed.
Typical things we’re asked to look at include:
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
Digswell House, about 2.6 miles south-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Bull's Green. When you buy an older home, the roof’s age, past repairs and any listing all affect what you might spend later.
Before you book anyone
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Their track record with similar roofs
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Are they insured for the work?
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
When we price a survey, we consider:
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- Height and safe access
- House, block, shop or office
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so the price reflects that. You will know the figure before booking.
What we need to know
You don’t need to know any roofing terms. It’s enough to let us know:
- The kind of building and roof involved
- What made you get in touch
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
We survey roofs on weekdays and at weekends. To find a date that works for you, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
What happens on the day
A survey visit follows a simple order: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from each safe vantage point, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. Most visits take between one and two hours for most houses, and more on a big or complicated roof. Older roofs in small places like Bull's Green can have low, tight loft spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller.
- The roof is inspected from each safe vantage point, inside and out.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- We email a written report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Check we can get to the back of the property
How to book
Our phone lines are open seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Advice
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
It’s a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. Its limits include:
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- The condition of the rest of the house (that’s a RICS home survey)
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Bull's Green
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
Common questions in Bull's Green
Is my home in Bull's Green listed or in a conservation area?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Do you cover smaller places like Bull's Green?
Yes, Bull's Green is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes, you can. The report sets out what we found, with photos, which you can share with the seller or agent. How the seller responds is up to them.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We do not carry out asbestos surveys or testing. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, like cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before any work.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
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 long does the survey visit take?
It normally takes about 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
It’s your choice, but the two do different jobs. A home survey looks at the whole property, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Ours sits alongside a RICS survey rather than replacing it.
What happens if roof problems are left?
It is tempting to skip the roof to keep a sale moving. We visit on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and a Premium report comes the same day, so it can fit around a tight timetable. Older cottages and farmhouses around Bull's Green can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it’s left.
Every price we give includes VAT. Prices start from £150, including VAT. You will know the exact price before you book.
Why us?
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- A report with photographs
- Prices that include VAT
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or what we found on two real jobs.
Practical tips
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Let us know your timetable
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
If you want quotes for the work, roofers can work from the report. The photos show the defects and where they are, so each quote covers the same ground.
Check the roof from the garden and the street after a storm. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.