Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Shephall, Hertfordshire
We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Shephall and the rest of Hertfordshire. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends.
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
Landlord and commercial surveys in Shephall
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget.
Where a roof is shared: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Shephall
If you’re buying a flat, the roof may well be shared. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that is often not the individual flat owner, with costs frequently passed on through the service charge. We check as much of the roof as access safely allows, and the report gives you clear points to raise with your solicitor or the managing agent. If the building has a flat roof, we check that too where access allows. We survey flat-roofed extensions and dormers, lead flashings and valleys and natural slate, and the problems we are asked to look at most are bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs and gaps where slates or tiles have come loose.
Smaller places like Shephall frequently have bungalows and cottages as well as houses, 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’re buying in Shephall 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.
Nothing in the report is left vague: if work is needed, the report says so clearly.
- Location
- Shephall (SG2, SG1)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Checking the roof from ground level
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
You can learn a lot from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
Leave it or get it looked at?
When a chain is moving fast, a roof survey can feel like one more delay. We visit on weekdays and at weekends, and a Premium report comes the same day, so it can fit around a tight timetable. With lower homes, common in places like Shephall, there’s little between a roof defect and the ceiling, so a small leak can mark a ceiling within a few storms. Catching the cause first saves redecorating as well.
For a price for your roof in Shephall, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Why book with us
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
- Photographs and a written report every time
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Packages from £150, with VAT included
Take a look at what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
What we do, step by step
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from every safe viewpoint, take photos as we go and make notes for the report. Most visits take about 1–2 hours at most homes, and more on a big or complicated roof. Some parts of a survey depend on the weather, so a visit to Shephall is booked with the forecast in mind: drone flights and thermal imaging need the right conditions, while a look from ground level and the loft can go ahead in most weather.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- 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.
Getting ready for the survey
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
How to book
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email to find out.
Advice
Buying a home or a new roof in Shephall
Stevenage, which Shephall is part of, is one of England’s post-war new towns. Homes from the post-war decades are common in the new towns, many with low-pitched roofs in concrete tiles and flat-roofed garages or porches. Low pitches, ageing concrete tiles and old flat roofs each have their own weak points, worth knowing before you commit. If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
Historic houses such as Aston Bury, about 1.6 miles south-east, show how far back building around Shephall goes. Buying a period property here means asking about the roof’s age and repairs, and about any listing or conservation area. If you own a rental within reach of Stevenage station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Shephall is about 1 mile south of Stevenage, in Hertfordshire. We survey roofs in Shephall and the rest of Hertfordshire, as part of our work across London and South East England. We cover towns and villages across Hertfordshire. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
Every address in SG2 and SG1 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Whether your property is on Unwin Road, Oxleys Road and Burwell Road or anywhere close by, we can help. We also cover Aston (1 mile east), Bragbury End (1 mile south-east), Knebworth (2 miles south), Hook's Cross (2 miles south-east) and Woolmer Green (3 miles south). Further out, we also cover Hemel Hempstead (15 miles south-west), St Albans (12 miles south-west), Bishop's Stortford (14 miles east), Welwyn Garden City (6 miles south), Harpenden (9 miles south-west) and Hitchin (6 miles north-west).
Near you in Shephall
Typical jobs here are in homes near Coopers Inn, The Heathcote School and Barnwell School, among other places. The nearest railway station is Stevenage station, about 1.4 miles north-west. Other landmarks nearby include Benington Castle (2.6 miles east) and Lister Hospital (2.7 miles north-west). The countryside around Shephall includes Ridlins Mire.
Common questions in Shephall
Do you cover smaller places like Shephall?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
My home in Shephall has a flat-roofed garage or porch. Is it worth having that looked at?
Frequently, yes, so mention it as you book. Many homes in new towns like Stevenage have flat-roofed garages and porches, and felt roofs often last around 15–20 years.
How long will you be at the property?
It normally takes between one and two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it’s applicable and safe, yes. We fly a sub-250g drone and we are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). It is included in the Drone Roof Survey and, where it applies, the Premium Survey.
What’s the best way to book?
To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address, the type of property and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price and agree a day with you.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so the building owner or managing agent needs to agree access. We inspect only the parts we are allowed to reach.
Tips from our surveys
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Ask for loft access on the day
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 an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. A pair of binoculars from the garden shows a lot.
Also near Shephall
Also in Shephall
What we are asked to look at in Shephall
Many roofs have had quick fixes over the years. Bitumen painted over a flashing, mortar where lead should be, or a few tiles that do not match can be signs that something has leaked before. We note what we see so you can ask about it.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Church of Saint Mary, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Whether the price includes VAT
- Which limits apply to the survey