Buckinghamshire · London and the South East
Marlow Bottom Flat Roof Survey
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings around Marlow Bottom, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Dips that suggest the deck is deflecting
- Upstands pulling away from walls
- Splits and cracks in the covering
Flat roof survey in Marlow Bottom: what you get
Our Basic Survey, from £150, gives you a visual inspection with photos and written recommendations. The Standard Survey, from £250, adds moisture detection and a structural check. On a flat roof, moisture readings can help show whether water has got under the covering. Bigger commercial roofs are priced on their size and access. If you are worried about signs of deflection in the roof deck and standing water left after rain, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on EPDM rubber, single-ply membranes and felt flat roofs alike.
In a small place like Marlow Bottom, 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 usually the first part of a flat roof to go.
The report is written in plain words, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Each point is backed by a photo where possible, and recommendations are put by urgency where it matters.
- Where
- Marlow Bottom (SL7)
- Region
- Buckinghamshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Checking the roof from the ground
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Don’t go up yourself.
When you need someone else
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- What’s under the membrane without opening it up
- Structural calculations, which need a structural engineer
- Testing older roof sheets for asbestos
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will point you to the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- Felt flat roofs
- Mastic asphalt
- EPDM rubber
- Upstands and outlets
- Single-ply membranes
- GRP fibreglass
What we’re asked to look at in Marlow Bottom
A buyer’s general survey often recommends a closer look at a flat roof. Building owners and managing agents book to plan maintenance, or before a sale or a new lease. Either way, you get a clear record of the roof, with photographs.
Typical things we’re asked to look at include:
- Outlets choked with leaves and silt
- Cracked or split membrane
- Blisters and bubbles in the covering
- Edge trims that have lifted or split
Take a building like Burford School: ponding and blocked outlets on a wide flat roof are worth catching before the next wet season.
What to check before booking
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- Whether VAT is added on top
- When you’ll get the report
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
Flat roof surveys in Marlow Bottom: local notes
A number of Buckinghamshire villages keep thatched roofs on their older buildings. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Mixed in with those pitched roofs are plenty of flat ones, over rear extensions, dormers, garages and shops. Historic houses like Harleyford Manor, about 2.8 miles south-west, show how far back building in the area around Marlow Bottom goes. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters.
If you let a flat or house near Marlow station, a flat roof over a rented flat is easy to forget until the tenant reports a leak. If you run a hotel or guest house in or near Marlow Bottom, a roof problem can mean rooms out of use, so it pays to find faults before guests do.
Marlow Bottom is about 1 mile north of Marlow, in Buckinghamshire. We carry out flat roof surveys in Marlow Bottom for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Across Buckinghamshire, we cover Marlow Bottom. Our Reading page covers surveys nearby.
Here we cover the SL7 postcode area for flat roof surveys. Streets in the area include Marlow Bottom, Squirrel Rise and Kingsley Drive, all of which we cover. Nearby, we also carry out flat roof surveys in Burroughs Grove (1 mile east), Marlow (1 mile south), Little Marlow (2 miles east), Fern (2 miles east) and Bisham (2 miles south). We also work in nearby towns like High Wycombe (3 miles north-east), Chesham (11 miles north-east), Amersham (10 miles north-east), Beaconsfield (6 miles east), Chalfont St Peter (10 miles east) and Southcourt (15 miles north).
Around Marlow Bottom
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Great Marlow School and Three Horseshoes pub, among other places. The closest station to Marlow Bottom is Marlow station, roughly 1.5 miles south-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Eden (2.9 miles north) and Chiltern Sound Phonograph Museum (1.2 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Carpenter's Wood.
Different roofs, different checks
Rooflights and upstands
Upstands at walls and parapets need to stay watertight as the building moves. We look for splits, gaps and failed flashings over the top.
GRP fibreglass
Movement in the deck or a thin layer of resin can lead to cracks in GRP. We record any cracking and any signs of the deck moving.
The survey, step by step
We will ask a few questions first, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. Then the inspection itself takes an hour or two for a house, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. Somewhere like Marlow Bottom needs a little journey planning: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. The roof is looked at from ground level, from windows, from the loft where there is safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- We start with the details: the address, the roof’s use and any leaks or stains.
- We view the roof from the ground, from windows and from the roof where it’s safe to do so.
- We check and photograph the covering, the falls, the upstands, the outlets, the trims and any rooflights.
- Where there is safe access, we check the ceilings and spaces below for signs of water.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects we found and what we recommend.
Preparing for the visit
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
Booking a survey
A quick phone call is normally the easiest start: phone 07833 053749 or email us. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Related advice
Marlow Bottom questions
Is my home in Marlow Bottom listed or in a conservation area?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do you look at commercial flat roofs near Marlow Bottom, such as hotels?
Yes, commercial flat roofs are part of what we cover. For a bigger roof, you’ll get a quote based on the building, and roof access is agreed with you before the visit.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we’re allowed to reach.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. It’s a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
What does a roof survey cost?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on its size, height, access and the package, confirmed before anything is booked.
Do I need to be at home?
That depends on the survey. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in, while outside access can be discussed when booking.
Does the report include photos?
Yes. Photos are taken throughout the survey, and the report uses them to show each finding alongside our recommendations.
Why get it checked now?
Waiting for a stain inside means the water has already got through the layers. A survey can find worn areas and failing details before that point, so you can plan the work rather than react to it. In a small place like Marlow Bottom, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
One thing that affects the price is the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all including VAT. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Why book us in Marlow Bottom
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- Packages from £150, with VAT included
- 20+ years’ experience