Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Daw's End, Hertfordshire
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Daw's End, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photos.
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
Pre-purchase roof survey in Daw's End
The roof is one of the most expensive parts of a home to repair, and one of the hardest for a buyer to see. A pre-purchase roof survey looks at it closely before you’re tied in. We check the coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters, and the roof space where it is safe to get in. You get a written report with photos. If you’ve noticed blistered or split felt on a flat roof and worn or lifted lead flashings, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
In a village or hamlet like Daw's End, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Whether you are buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the coverings down to the gutters, with a note and a photo for each point. You’ll see the good as well as the bad.
- Location
- Daw's End (SG9)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Daw's End
To price your survey, we check:
- The roof’s overall size
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so the price reflects that. You’ll know the figure before booking.
Helping us price your survey
The more you let us know, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, it’s useful to mention:
- When you need the report by
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
We survey roofs on weekdays and at weekends. To find a date that works for you, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
What we’re asked to look at in Daw's End
Viewings rarely include a proper look at the roof. You walk round the rooms, but the roof stays out of sight. New paint on a ceiling can hide old water stains, so a closer look is worth having before you commit.
Look out for signs like these:
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
Around Daw's End, as everywhere, small roof faults are simplest to sort before they let water in.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What the survey won’t cover
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
Daw's End questions
How do I find out if my home in Daw's End is listed?
We cannot confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Will you come out to Daw's End?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
It normally takes about one to two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Report times depend on the package, from the same day for Premium to within 48 hours for Basic.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
Book as soon as your offer is agreed. The report is most useful before exchange, because after that the roof is yours to deal with.
Do you use drones?
Yes, where it is applicable. Flights depend on the weather on the day and airspace rules, including flight restriction zones near airports. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey seven days a week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Let us know which days suit you when booking.
Will you need to get into the loft?
Where possible, yes. We look in the loft space where there is safe access, and views from upper windows help too. Access is typically arranged through the agent or seller.
The survey, step by step
Photographs are taken throughout the visit, so the report shows exactly what we saw. We take close-ups from wherever is safe, including by drone where it’s applicable and the weather allows. A typical visit takes an hour or two on an ordinary house; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. Older rural homes like those around Daw's End can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed ahead of time.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it’s safe.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
How to prepare
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
How to book
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
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Places near Daw's End
More services for Daw's End
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Daw's End: local notes
Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it is listed or in a conservation area. Listed building consent covers changes to a listed building’s special interest, and an Article 4 direction can bring extra controls in a conservation area. Older houses in the South East frequently have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most.
The streets around a church like Church of St George are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Daw's End is in Hertfordshire. We visit Daw's End as part of our work across Hertfordshire. Daw's End is one of the towns and villages in Hertfordshire we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in SG9 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We also cover the places around Daw's End: Anstey (1 mile north), Great Hormead (1 mile south), Wyddial (2 miles west), Brent Pelham (2 miles south-east) and Lower Green (2 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Stevenage (11 miles south-west), Bishop's Stortford (9 miles south-east), Hitchin (13 miles west), Hoddesdon (15 miles south), Hertford (13 miles south-west) and Letchworth (11 miles west).
What’s near Daw's End
We work in homes and buildings around The Blind Fiddler pub. Well-known places in the area include Anstey Hales Farm (0.6 miles north-east). For a walk, there’s Hawkins Wood.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
Why get it checked now?
A mortgage valuation is not a roof survey. It looks at whether the property is suitable security for the loan, not at the condition of each slate and flashing. Our survey is done for you. Matching old materials, such as handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
Every price we give includes VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Why book us in Daw's End
- An independent look at the roof
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- 20+ years’ experience
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
Read what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Daw's End
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf, with the report sent to whoever needs it. Access is agreed with the tenant in advance.
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, putting the urgent items at the top.