Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Westwick Row Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Westwick Row and the rest of Hertfordshire. Surveys run on any day of the week.
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
Pre-purchase roof survey in Westwick Row: what you get
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. 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. Where the building has a flat roof, it is checked as far as access allows. Common reasons to book are old water stains in the roof space and sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes, on the roof space, gutters and downpipes and lead flashings and valleys.
Somewhere as small as Westwick Row, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings often 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. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
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, like when you want to compare after future work.
- Where
- Westwick Row (HP2, HP3)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How it works
A survey visit follows a simple order: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from every safe vantage point, take photographs as we go and record our findings for the written report. It typically takes about 1–2 hours for a house, and more on a big or complicated roof. Somewhere like Westwick Row needs a little journey planning: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect everything that’s safely in view, inside and out.
- You book once your offer is accepted and let us know the address and your timetable.
- We agree a time and how we will get in, including the loft.
- We inspect the roof from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it is safe.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Book a survey
Our phone lines are open seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Read more
What happens if roof problems are left?
A mortgage valuation is not a roof survey. Its job is to check the property’s value for the mortgage, and it won’t look closely at the roof. A roof survey is carried out for the buyer. Around Westwick Row, older homes frequently have old roof timbers, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it’s left.
One thing that affects the price is the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, with VAT included. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Westwick Row
- Visits on any day of the week
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- An independent view of the roof
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or what we found on two real jobs.
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Westwick Row
Not every roof costs the same to survey, for these reasons:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- The size of the roof
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package you pick makes a difference too. The price is always agreed first.
What we need to know
To price your survey accurately, we’ll ask about:
- What’s prompted the survey
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know where you stand. Our price is from £150, including VAT. To book, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Westwick Row
Patch repairs are common on roofs of every age. Bitumen over flashings, mortar fillets in place of lead and odd replacement tiles can point to a problem that keeps coming back. We note what we see so you can ask about it.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
If you let a flat or house near Apsley station, it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Are they insured for the work?
- What follow-up you get after the report
- How long the report takes to arrive
Surveys for landlords and agents in Westwick Row
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, from shops and offices to industrial units. Bigger roofs take more time, so they’re priced to suit.
Tips from our surveys
There’s plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
The report gives any roofer you ask to quote a clear brief. The photos show the defects and where they are, which makes quotes easier to compare.
After strong winds, look at the roof from ground level. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.
Questions from Westwick Row
Will you come out to Westwick Row?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
How do I find out if my home in Westwick Row is listed?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
It depends on the roof and how confident you want to be. A home survey may recommend further investigation of the roof, and that is where a roof survey helps. It does not stand in for a RICS survey.
When is the best time to have the roof checked when buying?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. You need the report before you exchange, because after that the roof is yours to deal with.
How long will you be at the property?
It normally takes about 1–2 hours at most homes, or half a day or so for a commercial building. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Light rain does not typically stop a survey, and it can even help show where water is getting in. High wind or heavy rain can stop drone flights and make roof access unsafe, so we will agree a new date if the weather isn’t suitable.
How experienced are you?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years, across London and South East England.
Local roofs and buyers in Westwick Row
Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Whether you are buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds. Hemel Hempstead, which Westwick Row is part of, is one of England’s post-war new towns. Homes from the post-war decades are common in the new towns, many with low-pitched roofs in concrete tiles and flat-roofed garages or porches. Low pitches, ageing concrete tiles and old flat roofs each have their own weak points, worth knowing before you commit.
With Batchwood Hall about 3.1 miles north-east, the area around Westwick Row has a long history. Older homes in the area can come with listed status or conservation area rules, which affect re-roofing, so check with the council before you buy. If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near Church of Holy Trinity, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Westwick Row is about 2 miles east of Hemel Hempstead, in Hertfordshire. We visit Westwick Row as part of our work across Hertfordshire. Westwick Row is one of the places in Hertfordshire where we work for pre-purchase roof surveys. For surveys nearby, see our London page.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in HP2 and HP3 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We cover properties on Pancake Lane, Delmar Avenue and Farm End. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Leverstock Green (1 mile west), Bennetts End (1 mile west), Pimlico (1 mile south), Adeyfield (1 mile west) and Hemel Hempstead (2 miles west). Further out, we also cover Watford (6 miles south), Stevenage (15 miles north-east), St Albans (4 miles east), Welwyn Garden City (10 miles east), Harpenden (6 miles north-east) and Hitchin (15 miles north-east).
Around Westwick Row
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Longdean School, among other places. Westwick Row’s nearest station is Apsley station, about 2.1 miles south-west. Other landmarks nearby include Village Arcade St Albans (3.4 miles east) and Hemel Hempstead Hospital (2.1 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Verulamium Lake and Long Deans.