London and the South East

Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Surrey

From the largest town to the smallest village in Surrey, our roof surveyors can carry out pre-purchase roof surveys. Clear prices including VAT, and surveys on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Call 07833 053749

Book a survey

Towns we cover in Surrey

A roof survey before you buy a house or flat. The lists below link to a page for each place. To book, call 07833 053749.

Larger towns

Also in Surrey

Postcode areas we cover

Pre-purchase roof surveys across Surrey: what to expect

Book after your offer is accepted and before exchange. At that point you can still ask questions, because nothing is binding yet. Visits run on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when the chain is moving fast. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. We’re frequently asked to look into bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs and flashings that have lifted or split, across clay and concrete tiles, gutters and downpipes and the roof space.

Once we have finished looking, we write up our findings as a report with photographs, sent to you by email. As for time on site, it normally takes between one and two hours for a house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer.

Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
Access to the house and the roof space is agreed ahead of time.
The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
Inside, we check the loft space and look at the roof from windows.
You get a written report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.

What you’ll pay

Our price is from £150, including VAT. The final price depends on the size and height of the roof, how it can safely be seen and the package you choose.

What you get with us

Independent findings on the roof’s condition
Clear package prices, inc. VAT
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID

Arrange a survey

Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email to find out.

Near you in Guildford

Typical jobs here are in homes near Surrey Maths School, Sandfield Primary School and Guildford High School, among other places. You’ll also find Church of St John the Evangelist (under half a mile east), Stoke Park (less than half a mile east) and The King's Head pub (under half a mile south-east). Guildford’s nearest station is London Road (Guildford) station, about 0.6 miles south-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Guildford Castle (0.9 miles south) and Guildford House (0.8 miles south). For a walk, there is Silent Pool and Pewley Hill.

Buying a home or a new roof across Surrey

The roofs we see across Surrey run from slate and clay tile on older houses to concrete tiles and membranes on newer ones. What matters on the day depends on the materials and how old the work is.

Several airports in London and South East England have flight restriction zones around them, so the Drone Safety Map is checked before any drone flight in Surrey. Flights that need permission only go ahead once it is given.

Guildford: Landlords with a home close to London Road (Guildford) station may find that a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer. If you live in an older home near Church of St John the Evangelist, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.

Should I look at the roof myself first?

During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.

Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.

Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey

Most viewings never get near the roof. You walk round the rooms, but the roof stays out of sight, and a quick glance from the street misses a lot. Fresh decoration can also cover the marks an old leak left behind, so a closer look is worth having before you commit.

These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:

Damp timbers or stains in the loft
Chimney mortar that has eroded
Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney

Landlords, agents and block managers in Surrey

For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, putting the urgent items at the top.

Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.

Tips that help

These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:

Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
Book once your offer is accepted
Ask the seller about past roof repairs
Ask whether there are papers for past roof work

If the report shows work is needed, you can raise it with the seller or agent. You might ask for the work to be done before completion, or ask to adjust the price. The outcome is between you and the seller.

Every so often, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Damp patches, daylight through the roof or water stains on timbers are worth noting. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.

Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Surrey

What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. The main factors are:

The roof’s overall size
How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
The type of building, from a house to a block or an office

Every price we give includes VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for your roof before booking.

Helping us price your survey

When you call or email, these details help:

What’s prompted the survey
Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
The style of property, from a terrace to a block

To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. You will know the price before anything is booked.

FAQs for Surrey

When will the report arrive?

Premium reports arrive the same day, Standard reports within 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Reports are emailed, with photographs.

Do I have to be there for the survey?

Not necessarily. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.

Do you need to go inside the property?

If it can be arranged, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If access isn’t possible, we note it in the report.

Can you inspect my roof with a drone?

Yes, where applicable and safe. We are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where it applies.

When is the best time to have the roof checked when buying?

Once your offer has been accepted, and before exchange. That gives you time to use the findings, whether that means asking questions or negotiating.

What if it rains on the day?

Some surveys depend on the weather more than others. Drones cannot fly safely in high wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. If the conditions aren’t right, we’ll talk to you about another date.

Will you climb onto the roof?

Where it’s safe, yes. We inspect from the ground, from windows and vantage points, from the loft and from the roof itself where safe. On Premium, a drone is used where applicable.