Buckinghamshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Fern
Independent pre-purchase roof surveys in Fern. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Blocked or leaking gutters
Pre-purchase roof survey in Fern
The roof is one of the most expensive parts of a home to repair, and one of the hardest for a buyer to see. Our pre-purchase roof survey gives you a close look at it before you are committed. We look at the slates or tiles, the ridges and valleys, the flashings, the chimneys and the gutters, plus the loft where there’s safe access. The findings come in a written report with photos. If you’re worried about ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof and a ridge or slope that dips, we can find out what’s behind it.
For a small place like Fern, the visit is planned like any other: it just means planning the journey and access beforehand. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them when you book. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets, each with a short note and a photograph. You’ll see the good as well as the bad.
- Where
- Fern (SL7)
- Region
- Buckinghamshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so they’re priced to match. The price is confirmed before you book.
What to let us know when you contact us
Getting the details right at the start saves time. Please include:
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
Most bookings start with a short call: phone 07833 053749 or email us. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Fern
Is my home in Fern listed or in a conservation area?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do you cover Fern?
Yes, Fern is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos.
Do I need to be at home?
Someone needs to let us in if we’re looking inside or in the loft. Access is agreed with you as you book.
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, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
How long does the survey visit take?
It normally takes about 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Report times depend on the package, from the same day for Premium to within 48 hours for Basic.
What insurance do you have?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling aren’t something we do. Where a material might contain it, such as old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it.
Checking the roof from the ground
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level.
Towns and villages near Fern
Also in Fern
How the survey changes by roof type
Clay and concrete tiles
Many post-war houses have concrete interlocking tiles. They’re heavy and hard-wearing, but they weather and can crack.
Flat roofs
Flat roofs on extensions, dormers and garages are easy to forget about. Felt roofs often last around 15 to 20 years, rubber longer and GRP up to about 30. We look for signs of age and failure.
What we can’t see
No survey can tell you everything, and it’s better to know them up front. Keep these in mind:
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will suggest the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
The survey, step by step
The visit typically starts outside and finishes in the loft: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the roof space where it can be reached. In total, it takes an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Somewhere as small as Fern, access is often the only tricky part. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- 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.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Before we arrive
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Let us know about parking before the day
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Book a survey
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Fern
A number of Buckinghamshire villages keep thatched roofs on their older buildings. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new. Cliveden, about 2.7 miles south-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Fern. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters.
If you let a flat or house near Bourne End station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in. The streets around a church such as Church of St John the Baptist are often among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Fern is about 2 miles north-east of Marlow, in Buckinghamshire. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Fern can all book pre-purchase roof surveys. We cover towns and villages across Buckinghamshire, large and small. For surveys nearby, see our Reading page.
All of SL7 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Close by, we survey roofs in Coldmoorholme (1 mile south-east), Little Marlow (1 mile south-west), Well End (1 mile south-east), Bourne End (1 mile south-east) and Flackwell Heath (1 mile north-east). Larger places within reach include High Wycombe (3 miles north), Chesham (10 miles north-east), Amersham (8 miles north-east), Beaconsfield (4 miles east), Chalfont St Peter (8 miles east) and Southcourt (15 miles north).
Local landmarks in Fern
Around Fern, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Bourne End Academy and The Black Lion pub. For rail, the closest station is Bourne End station, roughly 1.1 miles south-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include High Wycombe Castle (3.1 miles north) and Chiltern Sound Phonograph Museum (2.3 miles south-west). Not far away are Warren Nature Reserve.
Practical tips
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Ask the agent to check the loft hatch can be opened
It is worth sharing the report with your solicitor so questions can go to the seller’s solicitor. It can prompt questions about past roof work and any paperwork for it.
After you move in, have leaves and moss cleared from gutters and valleys, particularly after autumn. Blocked gutters cause much of the damp we see. Use a gutter contractor rather than going up a ladder yourself.