Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Frithsden
Find out what’s going on with the roof before you spend money on it. Pre-purchase roof surveys in Frithsden, with photos and a clear written report.
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Blocked or leaking gutters
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Frithsden
If you’re buying a flat, the roof may well be shared. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that is often not the individual flat owner. We inspect what access allows us to see safely, and the report gives you clear points to raise with your solicitor or the managing agent. If the building has a flat roof, we check that too where access allows. We survey natural slate, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and lead flashings and valleys, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are blocked or leaking gutters and gaps where slates or tiles have come loose.
Being in a small place like Frithsden makes no difference to the inspection itself: it just means planning the journey and access beforehand. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them as you book, so the visit can be planned around them. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Visits can be booked on weekdays and at weekends.
Findings are set out part by part, from the coverings down to the gutters, with a note and a photo for each point. It records what’s sound as well as what is not.
- Location
- Frithsden (HP1)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords. Bigger roofs take more time, and they’re priced for the size.
How it works
We photograph the roof as we go, so the report shows exactly what we saw. We take close-ups from wherever is safe, including by drone where it is applicable and the weather allows. Most surveys take about 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. In a hamlet or village like Frithsden, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- 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.
Before we arrive
- Keep pets in another room
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Tell us where we can park nearby
Getting a price
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the details.
Read more
Practical tips
There is plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
It’s worth sharing the report with your solicitor so they can raise enquiries with the seller’s side. Past repairs, re-roofing and any records of that work are all fair questions.
Every so frequently, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Damp patches, daylight through the roof or water stains on timbers are worth noting. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
Frithsden homes and their roofs
Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most.
For landlords with property near Berkhamsted station, it’s worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
Frithsden is about 2 miles north-east of Berkhamsted, in Hertfordshire. We survey roofs in Frithsden and the rest of Hertfordshire. Across Hertfordshire, we cover Frithsden and the places around it. Our Milton Keynes page covers surveys nearby.
We cover every part of HP1 for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. Other places close to Frithsden include Nettleden (1 mile north-east), Potten End (1 mile south), Great Gaddesden (1 mile north-east), Fields End (1 mile south-east) and Ashridge (2 miles north-west). Further out, we also cover Watford (10 miles south-east), Hemel Hempstead (3 miles south-east), St Albans (9 miles east), Welwyn Garden City (14 miles east), Harpenden (8 miles east) and Hatfield (13 miles east).
Local landmarks in Frithsden
Around Frithsden, our work takes us to homes and buildings near John F Kennedy Catholic School. For rail, the closest station is Berkhamsted station, about 1.8 miles south-west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Hawridge Court (4.9 miles south-west) and Hemel Hempstead Hospital (3.1 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Long Deans.
Common questions in Frithsden
Do you carry out roof surveys in Frithsden?
Yes. We work right across London and the South East, and Frithsden is part of that. You can phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and a few details, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Do you cover smaller places like Frithsden?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it is not a RICS home survey. It complements one rather than replacing it.
Does the weather affect the survey?
Light rain does not normally stop a survey, and it can even help show where water is getting in. Heavy rain or strong wind can ground a drone and make the roof unsafe, so we will agree a new date if the weather is not suitable.
Do you go up on the roof?
Where it’s safe, yes. We inspect from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the loft and from the roof itself where safe. The Premium Survey adds a drone inspection where it applies.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, like cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them.
How long does the survey visit take?
On site, it typically takes roughly 1–2 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.
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Frithsden
Asbestos was banned in UK construction in 1999. Cement roof sheets, soffits and flue pipes are typical places to find it. We do not test for it or carry out asbestos surveys, but our report flags materials that could contain it and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before work starts.
We’re frequently asked to look at:
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Church of St Lawrence, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Before booking anyone
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Whether VAT is added on top
- What experience they bring
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney stacks
A leaning stack, cracked flaunching or crumbling pointing can all need work. We note them with photos so you can ask about them.
Flat roofs
Repeated coatings on a flat roof can mask what’s underneath. We record what we can see and say where a closer look is needed.
When you need someone else
A survey is a proper look at the roof, but it can’t do everything. Its limits include:
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks