Hampshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Elson, Hampshire
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Elson from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us.
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Elson
A RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey covers the whole building, and the roof is only one part of it. We do not offer a RICS home survey, and ours is not a substitute for one. It adds a focused look at the roof on its own, with photos of what we find and written recommendations. You can have both if you want the fullest picture. Typical surveys look at quick fixes on flashings and valleys and worn or lifted lead flashings, on chimney stacks, gutters and downpipes and flat-roofed extensions and dormers.
In a smaller place like Elson, homes are mostly houses and bungalows, from older cottages to more recent builds. Older roofs may still have their original slates or clay tiles, with fixings and underlay that have done a long stint. Whether you’re buying or have just had the roof replaced, that hidden layer is worth knowing about. Breathable membranes only appeared in the late 1990s, so older roofs often have bitumen felt or nothing at all.
After the visit, you get a photo-illustrated written report, emailed to you. It explains the condition of the roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Where
- Elson (PO12, PO13)
- Wider area
- Hampshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What you can safely check yourself
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
It is useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry.
Questions from Elson
Do you cover smaller places like Elson?
Yes. Elson is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Is my home in Elson listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We don’t sample or test for asbestos. Where a material might contain it, like old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it’s disturbed.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it is not a RICS home survey. It complements one rather than replacing it.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We carry out surveys on weekdays and at weekends. To find a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so the freeholder or managing agent needs to agree access. We can only inspect what we’re given access to.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. You need the report before you exchange, because after that the roof is yours to deal with.
Leave it or get it looked at?
A seller may honestly not know the state of the roof. The forms they complete only show what they’re aware of. An independent look tells you how the roof is now. Around Elson, a leak in an older house can soak into timbers and plaster, which is far harder to put right than the roof fault itself.
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report isn’t charged as an extra. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
Why us?
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- Clear package prices, including VAT
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or two real surveys.
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
Every survey has limits, and it’s better to know them up front. Keep these in mind:
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
Nearby places to Elson
What else we do in Elson
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings and valleys
Many leaks start at a flashing, so we look at each one closely. We photograph any that need work.
Gutters and parapets
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter, typically to the back of the house. If the home you are buying has one, that gutter and its outlet get a careful look.
What we are asked to look at in Elson
Buildings put up or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos. Cement roof sheets, soffits and flue pipes are typical places to find it. We do not test for it or carry out asbestos surveys, but our report flags materials that could contain it and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before work starts.
People usually book a survey after spotting one of these:
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
The streets around a church such as Church of St Thomas are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What insurance they carry
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
What happens on the day
The aim of the visit is simple: to look at the roof as closely as is safe and record what we find. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. The visit typically takes about one to two hours at most homes; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. Homes around Elson often have gardens on more than one side, which gives us room to step back and see the roof. Let us know if any side is fenced off or hard to reach. Inside, the loft is looked at where it can be reached safely.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Before the survey
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Let us know about parking before the day
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Book a survey
Once you know what you need, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. We’ll suggest a package, agree the price and find a date.
Advice
Elson homes and their roofs
The coast is about 2 miles or less from Elson, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, and loose ridges, slates and tiles are the first to lift in a gale, which is worth knowing before you buy or pay for new work. There are about 500,000 buildings on England’s list of listed buildings, and around 10,000 conservation areas. If your 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, so the council is the place to ask.
Landlords with a home close to Portsmouth Harbour station may find that a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Elson is about 1 mile north of Gosport, in Hampshire. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Elson for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Across Hampshire, we cover Elson.
Here we cover the PO12 and PO13 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. We offer pre-purchase roof surveys to properties on Ham Lane, Quay Lane and Avery Lane. You will find Elson on the A32, which makes it simple to reach. We also cover the places around Elson: Gosport (1 mile south), Forton (1 mile south), Bridgemary (1 mile north-west), Priddy's Hard (1 mile south-east) and Rowner (1 mile north-west). Larger places within reach include Havant (8 miles north-east), Eastleigh (14 miles north-west), Fareham (3 miles north-west), Horndean (9 miles north-east), Hedge End (10 miles north-west) and Waterlooville (7 miles north-east).
Near you in Elson
We work in homes and buildings around The Kings Head pub, St Vincent College and Brune Park Community School and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Portsmouth Harbour station, roughly 2.1 miles south-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Search (1.6 miles south-east) and Portchester Castle (2.2 miles north-east). The countryside around Elson includes West of the River Alver and Portsdown Hill.