Essex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Start Hill, Essex
Find out the condition of the roof at your property in Start Hill from an independent roof surveyor. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
Roof by roof
Flat roofs
A flat roof that has been coated over several times may hide problems underneath. We record what we can see and say where a closer look is needed.
Lead flashings and valleys
Many older houses have lead in their valleys and hidden gutters. Worn or cracked lead lets water straight into the roof, and missing lead is not unknown, as it is a target for thieves.
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Start Hill
Buying a flat brings its own roof questions. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that is often not the individual flat owner. We inspect what access allows us to see safely, and the report helps you ask your solicitor or the managing agent the right questions. Where the building has a flat roof, it is checked as far as access allows. If you’ve noticed roof slopes that look uneven or sagging and damp timbers or stains in the loft, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
For a small place like Start Hill, the visit is planned like any other: 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.
Nothing in the report is left vague: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, and where it can wait, that is said too.
- Location
- Start Hill (CM22)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Nearby places to Start Hill
More services for Start Hill
Why act early in Start Hill
A good many buyers go ahead anyway, but with their eyes open. You will know which jobs are urgent and which can wait, so you can plan work before small faults get bigger. Matching old materials, such as handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package matters as well. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
Why book with us
- 98% of clients satisfied
- An independent view of the roof
- Photos and a written report every time
- Over 20 years’ experience
See what a roof survey costs and our case studies.
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Start Hill?
Rear extensions, dormers and garages frequently have flat roofs. Felt flat roofs frequently last around 15 to 20 years, and ponding, blisters and splits are common signs of age. 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:
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
For landlords with property near Bishops Stortford station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
What you can safely check yourself
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
How the survey works
It helps to start with what’s prompted the survey: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. The visit 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. In a hamlet or village like Start Hill, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Before the survey
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
Arrange a survey
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can phone 07833 053749 or email us to find out.
Read more
Start Hill questions
Is Start Hill within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned ahead of time.
How do I find out if my home in Start Hill is listed?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Does someone need to be in?
It depends on what we need to see. For inside areas and the loft space, someone has to give us access.
Can you survey in bad weather?
A survey can typically go ahead in light rain. High wind or heavy rain can stop drone flights and make roof access unsafe, so we will agree a new date if the weather is not suitable.
How experienced are you?
We have completed more than 5,000 surveys, across 20+ years of surveying roofs.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey seven days a week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Just tell us the days that suit you.
Are you insured?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and we can provide details if a managing agent needs them.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Landlords, agents and building managers in Start Hill and across Essex can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Start Hill
The flight restriction zone around Stansted Airport covers Start Hill, or comes right up to its edge. Where the drone is part of the survey, permission from the airport is needed first, and the flight only goes ahead if it’s given. The wider area around Start Hill has a long history of building, with Barrington Hall about 2.8 miles south-east. If your home is one of the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof.
Start Hill is about 2 miles east of Bishop's Stortford, in Essex. If you are in Start Hill, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Start Hill is one of the places in Essex where we work for pre-purchase roof surveys. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in CM22 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. That includes homes and businesses on Start Hill and Provenance Close and the roads around them. Other places close to Start Hill include Bedlar's Green (1 mile south), Takeley Street (2 miles east), Burton End (2 miles north), Takeley (2 miles east) and Smith's Green (3 miles east). We also work in nearby towns such as Chelmsford (15 miles south-east), Braintree (15 miles east), Harlow (8 miles south-west), Saffron Walden (11 miles north), Waltham Abbey (15 miles south-west) and Great Dunmow (6 miles east).
What’s near Start Hill
In Start Hill, that means homes and buildings near The Three Willows pub. The closest station to Start Hill is Bishops Stortford station, about 1.9 miles west of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find House On The Hill Toy Museum (2.4 miles north) and Moated mound (4.5 miles west). The countryside around Start Hill includes Portingbury Hills and Rushy Mead.