Hampshire · London and the South East
Chawton Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Chawton and the rest of Hampshire. Surveys run seven days a week.
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
Common roof problems in Chawton
Patch repairs are common on roofs of every age. Bitumen over flashings, mortar fillets in place of lead and odd replacement tiles can be signs that something has leaked before. Our report records them so you can ask the seller what was done and when.
Look out for signs like these:
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Old water stains in the loft space
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
Bentworth Hall, about 2.8 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Chawton. Buying a period property here means asking about the roof’s age and repairs, and about any listing or conservation area.
What to check before booking
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Chawton
Many older houses carry decades of roof repairs. Slates slip when their nails corrode, lead valleys and flashings wear, and chimney pointing crumbles. Little of that is easy to judge from the pavement on a viewing. We look closely and record what we see, with photos that show you exactly where. Each finding is explained in plain words, so it’s clear what it means for your purchase. Typical surveys look at flashings that have lifted or split and bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs, across the roof space, clay and concrete tiles and natural slate.
Older buildings in small places like Chawton 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. Whether you’re buying or signing off new roofing, it’s worth knowing where you stand, as well as what condition the roof is in. There are about 500,000 listed buildings and around 10,000 conservation areas in England.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent, whichever applies.
- Where
- Chawton (GU34)
- Wider area
- Hampshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Nearby places to Chawton
More services for Chawton
What we do, step by step
You do not need to do much on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, like stains, drips or loose pieces, and we’ll get on with the inspection. A typical survey takes roughly 1–2 hours at most homes, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Older rural homes like those around Chawton can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed beforehand.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Tell us about parking before the day
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
How to book
Most bookings start with a short call: ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Read more
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
To be straight with you, there are limits to any roof survey:
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- A structural engineer’s report
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will point you to the right survey before you book. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Chawton
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
Why get it checked now?
The lender’s valuation is done for the lender, not for you. It looks at whether the property is suitable security for the loan, not at the condition of each slate and flashing. A roof survey is carried out for the buyer. In a small place like Chawton, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
Why us?
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Surveys seven days a week
- An independent view of the roof
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or two real surveys.
Useful tips for Chawton property owners
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Ask the agent to check the loft hatch can be opened
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
The report gives any roofer you ask to quote a clear brief. They’ll see exactly what we found, and where, which makes quotes easier to compare.
Keep the loft ventilated. Condensation in a roof space can look like a leak and can damage timbers over time. Keep insulation clear of eaves vents so air can move.
Buying a home or a new roof in Chawton
A number of Hampshire 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. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about. If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
Landlords with a home close to Alton station may find that a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one. If you live in an older home near Church of St Nicholas, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Chawton is about 1 mile south-west of Alton, in Hampshire. Whether the building in Chawton is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, the roof can be surveyed on a weekday or at the weekend. Our Hampshire coverage includes Chawton and the places around it. For surveys nearby, see our Guildford page.
Here we cover the GU34 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Whether your property is on Winchester Road and Wolf's Lane or a nearby road, we can help. Close by, we survey roofs in Alton (1 mile north-east), Upper Farringdon (2 miles south), Lower Farringdon (2 miles south), Farringdon (2 miles south) and Hartley Mauditt (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Basingstoke (10 miles north-west), Winchester (15 miles west), Farnborough (15 miles north-east), Fleet (12 miles north-east), Aldershot (13 miles north-east) and Petersfield (9 miles south).
Local landmarks in Chawton
Around Chawton, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Greyfriar pub and Amery Hill School and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Alton station, about 1.6 miles north-east. Nearby you will also find Allen Gallery (1.3 miles north-east) and Alton Community Hospital (under half a mile north). Open spaces near Chawton include King's Hill.
FAQs for Chawton
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Chawton?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Is Chawton in the area you cover?
Yes. We survey roofs across London and South East England, and Chawton is part of that. You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and a few details.
How soon is the report ready?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Reports are emailed, with photographs.
How long does the survey visit take?
The visit normally takes about one to two hours for a house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. We’ll confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. You need the report before you exchange, because after that the roof is yours to deal with.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have completed more than 5,000 surveys, across 20+ years of surveying roofs, and 98% of clients are satisfied.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. It’s a roof survey by an experienced roof surveyor, and you get a written report with photos. It does not cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
Prices always include VAT. What changes the price is:
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- The size of the roof
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- House, block, shop or office
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so they’re priced to match. You will know the figure before booking.
Helping us price your survey
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It is useful to include:
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Where the property is, with the postcode
To get a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Chawton, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. A few details about the property and the roof help us price the survey accurately.