Surrey · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Dorking
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Dorking from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us across London and the South East.
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
Pre-purchase roof survey in Dorking: what you get
Some roofs can’t be seen well from ground level or from windows. Our Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and, where applicable, a drone inspection, and the report arrives the same day. If airspace rules or the weather rule out a flight, we will say so and look from ground level, windows and the loft instead. We survey lead flashings and valleys, chimney stacks and clay and concrete tiles, and people most often book us about old water stains in the roof space and gutters that overflow or drip at the joints.
A good many homes in a town like Dorking have been extended over the years, often with flat roofs. The joints where a new roof meets an old wall or slope are a common source of leaks. For a home you’re buying in Dorking, or a roof just finished there, those joints get a careful look.
Most points in the report come with a picture, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Place
- Dorking (RH4, RH5)
- Region
- Surrey
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Where a roof is shared: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Tell us about it when you book and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, with the most urgent items set out first.
Tips that help
Most of what helps is simple and safe from ground level. A few suggestions:
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Tell us your exchange date when booking
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
We email the report to you, with photos of each finding. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Each defect is explained in plain words, with recommendations prioritised by urgency where relevant.
After you move in, have leaves and moss cleared from gutters and valleys, ideally once the leaves have dropped. Overflowing water is behind a lot of damp. Use a gutter contractor rather than going up a ladder yourself.
Dorking: your questions answered
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Dorking?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Is Dorking in the area you cover?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning. Mention it when you contact us and we will plan the survey around it.
Do I need to be at home?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. Access is agreed with you when booking.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it applies and safe. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. It is included in the Drone Roof Survey and, where applicable, the Premium Survey.
Will you need to get into the loft?
Where possible, yes. The loft tells us a lot about the roof, and views from upper windows help too. Access is typically arranged through the agent or seller.
How quickly will I get the report?
It depends on the package: within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Let us know your exchange date and we’ll help you choose.
Places near Dorking
What else we do in Dorking
How the survey works
Every roof is different; as a rough guide, the survey takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. You’re welcome to ask questions while we are there. A typical visit in Dorking begins with the street side of the roof and then moves round the building. Rear gardens and side paths frequently give the best view of extensions and back slopes. The loft comes next, where there is safe access.
- 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.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from 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
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Leave a clear route to the loft
How to book
Photos help, if you have them. Take them safely from the ground or a window, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To get started, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Read more
Local roofs and buyers in Dorking
Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls are typical of Surrey’s older houses. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old buildings in Surrey. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most. Historic houses such as Polesden Lacey, about 2.7 miles north-west, show how far back building in the area around Dorking goes. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Landlords with a home close to Dorking Deepdene station may find that a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Dorking is about 10 miles north-west of Crawley, in Surrey. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Dorking can all book pre-purchase roof surveys, with a written report and photographs every time. We cover towns and villages across Surrey, large and small. We also survey roofs in Crawley.
All of RH4 and RH5 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys. We offer pre-purchase roof surveys to properties on High Street, Station Road and London Road and the roads around them. With the A24 and A25 close by, Dorking is simple for us to get to. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Pixham (1 mile north-east), North Holmwood (1 mile south), Westhumble (2 miles north), Westcott (2 miles west) and Blackbrook (2 miles south-east). We also work in nearby towns like Guildford (11 miles west), Woking (12 miles north-west), Epsom (8 miles north), Horley (8 miles south-east), Redhill (7 miles east) and Ewell (9 miles north).
Landmarks near Dorking
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Wheatsheaf Public House, The Ashcombe School and Deepdene Terrace, among other places. Other local landmarks include The Ashcombe School (0.6 miles north) and Pippbrook House (0.5 miles north). The nearest railway station is Dorking Deepdene station, roughly 0.6 miles north of the centre. Nearby you will also find Mesolithic Museum (3.9 miles south-west) and Headley Court (4.8 miles north-east). Not far away are Reigate Heath and Box Hill.
What we cannot see
A survey is a careful look at the roof, but it cannot do everything. Its limits include:
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll point you to the right survey. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What we check
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
DIY checks: what’s safe
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
When to book a survey in Dorking
Viewings rarely include a proper look at the roof. You see the rooms, not the slates, and a quick glance from the street misses a lot. Fresh decoration can also cover the marks an old leak left behind, which is why buyers book a closer look before committing.
People typically book a survey when they’ve noticed something like this:
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
If you live in an older home near Church of St Paul, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Questions to ask before booking
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Whether the price includes VAT
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see