Buckinghamshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Ellesborough
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Ellesborough, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. You get a clear report with photos.
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Old water stains in the roof space
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Ellesborough
A number of Buckinghamshire villages keep thatched roofs on their older buildings. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, so the council is the place to ask.
If you let a flat or house near Little Kimble station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Ellesborough is about 4 miles south of Aylesbury, in Buckinghamshire. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Ellesborough can all book pre-purchase roof surveys, with a written report and photographs every time. Ellesborough is one of the places in Buckinghamshire we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. We also survey roofs in Oxford.
We work across HP17 for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. You’ll find streets such as Ellesborough Road, Springs Lane and Church Hill, all of which we cover. We also cover the places around Ellesborough: Butler's Cross (1 mile east), Coombe (1 mile south-east), Chalkshire (1 mile north-east), Terrick (1 mile north) and Nash Lee (1 mile north). Within a short drive, we also cover Aylesbury (4 miles north), High Wycombe (9 miles south), Chesham (8 miles east), Marlow (13 miles south), Amersham (10 miles south-east) and Beaconsfield (12 miles south-east).
Near you in Ellesborough
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Russell Arms and John Colet School and the streets around them. Ellesborough’s nearest station is Little Kimble station, about 0.9 miles west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Stoke Mandeville Hospital (3.1 miles north) and National Paralympic Heritage Centre (3.2 miles north). The countryside around Ellesborough includes Beacon Hill and Brush Hill Local Nature Reserve.
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Ellesborough
Tall, steep or hidden roofs are hard to judge from the street. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, plus a drone inspection where it applies, along with a same-day report. Where a flight is not possible, because of airspace rules or the weather, we tell you and look from the ground, windows and the loft instead. If you are worried about cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing and blocked or leaking gutters, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
In a village or hamlet like Ellesborough, 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. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the coverings down to the gutters, each with a short note and a photo. It records what’s sound as well as what is not.
- Place
- Ellesborough (HP17)
- Wider area
- Buckinghamshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What this survey can’t tell you
Before you book, it’s worth knowing what a survey will not do:
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
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.
What we check
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Ellesborough?
Blocked or leaking gutters do damage that isn’t obvious at first. Overflowing water soaks walls and can rot the timber behind. Valley and parapet gutters can overflow inside the house. We check them as part of the survey.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Old water stains in the roof space
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Church of St Peter and St Paul, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Questions to ask before you book
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
Places near Ellesborough
Also in Ellesborough
Tips from our surveys
There’s plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Tell us your exchange date as you book
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
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. Findings are set out in plain English, with recommendations prioritised by urgency where relevant.
Don’t block the vents at the eaves. Condensation in a roof space can look like a leak and can damage timbers over time. Avoid packing insulation into the eaves so tightly that air cannot flow.
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney stacks
Leaning stacks, loose pots and eroded mortar are common findings. We note them with photos so you can ask about them.
Natural slate
Older slate roofs frequently have bitumen felt under them, and very old ones may have none. Where we can see it from the loft, we say what condition it’s in.
What we do, step by step
It’s useful to start with what’s prompted the survey: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. Most visits take between one and two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Somewhere like Ellesborough needs a little journey planning: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. The roof is looked at from ground level, from windows, from the loft where there is safe access and from the roof where it’s safe.
- You book once your offer is accepted and let us know the address and your timetable.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it is safe.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
How to prepare
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Book a survey
Most bookings start with a short call: ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email, and we will ask about the building and what you need. You will have a price before anything is arranged.
Related advice
Surveys for landlords and agents in Ellesborough
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Ellesborough. For a price for a let property or a block, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To discuss a number of properties, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
FAQs for Ellesborough
Do you carry out roof surveys in Ellesborough?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Is my home in Ellesborough listed or in a conservation area?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. The report is most useful before exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Ideally, yes. We look in the loft space where there’s safe access, and views from upper windows help too. Access is typically arranged through the agent or seller.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes. You’ll have photos and a written description of each defect, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. How the seller responds is up to them.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. We look at the parts we’re given access to, and the report makes that clear.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Someone needs to let us in if we are looking inside or in the loft. Access is agreed with you when you book.