Hampshire · London and the South East
Bailey's Hard Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Bailey's Hard. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Blocked or leaking gutters
What we do, step by step
We photograph the roof as we go, so you can see in the report what we found and where. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available. A typical visit takes about 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Around Bailey's Hard, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it helps to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it’s safe.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it’s safe.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
Arrange a survey
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know the cost up front. Prices start from £150, including VAT. To book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
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How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Bailey's Hard
Some roofs can’t be seen well from the ground or from windows. Our Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and, where it applies, a drone inspection, along with a same-day report. If airspace rules or the weather rule out a flight, we will say so and look from the ground, windows and the loft instead. We’re often asked to look into gutters that overflow or drip at the joints and bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs, across clay and concrete tiles, lead flashings and valleys and gutters and downpipes.
For a small place like Bailey's Hard, the visit is planned like any other: it just means planning the journey and access beforehand. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them when you book, so the visit can be planned around them. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Visits can be booked on weekdays and at weekends.
You receive the findings by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Location
- Bailey's Hard (SO42)
- Region
- Hampshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Local roofs and buyers in Bailey's Hard
Bailey's Hard lies within about 2 miles of the sea, and wind near the sea can be strong. A small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, so the weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead. Beaulieu Palace House, about 0.8 miles north-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Bailey's Hard. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years.
Take an older house close to Church of the Blessed Virgin and Child: a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Bailey's Hard is about 4 miles south-west of Hythe, in Hampshire. Wherever you are in Bailey's Hard, we can carry out pre-purchase roof surveys at your property. We cover towns and villages across Hampshire, large and small. You can also see our page for Southampton.
We work across SO42 for pre-purchase roof surveys. We also cover The Hummicks (1 mile north-east), Beaulieu (1 mile north-west), East Boldre (1 mile west), Furzey Lodge (2 miles west) and Dibden Purlieu (3 miles north). We also work in nearby towns like Gosport (13 miles east), Eastleigh (12 miles north), Fareham (11 miles east), Totton (8 miles north), Chandler's Ford (12 miles north) and Hedge End (9 miles north-east).
What’s near Bailey's Hard
Around Bailey's Hard, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Montagu Arms. For rail, the closest station is Beaulieu Road station, about 4.2 miles north-west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Beaulieu Abbey And Display Of Monastic Life (1.1 miles north-west) and Lymington New Forest Hospital (5.4 miles south-west). The countryside around Bailey's Hard includes Boldre Foreshore.
Towns and villages near Bailey's Hard
What else we do in Bailey's Hard
Landlord and commercial surveys in Bailey's Hard
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on, photos included.
With a portfolio of properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To discuss a number of properties, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
When you need someone else
No survey can tell you everything, and we’d rather be clear about that before you book. Bear these in mind:
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
When to book a survey in Bailey's Hard
Blocked or leaking gutters do damage that isn’t obvious at first. Water spilling over a gutter soaks brickwork and can rot fascias and rafter ends. Hidden gutters behind parapets or in roof valleys can send water indoors. They’re part of what we check.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Old water stains in the loft space
For landlords with property near Beaulieu Road station, it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
Questions to ask before you book
- Whether the price includes VAT
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
FAQs for Bailey's Hard
Is Bailey's Hard within the area you cover?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Bailey's Hard?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes, you can. The report sets out what we found, with photos, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. How the seller responds is up to them.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is often shared, so the building owner or managing agent needs to agree access. We can only inspect what we’re given access to.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We do not carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them, and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Do you use drones?
Where it is applicable and safe, yes. We are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. It’s included in the Drone Roof Survey and, where applicable, the Premium Survey.
Useful tips for Bailey's Hard property owners
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Ask the agent to check the loft hatch can be opened
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
It is worth sharing the report with your solicitor so questions can go to the seller’s solicitor. Past repairs, re-roofing and any records of that work are all fair questions.
After strong winds, look at the roof from the ground. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.