Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Great Amwell, Hertfordshire
Not sure what state the roof is in? You can book a pre-purchase roof survey in Great Amwell and across Hertfordshire, with plain-English findings.
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
Pre-purchase roof survey in Great Amwell: what you get
A Basic Survey starts from £150, with the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all with VAT included. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check. Premium goes further, with thermal imaging, a drone where it applies and a same-day report. Choose the level that suits the home you’re buying. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. Typical surveys look at gutters choked with leaves and moss and chimney mortar that has eroded, across clay and concrete tiles, gutters and downpipes and chimney stacks.
Older buildings in small places like Great Amwell may be listed or in a conservation area. If so, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so check with the council before work starts. Whether you’re buying or signing off new roofing, it’s worth knowing where you stand. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
What you get is a clear record of the roof on the day we saw it. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later.
- Place
- Great Amwell (SG12)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Different roofs, different checks
Clay and concrete tiles
Clay and concrete tiles commonly last 50 years or more. We check for slipped, cracked and missing tiles, and for mismatched replacements that point to past repairs.
Natural slate
Many older homes in London and South East England have slate roofs. We look for slates that have slid, cracked or gone, plus the metal clips that show earlier patching.
How the survey works
Safety comes first on every visit. Everything that can be seen safely is inspected, and anything we cannot see is noted in the report. The survey normally takes between one and two hours for most houses, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Older rural homes like those around Great Amwell can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. Each part is looked at from wherever it can be seen safely, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- We check the roof from ground level, from windows, from the roof space and from the roof where safe.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
Arrange a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? It is easiest to phone 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will explain the options and the price.
Advice
Great Amwell: your questions answered
Is my home in Great Amwell listed or in a conservation area?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Is Great Amwell within the area you cover?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Does someone need to be in?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the roof space, someone has to give us access.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is often shared, so the freeholder or managing agent needs to agree access. We inspect only the parts we’re allowed to reach.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
It is your choice, but the two do different jobs. A home survey looks at the whole property, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Our survey complements a RICS survey and doesn’t replace one.
When will the report arrive?
That depends on which survey you choose: within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Let us know your exchange date and we will help you choose.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes. You will have photos and a written description of each defect, which you can share with the seller or agent. We cannot promise how the seller will respond.
Nearby places to Great Amwell
Other services in Great Amwell
When to book a survey in Great Amwell
Flat roofs turn up on extensions, dormers, porches and garages. Felt flat roofs often last around 15 to 20 years, and standing water, blisters and splits are typical signs of ageing. They’re easy to overlook on a viewing, because many can only be seen from an upstairs window.
It is worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
If you let a flat or house near St Margarets (Herts) station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Before booking anyone
- What insurance they carry
- What experience they bring
- What follow-up you get after the report
- What the survey will not cover
What you can safely check yourself
A lot can be seen from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
It helps to keep a record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry.
Local roofs and buyers in Great Amwell
Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. The covering on a house you are buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest. What can be done to an older roof may depend on listing or a conservation area. The council is the place to check, along with Historic England’s list, before anyone quotes for re-roofing.
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near Parish Church of St John the Baptist, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Great Amwell is about 1 mile south-east of Ware, in Hertfordshire. Bookings from Great Amwell are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. We cover towns and villages across Hertfordshire, large and small. There is also a page for London.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: SG12. That includes homes and businesses on Church Path, Amwell Hill and Madgeways Lane. Other places close to Great Amwell include St Margarets (1 mile south-east), Hailey (1 mile south), Little Amwell (1 mile south-west), Rush Green (1 mile west) and Stanstead Abbotts (1 mile south-east). Larger places within reach include Stevenage (11 miles north-west), St Albans (14 miles west), Bishop's Stortford (9 miles north-east), Welwyn Garden City (8 miles west), Harpenden (14 miles west) and Hitchin (15 miles north-west).
What’s near Great Amwell
In Great Amwell, that means homes and buildings near Hertford Regional College and Jolly Fisherman Public House, among other places. Great Amwell’s nearest station is St Margarets (Herts) station, roughly 0.9 miles south-east of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Museum of Street Lighting (under half a mile north) and Barrowfield (1.4 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Amwell Quarry.
Why act early in Great Amwell
It is tempting to skip the roof to keep a sale moving. We visit on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and the Premium Survey report arrives the same day, so it can fit around a tight timetable. Older cottages and farmhouses around Great Amwell can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it’s left.
Prices start from £150, including VAT, for a Basic Survey. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400. You’ll know the price for the job before booking.
What you get with us
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- Clear package prices, including VAT
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
For landlords and managing agents
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.
With a portfolio of properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To discuss a number of properties, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.