Isle of Wight · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Forest Side, Isle of Wight
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings for Forest Side and the rest of the Isle of Wight. Surveys run on any day of the week.
- Signs of deflection in the roof deck
- Blocked or damaged outlets
- Blisters and bubbles in the covering
Should I look at the roof myself first?
A lot can be seen from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
How a flat roof survey works in Forest Side
Buying a home with a flat-roofed extension, dormer or garage? It is useful to know that roof’s condition before you exchange. Many felt roofs need renewing after around 15 to 20 years, and EPDM and GRP frequently go on for longer. We set out the type of covering, its condition and the defects we found, with a photo of every defect. You then have something specific to put to the seller or agent. If you’ve noticed ponding water that doesn’t drain away and blisters and bubbles in the covering, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on felt flat roofs, EPDM rubber and upstands and outlets alike.
In a small place like Forest Side, a flat roof can stand in the open, so edges, upstands and laps take a beating. Older felt roofs, often around 15–20 years in life, show it first. Rubber and GRP last longer, though trims and joints still need a look. Exposed edges are typically the first part of a flat roof to go.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photos, sent by email. It explains the condition of the flat roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Where
- Forest Side (PO30)
- Region
- Isle of Wight
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Why act early in Forest Side
Waiting for a stain inside means the water has already got through the layers. We can pick up worn covering and failing details sooner, while there is still time to plan the work. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Forest Side, driving rain gets into any weakness, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
Prices start from £150, inc. VAT, for a Basic Survey. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, both with VAT included. You’ll know the price for the job before booking.
Why us?
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Packages from £150, inc. VAT
- Surveys seven days a week
Flat roof surveys in Forest Side: local notes
The coast is about 4 miles or less from Forest Side, so there’s more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Coastal wind works at the edges of flat roofs, and salt air wears metal trims and fixings. About 1.3 miles south lies Carisbrooke Castle, a reminder of how long the area around Forest Side has been built on. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Take an older house close to St. Mary's Church: later flat-roofed additions are common on older houses, and their edges and upstands often show the first signs of wear. A roof leak in a hotel or guest house around Forest Side means lost rooms as well as repairs. Take a building like Carisbrooke College: ponding and blocked outlets on a wide flat roof are worth catching before the next wet season.
Forest Side is about 1 mile north-west of Newport, in the Isle of Wight. Anywhere in Forest Side, we can carry out flat roof surveys at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Our the Isle of Wight coverage includes Forest Side. We also survey roofs in Portsmouth.
Postcode districts we cover here for flat roof surveys: PO30. If you need a flat roof survey at a property on Forest Road and Gunville Road or a nearby road, we can help. If you are just outside Forest Side, we cover Hunny Hill (1 mile east), Parkhurst (1 mile north-east), Noke Common (1 mile north-east), Porchfield (2 miles north-west) and Locksgreen (2 miles west). Further out, we also cover Ryde (7 miles east), Cowes (4 miles north), Sandown (8 miles south-east), Shanklin (8 miles south-east), Ventnor (9 miles south-east) and East Cowes (4 miles north-east). If you’re somewhere remote, the survey takes a little more planning.
Landmarks near Forest Side
Typical jobs here are in homes near Hunnyhill Primary School, Seaclose Park and Island Innovation VI Form Campus. Nearby you’ll also find Carisbrooke Castle (1.3 miles south) and St Mary's Hospital (1 mile east). The countryside around Forest Side includes Mill Hill and Briddlesford Nature Reserve.
What happens on the day
We work from the outside in: outside views come first, then the roof space if there is safe access. All told, expect an hour or two for most houses, or half a day or so for a commercial building. In a hamlet or village like Forest Side, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- 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
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Booking a survey
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You will know the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
Tips that help
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Note where water lies after a downpour
- Book a survey every few years
- Note any new marks on ceilings beneath the roof
- Make sure new fixings through the roof are properly sealed
If anything in the report isn’t clear, just ask us. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation, so you can talk the findings through.
Book a survey every few years, and again after new fixings, units or rooflights go in. You will spot changes early and have a record to look back on.
Common questions in Forest Side
Do you cover smaller places like Forest Side?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Forest Side, take more of a battering?
Often, yes. Within about 4 miles of the sea, as Forest Side is, metal fixings wear faster and gales find any loose ridge or slate.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Just let us know the days that suit you.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Where it helps and it is safe, yes. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules. We are a CAA-registered drone operator.
Is ponding on a flat roof a problem?
Standing water a day or two after rain normally needs attention. The cause may be the outlets, the falls or the deck. We check each of these and record what we find.
What insurance do you have?
We are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Does a flat roof survey replace a RICS survey?
No. Our survey covers the flat roof only. It’s not a RICS Level 2 or 3 home survey or a structural engineer’s report. It often sits alongside a buyer’s building survey.
How we price flat roof surveys
Survey packages start from £150, including VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
We offer three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you’d like to know.
What we need to know
The more you let us know, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, tell us:
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Whether there is a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- Dates you are working to, such as exchange
- What’s prompted the survey
We confirm the price for your roof before you book, so you know the cost up front. Flat roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. To book, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Places near Forest Side
More services for Forest Side
Surveys for landlords and agents in Forest Side
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client, photos included.
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, from shops and offices to industrial units. Larger roofs take longer, so they’re priced to suit.