Greater London · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Coulsdon
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Coulsdon, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Get in touch for a price.
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Coulsdon
Buying a home is a big commitment, and the roof is one of the costliest parts to put right. Our pre-purchase roof survey gives you a proper look at it before you are committed. We look at the slates or tiles, the ridges and valleys, the flashings, the chimneys and the gutters, plus the loft where there is safe access. You get a report with photos. Typical surveys look at ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof and loose pots and cracked flaunching, across natural slate, chimney stacks and gutters and downpipes.
Homes across London range from Victorian and Edwardian terraces to interwar semis, post-war blocks and new developments, so a property in Coulsdon might be any of these. Whether the roof is old or newly laid, the problem areas depend on how and when the building went up. Slate roofs, butterfly valleys, parapet gutters and flat-roofed rear additions each have their own weak points.
The report is written in plain words, so you do not need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photo where possible, and recommendations are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
- Location
- Coulsdon (CR5, CR8, CR3)
- Region
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Leave it or get it looked at?
Sellers are not always aware of roof problems. Their answers on the property forms only cover what they know about. Our survey shows you the roof as it is today. In a London terrace or conversion, a roof defect rarely stays your problem alone: a blocked parapet gutter or slipped slate can let water into the flat below or the house next door. Finding it early keeps the work smaller.
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. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
Why us?
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
Landlords, agents and block managers in Coulsdon
Where a roof is shared: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Let us know about it when booking and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, and the report can go to both. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Common roof problems in Coulsdon
Viewings rarely include a proper look at the roof. You walk round the rooms, but the roof stays out of sight, and a quick glance from the street misses a lot. Fresh decoration can also cover the marks an old leak left behind, so a closer look is worth having before you commit.
Here are some of the things we see frequently:
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
Controlled parking zones are common in London, so mention any permit rules for Coulsdon, along with any off-street space.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- When you will get the report
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Whether you get a written report with photos
What happens on the day
We check the roof from outside and, where it is relevant and there’s safe access, from inside the loft space too. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging. The whole visit usually takes an hour or two for a house; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. In converted houses and mansion blocks, the loft hatch is frequently on a shared landing. Where that is the case, access needs agreeing with whoever controls that landing. Otherwise, the visit in Coulsdon runs like any other.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- The roof is inspected from every safe viewpoint, inside and out.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- We email a written report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
How to prepare
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Leave side gates unlocked
Booking a survey
We survey roofs on any day of the week. To arrange a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Related advice
Different roofs, different checks
Gutters and parapets
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter, normally to the back of the house. If yours does, we check that gutter and where it drains.
Lead flashings and valleys
Lead flashings seal the joints where a roof meets a wall or chimney. We look for lead that has lifted, split or been patched over.
Also near Coulsdon
Also in Coulsdon
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Coulsdon
Is parking a problem for a survey in Coulsdon?
London parking needs a little planning, so let us know about permits, bays or a driveway when booking. The visit is then planned around what’s available.
Is my home in Coulsdon listed or in a conservation area?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do I need to be at home?
Someone needs to let us in if we are looking inside or in the loft. We will talk about access as you book.
How soon is the report ready?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. We send it by email, with photographs.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Where it helps and it is safe, yes. Flights depend on the weather on the day and airspace rules, and we check for restrictions near airports before flying. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. It’s a roof survey by an experienced roof surveyor, with a written report and photos. It doesn’t cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
Is this an asbestos survey?
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.
Coulsdon homes and their roofs
If the drone is used for your survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. With Nonsuch Mansion about 4.9 miles north-west, Coulsdon sits in an area with a long building history. If your house is among the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near St Andrew's Church, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light. For landlords with property near Coulsdon South station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Coulsdon is about 13 miles south of London, in Greater London. We visit Coulsdon as part of our work across Greater London, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. We cover towns and villages across Greater London, from the larger towns to small villages. London is in our area too.
We cover every part of CR5, CR8 and CR3 for pre-purchase roof surveys. Streets in the area include Hadleigh Grove, Farthing Way and Dobson Close, and we cover them all. Coulsdon is on the B276 and B2030, which makes it simple to reach. Other places close to Coulsdon include Woodcote (1 mile north), Old Coulsdon (1 mile south-east), Woodmansterne (1 mile west), Chipstead (1 mile south-west) and Purley (2 miles north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as London (13 miles north), City of Westminster (14 miles north), Marylebone (14 miles north), Kensington (13 miles north), St Pancras (15 miles north) and Shoreditch (15 miles north).
Around Coulsdon
We work in homes and buildings around Dollypers Hill, Coulsdon Sixth Form College and The Pembroke pub and the streets around them. There’s a railway station in Coulsdon itself: Coulsdon South station. Well-known places in the area include Croydon Airport Visitor Centre (3 miles north) and Purley War Memorial Hospital (2 miles north-east). Open spaces near Coulsdon include Duppas Hill and Mercers Lake.
What a survey costs
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. That comes down to:
- Height and safe access
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- The size of the roof
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, with VAT included, and we can help you choose.
Getting in touch
The more you tell us, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, tell us:
- What’s prompted the survey
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- The type of building and roof, like pitched or flat
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know where you stand. Prices start from £150, including VAT. To book, call 07833 053749 or email us.