Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Widford, Hertfordshire
Pre-purchase roof surveys across Widford, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Old water stains in the loft space
What a survey costs
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before booking. This is what makes a difference:
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
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.
Getting in touch
A little information up front helps. Please include:
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
Most bookings start with a short call: call 07833 053749 or email us and we will ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Widford
A RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey covers the whole building, and the roof is only one part of it. We do not offer a RICS home survey, and ours isn’t a substitute for one. What it adds is a closer look at the roof alone, with photographs of what we find and written recommendations. You can have both if you want the fullest picture. Typical surveys look at bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs and a ridge or slope that dips, on lead flashings and valleys, chimney stacks and gutters and downpipes.
Older buildings in small places like Widford may be listed or 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 is worth knowing which applies. There are about 500,000 listed buildings and around 10,000 conservation areas in England.
Nothing in the report is left vague: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, and where it can wait, that’s said too.
- Location
- Widford (SG12)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Nearby places to Widford
Also in Widford
Why it is worth a survey now in Widford
Small roof defects let water in slowly. Damp can spread into timbers and ceilings before anyone sees a mark. Spotting it before you buy lets you deal with it as soon as you move in. Matching old materials, such as handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. That is one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
We offer three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you’d like to know.
What you get with us
- Visits on any day of the week
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Photos and a written report every time
Read what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
Local roofs and buyers in Widford
Historic houses such as Much Hadham Palace, about 2.6 miles north, show how far back building in the area around Widford goes. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs. If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
If you own a rental within reach of Harlow Town station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in. For an older house near a landmark such as Parish Church of St John the Baptist, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Widford is about 4 miles east of Ware, in Hertfordshire. Whether the building in Widford is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, we can survey the roof on a weekday or at the weekend. Widford is one of the places in Hertfordshire where we work. You can also see our page for Chelmsford.
Here we cover the SG12 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Whether your property is on High Street, Bell Lane and Priory Farm Yard or anywhere close by, we can survey it. If you are just outside Widford, we cover Nether Street (1 mile north-east), Hunsdon (1 mile south), Hunsdonbury (1 mile south), Wareside (1 mile west) and Babbs Green (2 miles west). Larger places within reach include Stevenage (12 miles north-west), Bishop's Stortford (5 miles north-east), Welwyn Garden City (11 miles west), Hoddesdon (6 miles south-west), Cheshunt (9 miles south-west) and Hatfield (13 miles west).
Landmarks near Widford
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Bell Inn On The Corner Of Bell Lane and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Harlow Town station, about 3.2 miles south-east. A little further out are Princess Alexandra Hospital (3.7 miles south) and Harlow Mill (3.7 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Hunsdon Mead.
Can I check my roof myself?
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.
It helps to keep a record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
How the survey works
On the day, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you need to know. We then inspect everything that can be seen safely, using the ground, windows, the loft and a drone where applicable. Most surveys take about one to 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 Widford, access is often the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it is safe.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Before the survey
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
How to book
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or email us to find out.
Related advice
Surveys for landlords and agents in Widford
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. Recommendations are set out by urgency where it matters.
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 survey around it.
Before and after the survey
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Request records of any re-roofing
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Share the report with your solicitor
After you move in, keep the report somewhere safe. Deal with the urgent items first, and use the photos as a record of how the roof looked when you bought. The Premium Survey includes a 12-month follow-up to see how things have changed.
Chimneys and flashings need watching. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. A pair of binoculars from the garden shows a lot.
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Widford
Is Widford in the area you cover?
Yes, Widford is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photographs.
Is Widford within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. We work right across London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned ahead of time.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first, with the building owner or managing agent. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll plan the survey around it.
When will the report arrive?
It depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Let us know your exchange date and we’ll help you choose.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
Book as soon as your offer is agreed. You need the report before you exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. You might ask for work to be done, ask questions or ask for a change to the price. The outcome is between you and the seller.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
Where it’s safe, yes. We inspect from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the loft and from the roof itself where safe. On Premium, a drone is used where applicable.