Isle of Wight · London and the South East
Colwell Flat Roof Survey
Not sure what state the flat roof is in? You can book a flat roof survey in Colwell and across the Isle of Wight.
- Pools of water lying on the roof
- Cracked or split membrane
- Gaps at upstands and abutments
What a flat roof survey looks like in Colwell
Colwell is within about 1 mile of the coast, so there’s more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Salt in the air is hard on metal flashings and fixings, and wind catches any loose edge on a flat roof. Some villages on the Isle of Wight still have thatched roofs, and the whole island is open to sea air and wind. Flat roofs fill the gaps in between, on extensions, garages, dormers and business premises.
If you live in an older home near Christ Church, the flat roofs on later extensions tend to wear out long before the main roof. Take a building like All Saints Church of England Primary School: ponding and blocked outlets on a wide flat roof are worth catching before the next wet season.
Colwell is about 5 miles south of Lymington, in the Isle of Wight. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Colwell can all book flat roof surveys, with a written report and photographs every time. Our area takes in places right across the Isle of Wight, large and small. Southampton is in our area too.
All of PO40 and PO39 is within our area for flat roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Local streets include Colwell Chine Road, Heath Lane and Chine Close, all of which we cover. Neighbouring places we cover for flat roof surveys include Totland (1 mile south-west), Freshwater (1 mile south-east), Norton Green (1 mile north-east), Easton (1 mile south-east) and Afton (1 mile south-east). Larger places within reach include Newport (10 miles east), Cowes (11 miles north-east), East Cowes (12 miles north-east), Barton (11 miles east), Hunny Hill (10 miles east) and Cross Lane (11 miles east). Harder-to-reach addresses take a little more planning, so please mention your location when you phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
What’s near Colwell
In Colwell, that means homes and buildings near Colwell Bay Inn, among other places. The nearest railway station is Lymington Pier station, roughly 4.9 miles north of the centre. Nearby you will also find Lymington New Forest Hospital (5.7 miles north) and Ferguson Family Museum (1.1 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Tennyson Down and Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes Nature Reserve.
Flat roof survey in Colwell: what you get
Water through a flat roof does not always come in where the stain is. It may start at a split, a lifted seam or a failed upstand well away from the damp patch. That is why we check every detail across the roof, not only the area above the stain, with photographs of anything that could be letting water in. Whoever carries out the work then has a clear starting point. If you’re worried about signs of deflection in the roof deck and blisters and bubbles in the covering, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
In a village or hamlet like Colwell, flat roofs are typically on extensions, garages, outbuildings or barn conversions. They need the same care as any town roof: the covering, the edges, the upstands and where water drains away. The journey and access are planned beforehand. Garages and outbuildings are easy to forget, so mention any you want included as you book.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the coverings down to the gutters, each with a short note and a photo. You’ll see the good as well as the bad.
- Place
- Colwell (PO40, PO39)
- Wider area
- Isle of Wight
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey changes by roof type
GRP fibreglass
GRP roofs are laid as a resin and glass-fibre layer over boards. The survey checks for cracking at board joints, at the edge trims and where the roof meets walls.
Felt and built-up roofs
The edges and upstands of a felt roof are typically where trouble starts. We check each one and photograph any that have split or pulled away.
Colwell: your questions answered
Will you come out to Colwell?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We work right across London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Colwell, take more of a battering?
Generally, yes: wind and salt air take more of a toll near the sea. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it normally shows, and Colwell is within about 1 mile of the coast.
Can you tell me how long my flat roof will last?
We don’t put a figure on it. Typical ranges are around 15 to 20 years for felt, 30 to 50 for EPDM and up to about 30 for GRP, but the report tells you how your roof is really doing.
Do you use drones?
Where it’s applicable and safe, yes. We fly a sub-250g drone and we are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). It is included in the Drone Roof Survey and, where it applies, the Premium Survey.
Will you check the loft?
If the survey needs it and the roof space can be reached safely, yes. Please clear anything stored under the hatch, and if the loft cannot be reached safely, the report says so.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning. Tell us about it when booking and we will plan the survey around it.
How long will you be at the property?
Time on site depends on the roof, but most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours for an extension, garage or dormer roof, and around 3–4 hours for a commercial flat roof. The written report follows by email.
Common roof problems in Colwell
People go onto flat roofs for all sorts of reasons: cleaning windows, fitting aerials or air conditioning, or clearing gutters. A covering that wasn’t designed for foot traffic can crack or puncture. Fixings added through the covering often start leaks too.
We are often asked to look at:
- Standing water left after rain
- Gaps at upstands and abutments
- Cracked or split membrane
- Outlets that hold water back
For landlords with property near Lymington Pier station, flat roofs over rear additions and dormers in rented property are worth checking between tenancies.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- What the survey won’t cover
Why it is worth a survey now in Colwell
Most flat roofs are out of sight, so they’re easy to forget. Many owners only find out a roof is worn out when water comes through. A survey every few years stops that from catching you out. In a small place like Colwell, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package matters as well. The price is always agreed first.
What you get with us
- An independent view of the roof
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- Surveys seven days a week
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
Read how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
DIY checks: what’s safe
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. Do not go up yourself.
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
Also near Colwell
Also in Colwell
What we cannot see
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- Structural calculations, which need a structural engineer
- Testing older roof sheets for asbestos
- What’s under the membrane without opening it up
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll recommend the right survey before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Upstands and outlets
- Felt flat roofs
- Single-ply membranes
- Mastic asphalt
- GRP fibreglass
- EPDM rubber
How the survey works
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof; as a rough guide, the survey takes an hour or two for a house, and longer for a large or complex roof. You are welcome to ask questions while we’re there. Older rural homes like those around Colwell can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- You send us the address and, for commercial roofs, an idea of the roof’s size.
- Inside, we look for signs of water under the roof where we can reach.
- We view the roof from safe positions and never walk on fragile surfaces.
- We record every defect with a photo and its likely cause.
- The report explains the condition and recommends what to do first.
Before we arrive
- Let us know about parking before the day
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
Booking a survey
Once you know what you need, phone 07833 053749 or email us. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.