West Berkshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Cold Ash
Wondering about the roof at a property in Cold Ash? You can book a pre-purchase roof survey in Cold Ash and across West Berkshire.
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Cold Ash
A RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey covers the whole building, and the roof is only one part of it. Our survey is not a RICS survey, and it doesn’t replace one. What it adds is a closer look at the roof alone, with photos and written recommendations you can act on. The two sit side by side. Typical surveys look at slipped or missing slates and tiles and a ridge or slope that dips, on lead flashings and valleys, chimney stacks and gutters and downpipes.
Some older homes in villages like Cold Ash are listed or sit in a conservation area. That can affect what materials a new roof may use, so check with the council and Historic England’s list. Whether you are buying or signing off new roofing, it is worth knowing where you stand, as well as what condition the roof is in. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the coverings down to the gutters, with a note and a photo for each point. It records what’s sound as well as what is not.
- Place
- Cold Ash (RG18)
- Wider area
- West Berkshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we do, step by step
There isn’t much for you to do on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we’ll take it from there. A typical survey takes about 1–2 hours for a house, and longer for a large or complex roof. Somewhere like Cold Ash needs a little journey planning: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it is safe.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
How to prepare
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- Keep pets in another room
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
Book a survey
Getting a price is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email, let us know about the property and we will explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.
Read more
Questions from Cold Ash
Is my home in Cold Ash listed or in a conservation area?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Is Cold Ash within the area you cover?
Yes, Cold Ash is covered. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned ahead of time.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it helps and the rules allow, yes. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling aren’t something we do. The report may flag materials that could contain asbestos on buildings built or refurbished before 2000, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it is disturbed.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes. Buyers use the findings to ask questions, ask for repairs before completion or ask for a price change. What the seller agrees to is their decision, so we can’t promise any saving.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We carry out surveys on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To arrange a date, call 07833 053749 or email us.
What’s the best way to book?
It’s easiest to ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Give us the address and some details about the roof, and we will recommend the right survey. We survey seven days a week.
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- Height and safe access
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where applicable, which starts from £400, inc. VAT. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
What we need to know
What helps most when you contact us:
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- The kind of building and roof involved
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We will confirm the price before you book.
Nearby places to Cold Ash
More services for Cold Ash
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Cold Ash
With Shaw House about 2.4 miles west, Cold Ash sits in an area with a long building history. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. Whether you’re buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds.
Take an older house close to St. Mark's Church: older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them. Landlords with a home close to Thatcham station may find that a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Cold Ash is about 2 miles north of Thatcham, in West Berkshire. If you’re in Cold Ash, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Our area takes in places right across West Berkshire, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Reading.
We cover every part of the RG18 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. We offer pre-purchase roof surveys to properties on Harewood Drive, Johnson's Lane and Walters Close. We also cover the places around Cold Ash: Ashmore Green (1 mile south-west), Stone Copse (1 mile west), Longlane (2 miles north-west), Thatcham (2 miles south) and Wellhouse (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include Newbury (3 miles south-west), Burghfield Common (9 miles east), Speenhamland (3 miles south-west), Hungerford (11 miles west), Spencers Wood (13 miles east) and Calcot (9 miles east).
Landmarks near Cold Ash
Typical jobs here are in homes near Kennet School, among other places. The closest station to Cold Ash is Thatcham station, about 2.3 miles south-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include West Berkshire Community Hospital (1.8 miles south-west) and British Balloon Museum & Library Ltd (3 miles south-west). For a walk, there’s Nature Discovery Centre.
Tips that help
You do not need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
With the findings in hand, you can talk to the seller or their agent. Some buyers ask for repairs before completion, others ask for a change to the price. The outcome is between you and the seller, and we cannot promise any result.
Every so frequently, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Watch for stains, damp timbers and chinks of daylight. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
What we look for on each type of roof
Gutters and parapets
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter, normally to the back of the house. If the home you are buying has one, that gutter and its outlet get a careful look.
Natural slate
Natural slate can last 100 years or more, but the nails holding it corrode long before that. When slates start to slip, corroded nails are often the reason, and we note how widespread it looks.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Cold Ash
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. Recommendations are set out in order of urgency where relevant, which helps when budgeting.
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work.
Why act early in Cold Ash
After exchange, any roof defect is yours to deal with. Before it, you still have choices. A survey after you’ve moved in tells you the same things, but with far less room to act on them. Older cottages and farmhouses around Cold Ash can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it’s left.
We offer three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Why book us in Cold Ash
- An independent view of the roof
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- A written report with photos
- Visits on any day of the week