Wokingham · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in California, Wokingham
Get a clear view of the roof at a property in California. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
Why get it checked now?
A mortgage valuation is not a roof survey. Its job is to check the property’s value for the mortgage, not at the condition of each slate and flashing. A roof survey is carried out for the buyer. In a place like California, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. It is worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how it can be reached and seen safely. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT.
Why book with us
- Prices that include VAT
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- Photographs and a written report every time
About our pre-purchase roof survey in California
Some roofs cannot be seen well from ground level or from windows. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, plus a drone inspection where it applies, along with a same-day report. If airspace rules or the weather rule out a flight, we’ll say so and look from the ground, windows and the loft instead. We’re often asked to look into signs of past leaks inside the loft and chimney mortar that has eroded, on clay and concrete tiles, chimney stacks and lead flashings and valleys.
Older buildings in small places like California may be listed or in a conservation area. If so, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so check with the council before work starts. For a buyer or someone with a newly finished roof, it is worth knowing which applies. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Where
- California (RG40)
- Region
- Wokingham
- 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
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
California homes and their roofs
Older buildings may be listed or sit in a conservation area. To find out, check Historic England’s list and ask the council about conservation areas. In either case, a change of roofing material may need consent. If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
For landlords with property near Crowthorne station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
California is about 3 miles south-west of Wokingham, in Wokingham. Whether the building in California is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, we can survey the roof on a weekday or at the weekend. Across Wokingham, we cover California and the places around it. For surveys nearby, see our Reading page.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in RG40 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. That includes homes and businesses on Warren Lane, White Horse Lane and Fernbank and the roads around them. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Arborfield Garrison (1 mile west), Finchampstead (1 mile south-east), Barkham (1 mile north), Langley Common (1 mile north-west) and Eversley (1 mile south-west). We also work in nearby towns like Reading (7 miles north-west), Wokingham (3 miles north-east), Woodley (5 miles north), Earley (5 miles north-west), Crowthorne (3 miles east) and Lower Earley (4 miles north-west).
Landmarks near California
We work in homes and buildings around The Queen's Oak pub, Bohunt School Wokingham and Shepperlands Farm Nature Reserve. The nearest railway station is Crowthorne station, roughly 2.4 miles east. A little further out are Beaumys Castle (4.7 miles west) and Wokingham Hospital (2.6 miles north-east). The countryside around California includes Horseshoe Lake and Holt Copse & Joel Park.
Can I check my roof myself?
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and falls from height are serious. That is where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
Common questions in California
Is California within the area you cover?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
How do I find out if my home in California is listed?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
That depends on how much you want to know about the roof. Home surveys sometimes suggest a closer look at the roof, and our survey gives you that closer look. It is not a replacement for a RICS survey.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it is applicable. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
How quickly will I get the report?
That depends on which survey you choose: within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Tell us your exchange date and we will help you choose.
How long does the survey visit take?
Allow about one to two hours for a house, and more on a big or complicated roof. We will give you an idea of timing when booking.
When is the best time to have the roof checked when buying?
After your offer is accepted and before you exchange contracts. That way you can still act on what we find, whether that means asking questions or negotiating.
For landlords and managing agents
We survey roofs for landlords and letting agents as well as householders. A photo-illustrated written report gives you a clear record of the roof.
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf, with the report sent to whoever needs it. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Common roof problems in California
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. We check them as part of the survey.
Common reasons to book include:
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
The streets around a church such as Church of St James are often among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Their insurance cover
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Their report turnaround times
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
How the survey works
We work from the outside in: outside views come first, then the loft space if there’s safe access. All told, expect about one to two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Older rural homes like those around California 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.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- Access is arranged through 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.
Before the survey
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
Arrange a survey
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
Advice
Tips that help
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
- Request records of any re-roofing
- Ask the agent to check the loft hatch can be opened
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
With Standard, you get a follow-up consultation, while Premium includes a consultation in person. Whichever package you choose, you can ask us what a finding means.
Keep the loft ventilated. Poor ventilation lets condensation build up, wetting timbers and insulation. Avoid packing insulation into the eaves so tightly that air can’t flow.