Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Shillington
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Shillington, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Get in touch for a price.
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Shillington
Many older houses carry decades of roof repairs. Corroded nails let slates slide, valley linings wear thin and chimney mortar erodes. Most of it cannot be seen from the street. We look closely and record what we see, with photos so you can see it for yourself. We explain each finding in plain English, so it is clear what it means for your purchase. If you’ve noticed flashings that have lifted or split and bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Being in a small place like Shillington makes no difference to the inspection itself: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed ahead of time. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them when you book, so the visit can be planned around them. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Where
- Shillington (SG5)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
Not every roof costs the same to survey, and it comes down to:
- Height and safe access
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- How big the roof is
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how safely it can be seen. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
What to tell us when you contact us
If you can, have these to hand when you get in touch:
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- Anything about access we should know
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
To book a survey, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You will know the price before anything is booked.
Different roofs, different checks
Flat roofs
Many homes have a flat roof somewhere, often over an extension. Felt roofs often last around 15 to 20 years, rubber longer and GRP up to about 30. We check how the covering is wearing.
Clay and concrete tiles
Tiled roofs often last half a century or longer. Cracked, slipped or missing tiles are noted, and for mismatched replacements that point to past repairs.
Common questions in Shillington
Do you cover Shillington?
Yes, Shillington is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Shillington as anywhere else.
Is my home in Shillington listed or in a conservation area?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
What’s the best way to book?
The quickest way is to call 07833 053749 or email us. Let us know the address and a little about the roof, and we will suggest the right survey. Surveys run seven days a week.
How long does the survey visit take?
On site, it typically takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, once access has been agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so the building owner or managing agent needs to agree access. We can only inspect what we’re given access to.
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. Just say which days work for you.
How soon is the report ready?
Premium reports arrive the same day, Standard reports within 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. We send it by email, with photographs.
Leave it or get it looked at?
A seller may honestly not know the state of the roof. Their answers on the property forms only cover what they know about. An independent look tells you how the roof is now. In a small place like Shillington, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The final price depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and which survey you book.
What you get with us
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
Read what a roof survey costs or two real surveys.
When to book a survey in Shillington
Most viewings never get near the roof. You walk round the rooms, but the roof stays out of sight, and a quick glance from the street misses a lot. Fresh decoration can also cover the marks an old leak left behind, which is why buyers book a closer look before committing.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
The streets around a church such as Church of All Saints are often among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Questions to ask before you book
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Is VAT included in the price?
Nearby places to Shillington
Also in Shillington
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
To be straight with you, a roof survey has limits:
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer before you book. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
Buying a home or a new roof in Shillington
If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, so check with the council.
If you own a rental within reach of Arlesey station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Shillington is about 5 miles north-west of Hitchin, in Hertfordshire. Shillington is part of the area we cover and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and the South East. We cover towns and villages across Hertfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. Milton Keynes is in our area too.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in SG5 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Whether your property is on Hillfoot Road, New Walk and Church View Avenue or anywhere close by, we can survey it. If you are just outside Shillington, we cover Hanscombe End (1 mile west), Apsley End (1 mile south-west), Pirton (2 miles south-east), Hexton (3 miles south-west) and Pegsdon (3 miles south). Further out, we also cover Stevenage (10 miles south-east), Welwyn Garden City (15 miles south-east), Harpenden (12 miles south), Hitchin (5 miles south-east), Letchworth (6 miles east) and Letchworth Garden City (6 miles east).
Landmarks near Shillington
In Shillington, that means homes and buildings near The Five Bells Public House, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Arlesey station, roughly 4.6 miles north-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Fairfield Hospital (4.9 miles east) and Stondon Motor Museum (2.1 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Cain Hill and Pegsdon Hills.
The survey, step by step
Once we have finished looking, we write up our findings in a report with photos, emailed to you. On timing, it typically takes about one to two hours at most homes, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Somewhere as small as Shillington, access is often the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- 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.
- We inspect the roof from the ground, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it’s safe.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- We email a written report with photographs and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
How to prepare
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Book a survey
When you are ready to go ahead, call 07833 053749 or email us. From there it’s a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.