Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Nether Street Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in Nether Street, with photographs and a written report.
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Blocked or leaking gutters
What this survey can’t tell you
Some things cannot be seen without opening up the roof, and that sets some limits:
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- A structural engineer’s report
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Nether Street
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Nether Street
Buying a flat brings its own roof questions. Depending on the lease, roof repairs may fall to the building owner or a management company. We inspect what access allows us to see safely, and the report helps you ask your solicitor or the managing agent the right questions. Where the building has a flat roof, it’s checked as far as access allows. Common reasons to book are ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof and damp timbers or stains in the loft, across the roof space, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and clay and concrete tiles.
In a village or hamlet like Nether Street, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
The report records the roof as we found it on the day. It’s useful straight away, and a good reference for later.
- Place
- Nether Street (SG12)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. Then the inspection itself takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Older rural homes like those around Nether Street can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the roof space is agreed in advance.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe 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
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Keep pets in another room
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
Getting a price
Once you know what you need, call 07833 053749 or email us. We’ll suggest a package, agree the price and find a date.
Related advice
Towns and villages near Nether Street
Other services in Nether Street
Leave it or get it looked at?
Once you exchange, the roof’s problems become yours. Before then, you can still ask questions, ask for work to be done or reconsider. Finding out later gives you the same facts, but too late to use them in the purchase. Older cottages and farmhouses around Nether Street can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it’s left.
A Basic Survey starts from £150, inc. VAT. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, both with VAT included. You will know the exact price before booking.
Why us?
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- A photo-illustrated written report
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- 98% of clients satisfied
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or two real surveys.
Buying a home or a new roof in Nether Street
Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new. With Much Hadham Palace about 2.3 miles north, Nether Street sits in an area with a long building history. If your house is among the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
If you let a flat or house near Harlow Town station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one. If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Parish Church of St John the Baptist, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Nether Street is about 4 miles east of Ware, in Hertfordshire. Surveys in Nether Street work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Nether Street is one of the towns and villages in Hertfordshire we cover. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in SG12 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Close by, we survey roofs in Widford (1 mile south-west), Hunsdon (1 mile south), Hadham Cross (2 miles north), Hunsdonbury (2 miles south) and Wareside (2 miles west). We also work in nearby towns such as Stevenage (12 miles north-west), Bishop's Stortford (5 miles north-east), Welwyn Garden City (11 miles west), Hoddesdon (6 miles south-west), Cheshunt (9 miles south-west) and Hatfield (13 miles west).
What’s near Nether Street
In Nether Street, that means homes and buildings near The Bell Inn On The Corner Of Bell Lane and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Harlow Town station, about 3.2 miles south of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Harlow Mill (3.5 miles south-east) and Henry Moore Studios and Gardens (1.2 miles north-east). For a walk, there’s Hunsdon Mead.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Do not go up yourself.
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Nether Street
How do I find out if my home in Nether Street is listed?
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.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Nether Street?
Yes, Nether Street is within the area we cover. We cover the whole of London and South East England. You can ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and some details.
Does the weather affect the survey?
Light rain doesn’t normally stop a survey, and it can even help show where water is getting in. Heavy rain or strong wind can ground a drone and make the roof unsafe, so we’ll agree a new date if the weather is not suitable.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It works alongside a home survey.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, once access has been 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 are allowed to reach.
How do I arrange a pre-purchase roof survey in Nether Street?
Simply ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address. After a few questions, we confirm the price and fix a day.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We’ve been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have completed over 5,000 surveys.
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
To price your survey, we look at:
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- The shape of the roof and its details
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- The roof’s overall size
To find out what your survey will cost, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and a few details. We will confirm the figure before booking.
Getting in touch
Before you get in touch, it helps to have:
- The property’s address and postcode
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- What made you get in touch
- The kind of building and roof involved
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Tips from our surveys
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Tell us your exchange date as you book
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
Your report arrives by email, with photos of what we found. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Findings are set out in plain English, with recommendations prioritised by urgency where relevant.
Check the roof from the garden and the street after a storm. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.