Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Old Knebworth, Hertfordshire
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Old Knebworth. We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
Pre-purchase roof survey in Old Knebworth
If you are buying a flat, the roof may well be shared. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that is frequently not the individual flat owner, with costs often passed on through the service charge. We inspect what access allows us to see safely, and the report gives you clear points to raise with your solicitor or the managing agent. Where the building has a flat roof, it is checked as far as access allows. If you’ve noticed standing water on a flat extension roof and sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on the roof space, lead flashings and valleys and gutters and downpipes alike.
Some older homes in villages like Old Knebworth are listed or sit in a conservation area. That can affect what materials a new roof may use, so check with the council and Historic England’s list. For a buyer or someone with a newly finished roof, it’s worth knowing which applies. There are about 500,000 listed buildings and around 10,000 conservation areas in England.
We keep jargon out of it: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, and where it can wait, that is said too.
- Location
- Old Knebworth (SG3)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What we do, step by step
Where it is relevant and can be reached safely, the roof space is checked as well as the outside. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement. All in, the survey usually takes roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. In a hamlet or village like Old Knebworth, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- 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
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Leave a clear route to the loft
Book a survey
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply call 07833 053749 or use the contact form whenever suits you.
Read more
For landlords and managing agents
Landlords, agents and building managers in Old Knebworth and across Hertfordshire can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Letting agents frequently book on a landlord’s behalf. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Roof by roof
Natural slate
On a slate roof, the underlay may be old bitumen felt, or there may be none at all on very old roofs. From inside the roof space, we report what we can see of it.
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings are a common source of leaks, so we check each one closely. Any that need attention are photographed and explained.
Common roof problems in Old Knebworth
Buildings put up or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos. It is frequently found in cement sheets, soffits and flue pipes. We do not test for it or carry out asbestos surveys, but our report flags materials that could contain it and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before work starts.
Look out for signs like these:
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- A ridge or slope that dips
For landlords with property near Knebworth station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Questions to ask before booking
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- How long the report takes to arrive
Can I check my roof myself?
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date, which helps when we check the roof.
What we cannot see
It is a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll tell you before you book. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
Old Knebworth questions
Will you come out to Old Knebworth?
Yes, Old Knebworth is covered. We work right across London and the South East, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Old Knebworth?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Old Knebworth as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Do you need access inside the house?
Where we can, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If we cannot get in, the report says so.
How many surveys have you done?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys, across London and South East England.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Where it’s safe, yes. We inspect from the ground, from windows and vantage points, from the loft and from the roof itself where safe. On Premium, a drone is used where it applies.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
They do different things. A RICS home survey covers the whole building, while ours looks only at the roof, in more detail. Our survey complements a RICS survey and doesn’t replace one.
Does someone need to be in?
Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that ahead of time, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Old Knebworth
In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most. Knebworth House, about 0.2 miles north-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Old Knebworth. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Take an older house close to Church of St Mary and St Thomas: ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs frequently have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Old Knebworth is about 3 miles south-west of Stevenage, in Hertfordshire. Bookings from Old Knebworth are handled just like any other: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Our area takes in places right across Hertfordshire. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: SG3. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Old Knebworth Lane and Park Lane or a nearby road, we can help. If you’re just outside Old Knebworth, we cover Nup End Green (1 mile south-west), Driver's End (1 mile south-west), Rableyheath (1 mile south), Pottersheath (1 mile south) and Langley (2 miles north-west). Larger places within reach include Hemel Hempstead (13 miles south-west), Stevenage (3 miles north-east), St Albans (10 miles south-west), Welwyn Garden City (5 miles south), Harpenden (7 miles south-west) and Hitchin (6 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Old Knebworth
Typical jobs here are in homes near Knebworth Park and Robin Hood And Little John Public House and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Knebworth station, roughly 1 mile east. Other landmarks nearby include Lister Hospital (3.7 miles north) and Stevenage Museum (2.2 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Mardley Heath.