Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in St Leonards, Hertfordshire
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in St Leonards. We have completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
What we do, step by step
We’ll ask a few questions first, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. Then the inspection itself takes about one to two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Somewhere like St Leonards needs a little journey planning: tell us about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. The roof is looked at from ground level, from windows, from the loft where there is safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us the address and when you hope to exchange.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
How to book
We survey roofs on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Related advice
About our pre-purchase roof survey in St Leonards
A full home survey looks at the whole property, and the roof is only one part of it. Our survey is not a RICS survey, and it doesn’t replace one. What it adds is a closer look at the roof alone, with photos and written recommendations you can act on. The two sit side by side. We survey the roof space, natural slate and clay and concrete tiles, and the problems we are asked to look at most are ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof and blocked or leaking gutters.
Somewhere as small as St Leonards, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings frequently sit beside a few newer homes. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Whether you are 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.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent, whichever applies.
- Place
- St Leonards (HP23)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens if roof problems are left?
Without a survey, you are relying on a glance from the pavement. That won’t show slipped slates on the rear slope, a worn valley or cracked flaunching. We fill that gap before you’re tied in, with photos of anything that needs attention. For an older or listed building in a place like St Leonards, repairs may need matching materials and consent, so leaving a defect until it’s urgent leaves less time to plan.
We offer three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in St Leonards
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
Nearby places to St Leonards
What else we do in St Leonards
Local roofs and buyers in St Leonards
About 1.1 miles east lies Cholesbury Manor House, a reminder of how long the area around St Leonards has been built on. If your home is one of the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most.
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Leonard, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
St Leonards is about 4 miles north-west of Chesham, in Hertfordshire. From houses to flats and shops in St Leonards, the roof can be surveyed. St Leonards is one of the places in Hertfordshire where we work. For surveys nearby, see our Milton Keynes page.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: HP23. We offer pre-purchase roof surveys to properties on Bottom Road, Gilbert's Hill and Jenkins Lane. We also cover Buckland Common (1 mile east), Cholesbury (1 mile east), Hastoe (1 mile north), Swan Bottom (1 mile south-west) and Lee Common (2 miles south). We also work in nearby towns such as Watford (14 miles south-east), Hemel Hempstead (9 miles east), St Albans (15 miles east), Harpenden (15 miles east), Berkhamsted (5 miles east) and Rickmansworth (12 miles south-east).
Near you in St Leonards
In St Leonards, that means homes and buildings near White Lion Public House. The nearest railway station is Wendover station, about 2.9 miles west. Nearby you will also find Trenchard Museum (2.2 miles north-west) and Hawridge Court (2.5 miles south-east). The countryside around St Leonards includes Dancersend Nature Reserve and Pavis Wood.
Before and after the survey
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Our tips:
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
Your report arrives by email, with photographs 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, and recommendations are ranked by urgency where that helps.
Check the roof from the garden and the street after a storm. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Dealing with them early keeps water out.
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in St Leonards
Is St Leonards within the area you cover?
Yes. St Leonards is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
How do I find out if my home in St Leonards is listed?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
It’s your choice, but the two do different jobs. A RICS home survey covers the whole building, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Our survey complements a RICS survey and does not replace one.
What’s the best way to book?
Simply ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address. After a few questions, we confirm the price and fix a day.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where applicable and safe. We fly a sub-250g drone and we are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where applicable.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes, you can. You will have photos and a written description of each defect, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. We can’t promise how the seller will respond.
What you can safely check yourself
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in St Leonards?
Blocked or leaking gutters do damage that isn’t obvious at first. Water spilling over a gutter soaks brickwork and can rot fascias and rafter ends. Valley and parapet gutters can overflow inside the house. They’re part of what we check.
Problems we come across often include:
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
Landlords with a home close to Wendover station may find that the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Questions to ask before you book
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Whether you get a written report with photos
What affects the price in St Leonards
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- Height and safe access
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- The size of the roof
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included.
What to tell us when you contact us
The more you let us know, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, tell us:
- Dates you’re working to, like exchange
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- What’s prompted the survey
Booking is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or email us, let us know about the property and we will explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.