Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in Chells
Need a roof leak investigation in Chells? We can help, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- A leak that comes and goes with the weather
- Ceiling stains that grow after rain
- Damp patches next to the stack
DIY checks: what’s safe
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
Roof leak investigation in Chells: what you get
Leaks tend to begin where one part of a roof meets another. Flashings at chimneys and walls, valleys, gutters, parapets and flat roof upstands and outlets are the usual suspects. Each of these is checked in turn and follow the evidence. Every chimney, dormer and roof light adds more joints to check. Each one is looked at from wherever it is safe to see it. If you’re worried about damp patches next to the stack and water coming in around a roof light or dormer, we can find out what’s behind it.
Houses in smaller places like Chells can stand more in the open, so wind and driving rain find any weakness in ridges, verges and flashings. If a leak shows only when the wind is in a certain direction, that’s a useful clue. Tell us when it happens when you get in touch. Gutters and downpipes on the exposed side are worth a look as well.
The report doesn’t just list problems. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can plan your next steps.
- Place
- Chells (SG2, SG1)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Practical tips
Small things make a difference. Some pointers:
- Let us know what has already been tried
- Record whether it leaks in every downpour or only some
- Stay off ladders and the roof
- Mention any plumbing above the damp area
Any roofer you ask to quote can work from the report. The photos show the defects and where they are, rather than at the stain.
Look at the roof from ground level after strong winds. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Small faults dealt with quickly rarely become leaks.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Chells
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work.
Shared roofs need a little more planning: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
What this survey can’t tell you
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, so a survey has limits:
- Plumbing leaks that look like roof leaks
- Carrying out the fix
- Whether rotten timbers meet design loads
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will point you to the right survey. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- Flat roof details
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Lead flashings
- Slate and tile slopes
- Rooflights and dormers
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
Prices for roof leak investigations in Chells
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Height and safe access
- How big the roof is
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so the price reflects that. The price is confirmed before you book.
Booking your survey
We will typically ask about:
- What’s prompted the survey
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Dates you’re working to, like exchange
Once you know what you need, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date.
FAQs for Chells
Will you come out to Chells?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
Are flat-roofed garages and porches in Chells worth including?
It’s often worth it, as these roofs are easy to forget. On buildings from before 2000, cement sheet roofs may contain asbestos and should be checked by a specialist asbestos surveyor before anyone disturbs them.
What do I do with the report?
The report comes by email, and what you do next is up to you: use it with a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent.
Are you insured?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
Will I get photos?
Yes. The report includes photos of what we found.
How many surveys have you done?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, across 20+ years of surveying roofs.
Will you go up on the roof?
Only if it’s safe. We check everything that can safely be seen: from ground level, from windows, from inside the loft space, from the roof where it is safe and by drone where it applies. Anything we cannot see is noted in the report.
Wind, rain and roofs in Chells
Chells is part of Stevenage, one of the post-war new towns. Many homes in the new towns date from the post-war decades, with concrete interlocking tiles, low-pitched roofs and flat-roofed garages and porches. Low pitches let wind-driven rain reach further under the tiles, and flat-roofed garages and porches are common leak points. With Aston Bury about 2.4 miles south, Chells sits in an area with a long building history. If your house is among 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.
If you let a flat or house near Stevenage station, finding the cause of a leak fast keeps a tenant’s home dry and the work focused. Take an older house close to St Hugh & St John: lead flashings, valleys and old chimneys are typical places for water to get in. If you look after a building like The Nobel School, water through a big roof can travel a long way before it drips, so the search covers more than the obvious spot.
Chells is about 1 mile east of Stevenage, in Hertfordshire. We survey roofs in Chells and the rest of Hertfordshire, as part of our work across London and South East England. Across Hertfordshire, we cover Chells and the places around it. Milton Keynes is in our area too.
Surveys in SG2 and SG1 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. You will find streets such as Scott Road, Eliot Road and Newton Road. Other places close to Chells include Stevenage (1 mile west), St Nicholas (1 mile north-west), Pin Green (1 mile west), Aston End (1 mile south-east) and Bedwell (1 mile south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover St Albans (13 miles south-west), Bishop's Stortford (14 miles east), Welwyn Garden City (8 miles south), Harpenden (10 miles south-west), Hitchin (5 miles north-west) and Hoddesdon (13 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in Chells
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Lodge Farm Primary School. Chells’s nearest station is Stevenage station, about 1.8 miles south-west of the centre. A little further out are Lister Hospital (2.1 miles north-west) and Benington Castle (2.4 miles south-east). Open spaces near Chells include Pryor's Wood.
Places near Chells
More services for Chells
What we do, step by step
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so you can see in the report what we found and where. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available, including by drone where it’s applicable and the weather allows. A typical visit takes about one to two hours, more where the leak is intermittent or the roof is large. Homes around Chells often have gardens on more than one side, which gives us room to step back and see the roof. Mention any side of the property we cannot get to. The loft, where there is safe access, completes the picture.
- We start with what you’ve seen: where the stain is and when it gets worse.
- The visit starts indoors, at the stain and in the loft.
- We check the likely entry points outside, like flashings, valleys, chimneys and gutters.
- We use moisture detection, and thermal imaging where it is useful.
- You receive a written report with photos showing the likely source and what needs attention.
How to prepare
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
How to book
To book a survey, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You will know the price before anything is booked.