Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in Hitchin
Tracing where water is getting into your roof in Hitchin, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Get in touch for a price.
- Damp on a chimney breast
- Ceiling stains that grow after rain
- Damp ceilings under a flat roof
How the survey changes by roof type
Slate and tile slopes
On slate roofs, corroded nails let slates slip. One slipped slate can be enough to cause a leak.
Lead flashings
Mortar fillets are sometimes used instead of lead. Fillets crack and pull away over time, and water runs down behind them.
Roof leak investigation in Hitchin: 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. We check each likely route and we follow where the evidence leads. Every chimney, dormer and roof light adds more joints to check. Each one is checked from wherever it is safe to see it. Common reasons to book are damp walls below an overflowing gutter and leaks below a flat extension roof, across lead flashings, chimney stacks and rooflights and dormers.
Many homes around Hitchin have been extended, often with flat roofs or dormers, and where an extension meets the house is a common leak point. Flashings, upstands and the edges of flat roofs are checked alongside the main roof, inside and out. The stain inside is often some way from where water gets in, particularly around extensions.
The written findings come by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Place
- Hitchin (SG4, SG5)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
More services for Hitchin
How we price roof leak investigations
Our packages start from £150, with VAT included. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so the price reflects that. The price is confirmed before booking.
Getting in touch
These details help when you contact us:
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply call 07833 053749 or email us whenever suits you.
Questions from Hitchin
How do I find out if my home in Hitchin 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.
Is Hitchin in the area you cover?
Yes. We survey roofs across London and the South East, and Hitchin is part of that. You can call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and some details, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Do you use thermal imaging to find leaks?
It can, when the conditions are right. The best results come after a sunny day, on a dry roof with little wind. Damp areas can hold heat differently from dry ones. We always check what it shows with moisture readings.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator.
How much is a survey?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Our three packages are Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, including VAT.
Are you insured?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. Our survey isn’t a structural engineer’s report. We’ll recommend an engineer if we see signs that call for one.
What happens on the day
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, take photographs as we go and make notes for the report. Most visits take an hour or two at a typical home, and longer for a large or complex roof. Most visits in a town like Hitchin start at the front of the house and work round to the back. Rear gardens and side paths often give the best view of extensions and back slopes. The loft comes next, where there’s safe access.
- You pick a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey.
- We agree a date, including weekends.
- The investigation works from the stain back to the roof.
- Moisture detection and thermal imaging are used where your package includes them and they help.
- The report explains the likely entry point and what needs attention.
Preparing for the visit
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
Booking a survey
We survey roofs seven days a week. To find a date that works for you, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Read more
Can I check my roof myself?
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Roof leak investigations in Hitchin: local notes
Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Different coverings let water in at different points, which shapes where the search starts. If your home is older, it’s worth knowing whether it’s listed or in a conservation area before planning roof work. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, and councils can also use Article 4 directions to control changes in conservation areas.
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Hitchin Girls' School, on a building that size, finding the source of a drip means looking well beyond the stain. Trees in and around Butts Close shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall. If you live in an older home near Church of the Holy Saviour, water on an older roof tends to find its way in at the lead, the valleys or the chimney.
Hitchin is about 5 miles north-west of Stevenage, in Hertfordshire. Hitchin is one of many places we visit across Hertfordshire, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Hitchin is one of the towns and villages in Hertfordshire we cover for roof leak investigations. For surveys nearby, see our Milton Keynes page.
We work across the SG4 and SG5 postcode area for roof leak investigations and the streets around it. You will find streets such as Market Place, London Road and Harrison Close, all of which we cover. Hitchin sits on or near the A505 and A600. If you are just outside Hitchin, we cover Benslow (1 mile east), Poets Estate (1 mile east), Bearton (1 mile north-west), Walsworth (1 mile north-east) and Westmill (1 mile north-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Stevenage (5 miles south-east), St Albans (14 miles south), Welwyn Garden City (11 miles south), Harpenden (10 miles south), Hatfield (13 miles south) and Hertford (13 miles south-east). Hitchin is one of the larger places we cover in Hertfordshire.
Around Hitchin
Typical jobs here are in homes near Highbury Infant School and Nursery, Butts Close and Kingshott School, among other places. You will also find Radcliffe Arms (under half a mile north-east) and St Mary's Church (under half a mile south-west). Hitchin has its own railway station: Hitchin station. Nearby you’ll also find Wymondley Castle (1.7 miles east) and Lister Hospital (3.1 miles south-east). Not far away are Purwell Ninesprings and Markham's Hill.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, including offices, shops and units. Larger roofs take longer, and they’re priced for the size.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Hitchin and across Hertfordshire can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Before and after the survey
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out:
- Record whether it leaks in every downpour or only some
- Keep a photo record of the damp patch
- Mention earlier attempts to fix the leak
- Don’t climb onto the roof to look
With the Standard Survey you get a follow-up consultation, while Premium includes one in person. You can ask us about anything that isn’t clear.
Look at the roof from the ground after strong winds. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Small faults dealt with quickly rarely become leaks.