Essex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Starling's Green
A careful look at the roof at your property in Starling's Green, and put it all in a report with photos.
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
Pre-purchase roof survey in Starling's Green: what you get
The roof is one of the most expensive parts of a home to repair, and one of the hardest for a buyer to see. A pre-purchase roof survey looks at it closely before you are tied in. We check the slates or tiles, the ridges and valleys, the flashings, the chimneys and the gutters, and the roof space where it is safe to get in. You get a written report with photographs. We survey natural slate, the roof space and clay and concrete tiles, and the problems we are asked to look at most are damp timbers or stains in the loft and lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney.
Being in a small place like Starling's Green makes no difference to the inspection itself: it just means planning the journey and access beforehand. 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.
What you get is a clear record of the roof on the day we saw it. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, for instance when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Place
- Starling's Green (CB11)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What this survey can’t tell you
Every survey has limits, and it is better to know them up front. Keep these in mind:
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll tell you. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
Towns and villages near Starling's Green
What else we do in Starling's Green
What a survey costs
All our prices include VAT. What changes the price is:
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- The shape of the roof and its details
- The roof’s overall size
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, with VAT included, and we can help you choose.
What to tell us when you contact us
If you can, have these to hand when you get in touch:
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Whether there is a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- The address and postcode of the property
- Dates you are working to, like exchange
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or email us and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. You will know the price before anything is booked.
What you can safely check yourself
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey.
The survey, step by step
You do not need to do much on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we’ll get on with the inspection. The survey itself 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. Somewhere as small as Starling's Green, access is often the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed beforehand.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it’s safe.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
Booking a survey
Booking is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or email us and give us some details about the property and we’ll suggest the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Advice
Landlord and commercial surveys in Starling's Green
We survey roofs for letting agents and landlords as well as homeowners. A written report with photos gives you a clear record of the roof, useful for planning maintenance.
Shared roofs need a little more planning: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you get in touch and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Starling's Green
In Essex, older buildings are often clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, while many towns grew with post-war and newer estates. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most. Older buildings may be listed or sit in a conservation area. Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the council can say whether a street is in a conservation area. In either case, a change of roofing material may need consent.
Landlords with a home close to Newport (Essex) station may find that a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one. If you live in an older home near Church of St Mary and St Clement, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Starling's Green is about 6 miles north of Bishop's Stortford, in Essex. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys for householders, landlords and businesses in Starling's Green and nearby. Our Essex coverage includes Starling's Green. For surveys nearby, see our Chelmsford page.
We cover every part of the CB11 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. Other places close to Starling's Green include Clavering (1 mile east), Berden (1 mile south-east), Stocking Pelham (1 mile south), Hill Green (2 miles north-east) and The Willows (2 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Harlow (13 miles south), Saffron Walden (7 miles north-east), Great Dunmow (12 miles south-east), Stansted Mountfitchet (5 miles south-east), Newhall (13 miles south) and Elsenham (5 miles south-east).
Near you in Starling's Green
The nearest railway station is Newport (Essex) station, about 4.2 miles east. Well-known places in the area include Brent Pelham (2.1 miles west). The countryside around Starling's Green includes Aubrey Buxton Nature Reserve.
Starling's Green questions
Will you come out to Starling's Green?
Yes, we do. We survey roofs across London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it is useful to know about access.
Do you cover Starling's Green?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Starling's Green as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
When will the report arrive?
That depends on which survey you choose: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Tell us your exchange date and we’ll help you choose.
How many surveys have you done?
We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys, over more than 20 years, and 98% of customers are satisfied.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it’s applicable and safe, yes. We fly a sub-250g drone and we’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where it applies.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
That depends on how much you want to know about the roof. A home survey may recommend further investigation of the roof, and that is where a roof survey helps. It doesn’t stand in for a RICS survey.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day. Let us know your preferred days as you book.
What we look for on each type of roof
Flat roofs
Standing water, blisters, splits and tired upstands all point to wear. We check outlets too, since a blocked one leaves water sitting on the roof.
Clay and concrete tiles
Concrete interlocking tiles are common on post-war and newer homes. They’re heavy and hard-wearing, but they weather and can crack, and low-pitched roofs need their laps to be right.