Isle of Wight · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Colwell
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat around Colwell, with a written report you can act on. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Colwell
Buyers in Colwell and right across London and South East England use our pre-purchase roof survey. From terraced and semi-detached homes to detached houses and flats, we follow the same careful process. We tell you what’s sound, what needs attention and how urgent it is. We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and have 20+ years’ experience. To book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. We survey flat-roofed extensions and dormers, gutters and downpipes and the roof space, and people most frequently book us about sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes and chimney mortar that has eroded.
In a village or hamlet like Colwell, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, emailed to you. It explains the condition of the roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Place
- Colwell (PO40, PO39)
- Wider area
- Isle of Wight
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Common questions in Colwell
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Colwell?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Colwell, take more of a battering?
Generally, yes: wind and salt air take more of a toll near the sea. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it normally shows.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
It is your choice, but the two do different jobs. A home survey looks at the whole property, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Our survey complements a RICS survey and doesn’t replace one.
When is the best time to have the roof checked when buying?
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.
What’s the best way to book?
To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address, the type of property and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price and agree a day with you.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. It is a dedicated roof survey, with a written report and photos. It does not cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
Do you cover Colwell for pre-purchase roof surveys?
Yes. We survey roofs in Colwell and the rest of the Isle of Wight. For a price, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
What we look for on each type of roof
Flat roofs
A flat roof that has been coated over several times may hide problems underneath. We record what we can see and say where a closer look is needed.
Natural slate
Many older homes in London and South East England have slate roofs. We check for slipped, cracked and missing slates, plus the metal clips that show earlier patching.
What affects the price in Colwell
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Height and safe access
- Which survey package you book
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
A Basic Survey starts from £150, with VAT included. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, both including VAT. We confirm the price for your roof before booking.
Helping us price your survey
If you can, have these to hand when you get in touch:
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- Anything about access we should know
- The kind of building and roof involved
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Nearby places to Colwell
What else we do in Colwell
How it works
Before we start, tell us why you’ve booked: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. Most visits take roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. Older rural homes like those around Colwell 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, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
How to prepare
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
Book a survey
Once you know what you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.
Related advice
Colwell homes and their roofs
Colwell is within about 1 mile of the coast, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Corroded clips and nails and lifted ridge pieces are typical of exposed roofs near the sea, which is worth knowing before you buy or pay for new work. Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
The streets around a church such as Christ Church are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light. If you let a flat or house near Lymington Pier station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Colwell is about 5 miles south of Lymington, in the Isle of Wight. We provide pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Colwell and the surrounding area. Colwell is one of the places in the Isle of Wight we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. You can also see our page for Southampton.
Surveys in PO40 and PO39 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Streets in the area include Colwell Chine Road, Heath Lane and Chine Close, all of which we cover. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Totland (1 mile south-west), Freshwater (1 mile south-east), Norton Green (1 mile north-east), Easton (1 mile south-east) and Afton (1 mile south-east). Larger places within reach include Newport (10 miles east), Cowes (11 miles north-east), East Cowes (12 miles north-east), Barton (11 miles east), Hunny Hill (10 miles east) and Cross Lane (11 miles east). For harder-to-reach addresses, the survey takes a little more planning.
Local landmarks in Colwell
Around Colwell, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Colwell Bay Inn, among other places. The closest station to Colwell is Lymington Pier station, about 4.9 miles north of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Lymington New Forest Hospital (5.7 miles north) and Ferguson Family Museum (1.1 miles east). For a walk, there’s Tennyson Down and Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes Nature Reserve.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Colwell
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when tenants work during the week.
We survey roofs for letting agents and landlords as well as homeowners. A photo-illustrated written report gives you a clear record of the roof.
Useful tips for Colwell property owners
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Do not leave it until just before exchange
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
The report gives any roofer you ask to quote a clear brief. The photos show the defects and where they are, so each quote covers the same ground.
After you move in, have leaves and moss cleared from gutters and valleys, particularly after autumn. Blocked gutters cause much of the damp we see. Use a gutter contractor rather than going up a ladder yourself.
What we cannot see
It’s a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
- The condition of the rest of the house (that’s a RICS home survey)
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will tell you. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks