Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Roof survey in St Stephens, Hertfordshire
We carry out roof surveys in St Stephens and the rest of Hertfordshire. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
- Loose chimney pots
- Water stains on rafters and ceiling joists
- Loose ridge or hip tiles
Checking the roof from the ground
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
Roof surveys for homes and businesses in St Stephens
Many homes have several roofs, not just one. Rear extensions, dormers, porches and garages often have flat roofs in felt, EPDM rubber, GRP or asphalt. We check them as well as the main pitched roof, including signs of standing water, splits and tired upstands. A flat roof usually wears out sooner than a pitched one, so they deserve a close look. A felt roof often lasts around 15 to 20 years, and GRP up to about 30. We survey natural slate, ridges, hips and valleys and flat roofs, and people most often book us about loose chimney pots and debris building up in roof valleys.
In a smaller place like St Stephens, homes range from older cottages to bungalows and newer houses. Coverings range from slate and clay tiles on older homes to concrete tiles on many later ones. On older homes, chimney stacks, valleys and gutters are typically where the work is. Nails and battens under older coverings frequently give out before the slates or tiles themselves.
The report records the roof as we found it on the day. It is useful straight away, and a good reference for later, for instance when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Where
- St Stephens (AL1, AL3)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Places near St Stephens
What else we do in St Stephens
How the survey changes by roof type
Concrete interlocking tiles
Interlocking tiles on shallow roofs depend on their laps and fixings. We look for lifted, cracked or slipped tiles, especially at the verges and ridge.
Natural slate
Slate is one of the most durable roof coverings, but its nails often corrode first. We check for slipped, cracked and missing slates, and for clips that show past repairs.
What this survey can’t tell you
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, and that sets some limits:
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- A full building survey of the property
- An exact number of years the roof has left
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in St Stephens
- Flat roofs
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Ridges, hips and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in St Stephens
Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Whatever the covering, it’s frequently the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
For an older house near a landmark such as St. Stephen's Church, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first. Homes near green spaces such as Verulamium Park can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall. Batchwood Hall, about 1.7 miles north, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around St Stephens. On a period home nearby, the survey separates sound original work from tired later repairs.
St Stephens is about 1 mile south-west of St Albans, in Hertfordshire. We carry out roof surveys for homes and businesses in St Stephens and nearby. Our area takes in places right across Hertfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. London is in our area too.
Roof surveys in AL1 and AL3 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Whether your property is on Grove Road, Jenny Lane and Watford Road or anywhere close by, we can help. With the A5183 close by, St Stephens is easy for us to reach. We also cover Sopwell (1 mile south-east), St Albans (1 mile north-east), Chiswell Green (1 mile south-west), Park Street (1 mile south) and Bernards Heath (1 mile north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Watford (6 miles south), Hemel Hempstead (5 miles west), Stevenage (13 miles north-east), Welwyn Garden City (8 miles north-east), Harpenden (5 miles north) and Hitchin (15 miles north).
Around St Stephens
Typical jobs here are in homes near St Adrian Roman Catholic Primary School, The King Harry Public House and Verulamium Park. St Stephens has its own railway station: St Albans Abbey station. Well-known places in the area include Village Arcade St Albans (0.7 miles north-east) and Hypocaust Museum (0.6 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Verulamium Lake and Grebe House Wildlife Garden.
Your questions about roof surveys in St Stephens
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near St Albans Abbey station?
Yes, that’s a common request. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
Is my home in St Stephens listed or in a conservation area?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
What does a roof survey include?
Every part of the roof we can safely see: the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys, gutters and roof space. Higher packages add moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging and a drone where applicable.
Can you check whether my roof contains asbestos?
No. Asbestos testing is not part of our service. Where materials might contain it, we say so in the report and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
Can you look at a roof that is joined to next door?
Yes, the part you own or can give access to. We can only look at neighbouring roofs as far as access allows. Shared stacks and upstands are looked at from your property.
Do I need to be at home?
Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
How experienced are you?
We’ve been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Roof faults rarely stay the same size. A single gap lets water onto the timbers underneath, and damp timber slowly weakens. Catching it early means less to put right. Tradespeople may need to travel further to a smaller place like St Stephens, so it helps to plan roof work rather than call someone out in a hurry. Knowing early gives you time to get the right people in.
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.
Why book us in St Stephens
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- An independent view of the roof
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- 98% of customers satisfied
Read what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.
How we price roof surveys
Prices vary from roof to roof, and it comes down to:
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- The roof’s overall size
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report is not charged as an extra. Roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Getting in touch
What helps most when you contact us:
- The address and postcode of the property
- Dates you are working to, such as exchange
- Anything about access we should know
- What kind of property and roof it is
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine. To send them or to book, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
What happens on the day
The visit has one job: to look at the roof as closely as is safe and record what we find. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. It typically takes between one and two hours at a typical home, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. Being in a smaller place like St Stephens doesn’t change how the visit works: outside, inside and from any safe vantage point, in that order. Point out any stains, cracks or loose pieces you’ve spotted.
- We help you choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey.
- On the day, we start by hearing what you’ve noticed.
- Coverings, ridges, hips, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Extra checks are carried out where your package includes them.
- You get a written report with photos and clear recommendations.
Before the survey
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Find any records of previous roof work
Book a survey
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form, and we will ask about the building and what you need. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.