Hertfordshire · London and the South East
St Ibbs Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Not sure what state the roof is in? You can book a pre-purchase roof survey in St Ibbs and across Hertfordshire, with plain-English findings.
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
Pre-purchase roof surveys in St Ibbs: local notes
Historic houses such as Knebworth House, about 4.1 miles south-east, show how far back building in the area around St Ibbs goes. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. The covering on a house you’re buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest.
For landlords with property near Hitchin station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
St Ibbs is about 2 miles south of Hitchin, in Hertfordshire. St Ibbs gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photos and a written report. We cover towns and villages across Hertfordshire, large and small. Milton Keynes is in our area too.
Here we cover the SG4 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. If you are just outside St Ibbs, we cover Sperberry Hill (1 mile north-east), Little Almshoe (1 mile south), St Ippolyts (1 mile north-east), Gosmore (1 mile north-west) and Titmore Green (1 mile east). Further out, we also cover Hemel Hempstead (15 miles south-west), Stevenage (4 miles east), St Albans (12 miles south), Welwyn Garden City (9 miles south), Harpenden (8 miles south-west) and Hatfield (11 miles south).
Around St Ibbs
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Hitchin Girls' School, The Bull Public House and Kingshott School. The closest station to St Ibbs is Hitchin station, roughly 1.9 miles north. Well-known places in the area include Lister Hospital (2.1 miles east) and North Hertfordshire Museum (1.8 miles north). The countryside around St Ibbs includes Purwell Ninesprings and Markham's Hill.
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in St Ibbs
If you are 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 look at as much of the roof as access safely allows, and the report helps you ask your solicitor or the managing agent the right questions. If the building has a flat roof, we look at that too where access allows. If you’ve noticed roof slopes that look uneven or sagging and quick fixes on flashings and valleys, we can find out what’s behind it.
Some older homes in villages like St Ibbs 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, as well as what condition the roof is in. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
Nothing in the report is left vague: where something needs attention, it says so plainly.
- Location
- St Ibbs (SG4)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey changes by roof type
Flat roofs
Ponding, blistering, splits and worn upstands are the usual warning signs. Blocked outlets are checked as well.
Clay and concrete tiles
Clay and concrete tiles commonly last 50 years or more. We check for slipped, cracked and missing tiles, and for mismatched replacements that point to past repairs.
Towns and villages near St Ibbs
What else we do in St Ibbs
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in St Ibbs
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- How big the roof is
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how it can be reached and seen safely. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
Helping us price your survey
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It helps to include:
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
- What’s prompted the survey
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
We confirm the exact price before you book, so you know where you stand. Prices start from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in St Ibbs?
Rear extensions, dormers and garages frequently have flat roofs. A felt roof often lasts around 15 to 20 years, and standing water, blisters and splits are typical signs of ageing. A buyer can easily miss them, because many can only be seen from an upstairs window.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
Take an older house close to Church of St Ippolyts (church of England): a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- What they will not be able to tell you
- What exactly goes into their report
- Whether the price includes VAT
How it works
After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a written report with photos, sent to you by email. As for time on site, most surveys take about 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Cottages and farmhouses around St Ibbs often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- 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 vantage point, inside and out.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
How to book
For a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in St Ibbs, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. The address, the type of property and what you’d like to know help us price the survey accurately.
Related advice
Landlords, agents and block managers in St Ibbs
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, including offices, shops and units. Larger roofs take longer.
FAQs for St Ibbs
How do I find out if my home in St Ibbs is listed?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you carry out roof surveys in St Ibbs?
Yes, St Ibbs is within the area we cover. We cover the whole of London and South East England. You can call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and a few details, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
What if it rains on the day?
It can, depending on the survey. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. If the conditions are not right, we will talk to you about another date.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. It is a dedicated roof survey, with a written report and photographs. It does not cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
How soon is the report ready?
Premium reports arrive the same day, Standard reports within 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Reports are emailed with photos included.
Do you need access inside the house?
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.
Tips from our surveys
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
It is worth sharing the report with your solicitor so questions can go to the seller’s solicitor. It can prompt questions about past roof work and any paperwork for it, especially where we have found patch repairs.
Keep an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. Binoculars from the ground are enough for a first look.