Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Marshalswick Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Marshalswick, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Get in touch for a price.
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
Pre-purchase roof survey in Marshalswick
Our packages start with the Basic Survey from £150, with the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT. Standard adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. Premium goes further, with thermal imaging, a drone where it applies and a same-day report. Pick the one that fits the property. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. We survey lead flashings and valleys, natural slate and flat-roofed extensions and dormers, and people most often book us about sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes and slates or tiles that have slipped or gone.
Bungalows, chalet bungalows and older cottages are common in smaller places like Marshalswick, many of them extended or given dormers over the years. Even on a low roof, dormers, valleys and flat-roofed additions need a careful look. That applies whether you are buying in Marshalswick or checking a new roof there. Lead around a dormer and the edges of a flat roof are common places for snags and wear alike.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent.
- Location
- Marshalswick (AL4, AL1, AL3)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
It helps to know what a survey won’t do before booking:
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer before you book. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
Landlord and commercial surveys in Marshalswick
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf, and the report can go to both. Access is agreed with the tenant in advance.
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Marshalswick. To discuss a property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Common roof problems in Marshalswick
A chimney stack stands out in the wind and rain and they’re often the least maintained part of a roof. Pointing crumbles, flaunching cracks and flashings lift. A stack may be shared with the neighbours, which can affect how any work is arranged.
Here are some of the things we see frequently:
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
If you own a rental within reach of St Albans station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Questions to ask before booking
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Their report turnaround times
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
How the survey works
Where it is relevant and can be reached safely, the loft space is checked as well as the outside. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement, as far as the space allows. All in, the survey normally takes about one to two hours for most houses, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Some parts of a survey depend on the weather, so a visit to Marshalswick is booked with the forecast in mind: the parts that need calm, dry weather are planned around it.
- 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.
- The roof is inspected from every safe viewpoint, inside and out.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- We email a photo-illustrated written report and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Let us know about parking near the property
Book a survey
We survey roofs seven days a week. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Advice
What happens if roof problems are left?
Lots of buyers go ahead anyway, but with their eyes open. The report shows what needs doing first, and you can line up a roofer before small faults grow. In a smaller place like Marshalswick, wherever a roof is exposed, a loose ridge or flashing does not stay loose for long. Each storm lifts it a little further.
To find out what your survey will cost, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and some details. We will confirm the figure before booking.
Why us?
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Clear package prices, with VAT included
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced and two real surveys.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Marshalswick: local notes
The wider area around Marshalswick has a long history of building, with Batchwood Hall about 2 miles west. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters. If the drone is used for your survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Saint Mary's, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Marshalswick is about 1 mile north-east of St Albans, in Hertfordshire. Bookings from Marshalswick are handled just like any other: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Our Hertfordshire coverage includes Marshalswick. London is in our area too.
Surveys in AL4, AL1 and AL3 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Streets in the area include Milvus Road, Jersey Lane and Sandpit Lane, all of which we cover. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Sandridge (1 mile north), Bernards Heath (1 mile west), St Albans (1 mile south-west), Childwick Green (2 miles north-west) and Sopwell (2 miles south-west). We also work in nearby towns like Watford (8 miles south-west), Hemel Hempstead (7 miles west), Stevenage (11 miles north-east), Welwyn Garden City (5 miles north-east), Harpenden (4 miles north-west) and Hitchin (13 miles north).
Near you in Marshalswick
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Baton pub, Sandringham School and Clarence Park. For rail, the closest station is St Albans station, roughly 1.3 miles south-west. A little further out are St Albans Musical Museum (0.8 miles south-west) and The Maltings (1.6 miles south-west). Not far away are The Wick Local Nature Reserve and Verulamium Lake.
Nearby places to Marshalswick
More services for Marshalswick
Marshalswick: your questions answered
Do you cover Marshalswick?
Yes, Marshalswick is within the area we cover. We work right across London and the South East. Just call 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know about the property.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Marshalswick?
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.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Only where it’s safe. Many roofs can be seen well from windows, vantage points and the loft.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
We carry out surveys on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To arrange a date, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it isn’t a RICS home survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Where we can, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If access isn’t possible, we note it in the report.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling are not something we do. The report may flag materials that could contain asbestos on buildings built or refurbished before 2000, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it’s disturbed.
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
All our prices include VAT. What changes the price is:
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
- Height and safe access
- Which survey package you book
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package you pick makes a difference too. The price is always agreed first.
What we need to know
The more you tell us, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, tell us:
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Anything about access we should know
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
Once you know what you need, call 07833 053749 or email us. We’ll suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.