Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Cottered
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Cottered, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Cottered
Some roofs can’t be seen well from ground level or from windows. Our Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and, where applicable, a drone inspection, along with a same-day report. If airspace rules or the weather rule out a flight, we’ll say so and inspect from every other safe vantage point. We survey chimney stacks, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and lead flashings and valleys, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are old water stains in the roof space and flashings that have lifted or split.
For a small place like Cottered, the visit is planned like any other: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed beforehand. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them when you book. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Visits can be booked on weekdays and at weekends.
After the visit, you get a report with photographs, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Location
- Cottered (SG9)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey changes by roof type
Clay and concrete tiles
Clay plain tiles are common on older South East homes, and some still have peg tiles. Where pegs have rotted, tiles can slip.
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.
When to book a survey in Cottered
Rear extensions, dormers and garages often have flat roofs. A felt roof frequently lasts around 15 to 20 years, and standing water, blisters and splits are typical signs of ageing. A buyer can easily miss them, especially when they’re only visible from an upper floor.
Typical things we’re asked to look at include:
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
In and around Cottered, as anywhere, a roof is easiest to deal with when its problems are found early.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- What happens after the report arrives
- Whether the price includes VAT
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Whether you get a written report with photos
What we do, step by step
There is not much for you to do on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we’ll take it from there. The survey itself takes an hour or two at most homes, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Somewhere like Cottered needs a little journey planning: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. The roof is looked at from ground level, from windows, from the loft where there is safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you are buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Preparing for the visit
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
Book a survey
To get a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Cottered, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. The address, the type of property and what you need to know help us give you an accurate price.
Related advice
What we cannot see
In fairness, a roof survey has limits:
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll suggest the right survey. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
What you can safely check yourself
A lot can be seen from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
Also in Cottered
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Cottered
If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. 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.
Take an older house close to Parish Church of St John the Baptist: older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Cottered is about 5 miles north-east of Stevenage, in Hertfordshire. From houses to flats and shops in Cottered, the roof can be surveyed on a weekday or at the weekend. We cover towns and villages across Hertfordshire. There is also a page for Chelmsford.
We survey roofs across SG9 for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. Local streets include Peasecroft, The Crescent and Warren Lane. Other places close to Cottered include Throcking (1 mile north-east), Rushden (2 miles north-west), Chipping (2 miles north-east), Buntingford (2 miles east) and Aspenden (2 miles east). Further out, we also cover Stevenage (5 miles south-west), Bishop's Stortford (11 miles south-east), Welwyn Garden City (11 miles south-west), Harpenden (15 miles south-west), Hitchin (8 miles west) and Hoddesdon (13 miles south).
Near you in Cottered
We work in homes and buildings around The Bull Public House. Well-known places in the area include Clothall Castle (3.5 miles north-west). Open spaces near Cottered include Hawkins Wood.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work with less disruption.
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the addresses.
Questions from Cottered
Do you cover Cottered?
Yes, Cottered is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Cottered as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Do you cover smaller places like Cottered?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. Our area covers London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when booking.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
That depends on how much you want to know about the roof. A home survey may recommend further investigation of the roof, and that is where a roof survey helps. It does not stand in for a RICS survey.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It works alongside a home survey.
How long does the survey visit take?
On site, it usually takes roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. 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 inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, including flight restriction zones near airports. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator.