Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Garston Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Garston. We have completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
Practical tips
Most of what helps is simple and safe from ground level. Our suggestions:
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- Ask the agent to check the loft hatch can be opened
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
With the findings in hand, you can talk to the seller or their agent. Some buyers ask for repairs before completion, others ask for a change to the price. The outcome is between you and the seller.
Look in the loft now and then, with care and a good torch. Damp patches, daylight through the roof or water stains on timbers are worth noting. Take photos so you can show whoever looks at it.
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Garston
With a written roof report, you can go back to the seller or agent with specifics. You can ask about the roof’s history, ask for repairs before completion or rethink the price. We cannot say how a seller will respond, but you’ll be asking from facts rather than guesses. It also helps you decide whether to go ahead at all. We survey clay and concrete tiles, lead flashings and valleys and chimney stacks, and people most often book us about old water stains in the roof space and sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes.
Smaller places like Garston frequently have bungalows and cottages as well as houses, many of them extended or given dormers over the years. Low roofs are easier to see from ground level, but dormer cheeks, valleys and flat-roofed additions still need close attention. The same goes for a purchase or a new roof around Garston. Snags and wear both tend to show at dormer lead work and along flat-roof edges.
You receive the findings by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Place
- Garston (WD25, WD24, AL2)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
After the inspection, everything we found is written up in a report with photographs, sent to you by email. On timing, it normally takes about 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Parking around Garston is usually easier than in a town centre, but mention lanes, gates or long drives. On bungalows and lower roofs, much can be seen from ground level, with the loft showing the underside, while taller roofs may need other vantage points or the drone where it applies.
- You book once your offer is accepted and let us know the address and your timetable.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it is safe.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
How to book
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply call 07833 053749 or use the contact form whenever suits you.
Read more
Garston: your questions answered
Will you come out to Garston?
Yes, Garston is covered. We survey roofs across London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned ahead of time.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Garston?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
Where it is 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 applicable.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Some surveys depend on the weather more than others. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. If the conditions are not right, we will talk to you about another date.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
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.
How quickly will I get the report?
That depends on which survey you choose: within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Tell us your exchange date and we will help you choose.
Does someone need to be in?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the roof space, someone has to give us access; we’ll agree the details when booking.
When to book a survey in Garston
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:
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Stanborough Park Church, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
What to check before booking
- Is VAT included in the price?
- What they will not be able to tell you
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Their track record with similar roofs
What we can’t see
In fairness, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll point you to the right survey before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
What else we do in Garston
What you can safely check yourself
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
What we look for on each type of roof
Natural slate
On a slate roof, the underlay may be old bitumen felt, or there may be none at all on very old roofs. Where we can see it from the loft, we say what condition it is in.
Flat roofs
Flat roofs on extensions, dormers and garages are easy to forget about. Felt often lasts around 15 to 20 years, EPDM rubber 30 to 50 and GRP up to about 30. We look for signs of age and failure.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Garston: local notes
High Elms Manor, about 1 mile north-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Garston. If your home is one of the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones 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.
Landlords with a home close to Garston station may find that it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
Garston is about 2 miles north of Watford, in Hertfordshire. Roofs in Garston get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Hertfordshire. We cover towns and villages across Hertfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. There is also a page for London.
Every address in WD25, WD24 and AL2 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. You’ll find streets like First Avenue, Third Avenue and Fifth Avenue. Close by, we survey roofs in Meriden (1 mile south), Leavesden (1 mile north-west), North Watford (1 mile south), Aldenham (2 miles south-east) and Watford (2 miles south). Larger places within reach include Hemel Hempstead (6 miles north-west), St Albans (5 miles north-east), Welwyn Garden City (11 miles north-east), Harpenden (9 miles north), Cheshunt (14 miles east) and Hatfield (8 miles north-east).
Local landmarks in Garston
Typical jobs here are in homes near Francis Combe Academy and Garston Park, among other places. There’s a railway station in Garston itself: Garston station. Well-known places in the area include Leavesden Hospital (1.4 miles north-west) and Charter Place (2.3 miles south). Not far away are Longspring Wood and Verulamium Lake.