West Berkshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in East Ilsley, West Berkshire
Know where you stand with the roof before you decide what to do next. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in East Ilsley.
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in East Ilsley
Will you come out to East Ilsley?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. Our area covers London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
Do you carry out roof surveys in East Ilsley?
Yes, East Ilsley is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
How quickly will I get the report?
That depends on which survey you choose: within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Tell us your exchange date and we’ll help you choose.
How many surveys have you done?
We have been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have completed over 5,000 surveys.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day. Let us know your preferred days as you book.
Do you go up on the roof?
When conditions and the roof make it safe, yes. We also inspect from ground level, upper windows and the roof space.
Do you need access inside the house?
If it can be arranged, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If we cannot get in, the report says so.
About our pre-purchase roof survey in East Ilsley
The roof is one of the most expensive parts of a home to repair, and one of the hardest for a buyer to see. A pre-purchase roof survey looks at it closely before you are tied in. We check the slates or tiles, the ridges and valleys, the flashings, the chimneys and the gutters, and the loft space where it is safe to get in. You get a photo-illustrated written report. We survey gutters and downpipes, natural slate and flat-roofed extensions and dormers, and people most frequently book us about loose pots and cracked flaunching and flashings that have lifted or split.
In a village or hamlet like East Ilsley, 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. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Where
- East Ilsley (RG20)
- Wider area
- West Berkshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Also in East Ilsley
How it works
There isn’t much for you to do on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, like stains, drips or loose pieces, and we’ll get on with the inspection. A typical survey takes an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Older roofs in small places like East Ilsley can have low, tight loft spaces, so it helps to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Getting ready for the survey
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
Arrange a survey
When you’re ready to go ahead, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. We’ll suggest a package, agree the price and find a date.
Advice
Roof by roof
Natural slate
Many older homes in London and South East England have slate roofs. We look for slates that have slid, cracked or gone, and for clips or tingles that show past repairs.
Gutters and parapets
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter, typically to the back of the house. If yours does, we check that gutter and where it drains.
Why it’s worth a survey now in East Ilsley
A seller may honestly not know the state of the roof. Their answers on the property forms only cover what they know about. An independent look tells you how the roof is now, whatever anyone remembers. For older village homes like those around East Ilsley, the right replacement materials are not always easy to find quickly. That is one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
All our prices include VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the price for your survey before booking.
Why book with us
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- Surveys seven days a week
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
Read what a roof survey costs or our case studies.
What this survey cannot tell you
It’s a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. Its limits include:
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
Useful tips for East Ilsley property owners
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Ask for loft access on the day
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Tell us your exchange date when you book
With Standard, you get a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. Whichever package you choose, you can ask us what a finding means.
Chimneys and flashings need watching. Watch for gaps in the pointing, cracked flaunching and loose lead. A pair of binoculars from the garden shows a lot.
East Ilsley homes and their roofs
What can be done to an older roof may depend on listing or a conservation area. The council is the place to check, along with Historic England’s list, ideally before any re-roofing is planned. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new.
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near Church of St Mary, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
East Ilsley is about 6 miles south of Didcot, in West Berkshire. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in East Ilsley and the surrounding area. Our area takes in places right across West Berkshire. For surveys nearby, see our Reading page.
Here we cover the RG20 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. We cover properties on High Street, Farriers Lane and Abingdon Road and the roads around them. Other places close to East Ilsley include Compton (2 miles south-east), Chilton (3 miles north), Woodway (3 miles north-east), Upton (4 miles north) and Blewbury (4 miles north-east). Further out, we also cover Newbury (9 miles south), Thatcham (9 miles south), Burghfield Common (13 miles south-east), Speenhamland (8 miles south), Hungerford (13 miles south-west) and Calcot (12 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in East Ilsley
We work in homes and buildings around The Downs School and The Star pub, among other places. Well-known places in the area include Atlas Computer Laboratory (3.5 miles north) and Hampstead Norris Castle (3.9 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Churn Hill.
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in East Ilsley
Blocked or leaking gutters do damage that isn’t obvious at first. Water spilling over a gutter soaks brickwork and can rot fascias and rafter ends. Hidden gutters behind parapets or in roof valleys can send water indoors. We check them as part of the survey.
Common reasons to book include:
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
In and around East Ilsley, as anywhere, a roof is easiest to deal with when its problems are found early.
Questions to ask before booking
- Their insurance cover
- Whether VAT is added on top
- What the survey won’t cover
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?