Isle of Wight · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Downend, Isle of Wight
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in Downend, and put it all in a written report with photographs.
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
Pre-purchase roof survey in Downend: what you get
We survey roofs for buyers in Downend and across London and the South East. 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, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. If you’ve noticed standing water on a flat extension roof and bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs, we can find out what’s behind it.
Being in a small place like Downend makes no difference to the inspection itself: it just means planning the journey and access beforehand. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them when booking, so the visit can be planned around them. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
We write the report in plain English, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Each point is backed by a photograph where possible, with the urgent items made clear.
- Place
- Downend (PO30)
- Wider area
- Isle of Wight
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What we do, step by step
You do not need to do much on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we will take it from there. A typical survey takes between one and two hours at most homes, and more on a big or complicated roof. Older rural homes like those around Downend 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 cannot see is noted.
- You book once your offer is accepted and tell us the address and your timetable.
- We arrange access with 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.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
- Let us know about parking near the property
Arrange a survey
When you are ready to go ahead, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day, weekday or weekend.
Related advice
Also in Downend
What this survey cannot tell you
We only report everything that’s safely in view on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- A structural engineer’s report
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will point you to the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Downend
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Downend?
Buildings put up or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos. It is often found in cement sheets, soffits and flue pipes. We don’t test for it or carry out asbestos surveys, but we flag materials that might and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before work starts.
We are often asked to look at:
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
For an older house near a landmark like St. George's Church, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- How soon the report will arrive
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Downend
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Downend?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, while strong wind lifts anything already loose.
Do you cover smaller places like Downend?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. Our area covers London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
How do I arrange a pre-purchase roof survey in Downend?
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us the address and what you want to find out. We’ll confirm the price and agree a day with you.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. Roofs over flats are frequently shared, so whoever owns or manages the building needs to agree access. We inspect only the parts we are allowed to reach.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, including flight restriction zones near airports. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day, which suits people who work during the week. Let us know your preferred days as you book.
Does someone need to be in?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the roof space, someone has to give us access; we’ll agree the details when you book.
Checking the roof from ground level
A lot can be seen from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Tips from our surveys
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Check we’ll be able to get into the roof space
You may want to pass the report to your solicitor or conveyancer so they can raise enquiries with the seller’s side. It can prompt questions about past roof work and any paperwork for it.
After strong winds, look at the roof from the ground. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Dealing with them early keeps water out.
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Downend
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before booking. These are the things that affect it:
- Which survey package you book
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
A Basic Survey starts from £150, with VAT included. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400. We confirm the price for the job before booking.
What to let us know when you get in touch
You don’t need to know any roofing terms. Just tell us:
- The property’s address and postcode
- What’s prompted the survey
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
For a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Downend, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. The address, the type of property and what you need to know help us give you an accurate price.
Local roofs and buyers in Downend
Downend lies within about 5 miles of the sea, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more 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. Thatch survives on some older Isle of Wight buildings, and sea air and wind reach every part of the island. Whether you are buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds.
Landlords with a home close to Smallbrook Junction station may find that the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full. Arreton Manor lies about 0.8 miles south, so building around Downend goes back a long way. Buying a period property here means asking about the roof’s age and repairs, and about any listing or conservation area.
Downend is about 2 miles east of Newport, in the Isle of Wight. Bookings from Downend are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Our area takes in places right across the Isle of Wight, from the larger towns to small villages. For surveys nearby, see our Portsmouth page.
Every address in PO30 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Streets in the area include Briddlesford Road and Long Lane. We also cover Arreton (1 mile south), Merstone (2 miles south), Blackwater (2 miles south-west), Shide (2 miles west) and Newchurch (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Ryde (4 miles north-east), Cowes (5 miles north-west), Sandown (4 miles south-east), Shanklin (5 miles south-east), Ventnor (7 miles south) and East Cowes (5 miles north). Harder-to-reach addresses take a little more planning, so please mention your location when you ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Around Downend
Around Downend, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The White Lion pub and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Smallbrook Junction station, about 4.3 miles east. Other landmarks nearby include Carisbrooke Castle (3 miles west) and Whitecroft Hospital (2.7 miles south-west). Not far away are Brading Down and Briddlesford Nature Reserve.