Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Ickleford
Know where you stand with the roof before you decide what to do next. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Ickleford.
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Flashings that have lifted or split
What we can’t see
No survey can tell you everything, and we’d rather be clear about that before booking. Bear these in mind:
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Ickleford
Buyers in Ickleford and right across London and South East England use our pre-purchase roof survey. Whether it’s a terrace, a semi, a detached house or a flat, we follow the same careful process. We tell you what’s sound, what needs attention and how urgent it is. We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and have 20+ years’ experience. To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or email us. We survey gutters and downpipes, the roof space and lead flashings and valleys, and people most often book us about gutters that overflow or drip at the joints and worn or lifted lead flashings.
For a small place like Ickleford, the visit is planned like any other: it just means planning the journey and access beforehand. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them as you book. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
It isn’t only a list of defects. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, so you can plan your next steps.
- Where
- Ickleford (SG5)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
The survey, step by step
Once we’ve finished looking, we write up our findings as a photo-illustrated written report, emailed to you. As for time on site, it typically takes between one and two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Around Ickleford, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it is useful to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it’s safe.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you are buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
How to prepare
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
Getting a price
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
More services for Ickleford
Ickleford homes and their roofs
If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. Whether you’re buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds.
If you let a flat or house near Hitchin station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in. The streets around a church like Church of St Katharine are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Ickleford is about 2 miles north of Hitchin, in Hertfordshire. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Ickleford can all book pre-purchase roof surveys, with a written report and photographs every time. Ickleford is one of the places in Hertfordshire we cover. Our Milton Keynes page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in SG5 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Local streets include Greenfield Lane, Boswell Drive and Chambers Lane. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Bearton (1 mile south), Westmill (1 mile south), Walsworth (1 mile south-east), Hitchin (2 miles south) and Benslow (2 miles south-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Stevenage (6 miles south-east), St Albans (15 miles south), Welwyn Garden City (13 miles south), Harpenden (11 miles south), Hatfield (15 miles south) and Hertford (15 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Ickleford
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Priory School, Butts Close and Plume Of Feathers Public House and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Hitchin station, about 1.5 miles south-east of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Garden City Collection Study Centre (1.4 miles north-east) and Fairfield Hospital (2.6 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Oughtonhead Nature Reserve and Markham's Hill.
What happens if roof problems are left?
The lender’s valuation is done for the lender, not for you. Its job is to check the property’s value for the mortgage, not at the condition of each slate and flashing. A roof survey is carried out for the buyer, and the report is written for you to use. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Ickleford, driving rain gets into any weakness, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
One thing that affects the price is the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all with VAT included. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Why book us in Ickleford
- 20+ years’ experience
- An independent look at the roof
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced and two real surveys.
How the survey changes by roof type
Gutters and parapets
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter, typically to the back of the house. If yours does, we check that gutter and where it drains.
Clay and concrete tiles
Older homes in the South East frequently have handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles on some. Rotten pegs let tiles slide, so we look for gaps along the courses.
FAQs for Ickleford
Do you cover smaller places like Ickleford?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
Is my home in Ickleford listed or in a conservation area?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Will you need to get into the loft?
If it can be arranged, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If access is not possible, we note it in the report.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Can you survey in bad weather?
It depends on the weather and the survey. Strong wind or heavy rain can make access unsafe and ground a drone, and we’d agree another day.
What insurance do you have?
We’re covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Where it is safe, yes. We inspect from the ground, from windows and vantage points, from the loft and from the roof itself where safe. The Premium Survey adds a drone inspection where applicable.
Before and after the survey
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- Mention any deadline when you get in touch
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation to talk the findings through, while Premium includes a consultation in person. Whichever package you choose, you can ask us what a finding means.
Look in the loft now and then, with care and a good torch. Watch for stains, damp timbers and chinks of daylight. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
DIY checks: what’s safe
A lot can be seen from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.