Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Lower Sheering Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A careful look at the roof at your property in Lower Sheering, with photos and a written report.
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Lower Sheering
The best time to book is once your offer has been accepted and before you exchange contracts. That is when the findings are most useful, because nothing is binding yet. We survey seven days a week, which helps when a sale is moving quickly. The report comes within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. We survey chimney stacks, clay and concrete tiles and gutters and downpipes, and common reasons people get in touch are sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes and signs of past leaks inside the loft.
Older buildings in small places like Lower Sheering 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. For a buyer or someone with a newly finished roof, it’s worth knowing which applies, as well as what condition the roof is in. There are about 500,000 listed buildings and around 10,000 conservation areas in England.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Where
- Lower Sheering (CM21, CM22)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we can’t see
We only report what can safely be seen on the day, so there are some things a survey can’t cover:
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- A structural engineer’s report
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will tell you before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
Useful tips for Lower Sheering property owners
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- Ask for loft access on the day
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
If the report shows work is needed, you can raise it with the seller or agent. You might ask for the work to be done before completion, or ask to adjust the price. What happens next is your decision and the seller’s.
Keep the loft ventilated. Condensation in a roof space can look like a leak and can damage timbers over time. Keep insulation clear of eaves vents so air can move.
Questions from Lower Sheering
Do you carry out roof surveys in Lower Sheering?
Yes. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and Lower Sheering is part of that. You can phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and some details.
Do you cover smaller places like Lower Sheering?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We work right across London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
What’s the best way to book?
The quickest way is to call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Give us the address and some details about the roof, and we’ll point you to the right survey. We survey on any day of the week.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
Only where it’s safe. We also inspect from ground level, upper windows and the roof space, and a drone is part of the Premium Survey where it applies.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day, which suits people who work during the week. Let us know your preferred days when you book.
How long will you be at the property?
It normally takes between one and two hours at most homes, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Report times depend on the package, from the same day for Premium to within 48 hours for Basic.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. It is a dedicated roof survey, and you get a written report with photos. It isn’t a RICS survey and doesn’t cover the rest of the house.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Lower Sheering: local notes
Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Whether you are buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds. If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If you own a rental within reach of Sawbridgeworth station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in. Take an older house close to Parish Church of Great St Mary's: older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Lower Sheering is about 3 miles north-east of Harlow, in Hertfordshire. We visit Lower Sheering as part of our work across Hertfordshire, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Lower Sheering is one of the towns and villages in Hertfordshire we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in CM21 and CM22 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Back Lane, Vantorts Road and Forebury Avenue or anywhere close by, we can help. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Sawbridgeworth (1 mile west), Sheering (1 mile east), High Wych (2 miles west), Gaston Green (2 miles north) and Spellbrook (2 miles north). Further out, we also cover Bishop's Stortford (4 miles north), Welwyn Garden City (15 miles west), Hoddesdon (8 miles south-west), Cheshunt (11 miles south-west), Hertford (10 miles west) and Ware (8 miles west).
What’s near Lower Sheering
In Lower Sheering, that means homes and buildings near Leventhorpe, Gibberd Garden and King William IV Public House. There is a railway station in Lower Sheering itself: Sawbridgeworth station. Other landmarks nearby include Harlow Mill (1.9 miles south-west) and Mark Hall Cycle Museum (2.6 miles south-west). Not far away are Portingbury Hills and Sawbridgeworth Marsh.
What we do, step by step
Once we’ve finished looking, we write up our findings as a written report with photos, emailed to you. As for time on site, most surveys take an hour or two at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. In a small place like Lower Sheering, access is normally the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- 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.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
How to prepare
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
Getting a price
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email to find out.
Related advice
What we are asked to look at in Lower Sheering
A chimney stack stands out in the wind and rain. Pointing crumbles, flaunching cracks and flashings lift. A stack may be shared with the neighbours, which matters if work is needed.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
With Barrington Hall about 4.2 miles north-east, the area around Lower Sheering has a long history. Older homes in the area can come with listed status or conservation area rules, which affect re-roofing, so check with the council before you buy.
Before you book anyone
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- Their report turnaround times
- Their track record with similar roofs
How the survey changes by roof type
Gutters and parapets
The rainwater system keeps water off the walls. We check for blockages, leaking joints and sagging runs.
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.
Can I check my roof myself?
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.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.