Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Gosmore
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Gosmore from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys.
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Gosmore
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. What the seller agrees to is up to them, but you will be asking from facts rather than guesses. It can also help you decide whether the purchase is still right for you. We survey gutters and downpipes, lead flashings and valleys and flat-roofed extensions and dormers, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are chimney mortar that has eroded and gutters that overflow or drip at the joints.
Older buildings in small places like Gosmore may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials a new roof may use, so check with the council and Historic England’s list. For a buyer or someone with a newly finished roof, it’s worth knowing which applies. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
You receive the findings by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Where
- Gosmore (SG4)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Gosmore?
Buildings put up or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos. Cement roof sheets, soffits and flue pipes are typical places to find it. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys, but we flag materials that might and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before work starts.
Common reasons to book include:
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Old water stains in the loft space
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- A ridge or slope that dips
For landlords with property near Hitchin station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
What to check before booking
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Their insurance cover
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
Nearby places to Gosmore
What else we do in Gosmore
Different roofs, different checks
Flat roofs
Many homes have a flat roof somewhere, frequently over an extension. Felt roofs frequently last around 15 to 20 years, rubber longer and GRP up to about 30. We look for signs of age and failure.
Chimney stacks
Our chimney check is a visual one, not a flue, gas or sweep inspection. If a flue needs testing, we’ll suggest who to ask.
What you can safely check yourself
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
Gosmore questions
Is Gosmore within the area you cover?
Yes. Gosmore is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
How do I find out if my home in Gosmore is listed?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes. You might ask for work to be done, ask questions or ask for a change to the price. What the seller agrees to is their decision.
How do I book a survey in Gosmore?
It’s easiest to phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Let us know the address and a little about the roof. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we are allowed to reach, and the report makes that clear.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
It depends on the roof and how confident you want to be. A home survey may recommend further investigation of the roof, and that’s where a roof survey helps. It isn’t a replacement for a RICS survey.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Where possible, yes. The loft tells us a lot about the roof, and views from upper windows help too. Access is normally arranged through the agent or seller.
What we cannot see
Before booking, it’s worth knowing what a survey won’t do:
- A structural engineer’s report
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will tell you before booking. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
Why get it checked now?
A slow leak can go unnoticed for months. Damp can spread into timbers and ceilings before anyone sees a mark. Spotting it before you buy lets you deal with it as soon as you move in. Outbuildings and barns around Gosmore are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. It’s worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
A Basic Survey starts from £150, including VAT. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400. You’ll know the price for your survey before booking.
What you get with us
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Gosmore: local notes
Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. About 4.7 miles south-east lies Knebworth House, a reminder of how long the area around Gosmore has been built on. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years.
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Ippolyts (church of England), older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Gosmore is about 1 mile south of Hitchin, in Hertfordshire. Anywhere in Gosmore, we can carry out pre-purchase roof surveys at your property. Gosmore is one of the towns and villages in Hertfordshire where we work for pre-purchase roof surveys. You can also see our page for Milton Keynes.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: SG4. We cover properties on London Road, Mill Lane and Orchard Close and the roads around them. We also cover the places around Gosmore: St Ippolyts (1 mile east), St Ibbs (1 mile south-east), Sperberry Hill (1 mile south-east), Charlton (1 mile north-west) and Little Almshoe (1 mile south-east). Larger places within reach include Hemel Hempstead (15 miles south-west), Stevenage (4 miles south-east), St Albans (13 miles south), Welwyn Garden City (10 miles south), Harpenden (9 miles south-west) and Hatfield (12 miles south).
Around Gosmore
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to St Mary's Church, Butts Close and The Bird in Hand pub and the streets around them. Nearby too are Hitchin Girls' School (1.1 miles north) and Kingshott School (0.8 miles north-east). For rail, the closest station is Hitchin station, about 1.5 miles north of the centre. A little further out are North Hertfordshire Museum (1.3 miles north) and Wymondley Castle (1.7 miles east). For a walk, there is Markham's Hill and Purwell Ninesprings.
What happens on the day
You do not need to do much on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we will take it from there. A typical survey 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. Somewhere as small as Gosmore, access is often the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed in advance.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it’s safe.
- You get a photo-illustrated written report and recommendations before you exchange.
How to prepare
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- Tell us where we can park nearby
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Arrange a survey
To book a survey, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. We’ll confirm the price before booking.