Isle of Wight · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Forest Side
Need a pre-purchase roof survey in Forest Side? We can help, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Blocked or leaking gutters
The survey, step by step
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. The inspection then takes an hour or two for most houses, and more on a big or complicated roof. Somewhere like Forest Side needs a little journey planning: tell us about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Before the survey
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
Booking a survey
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. We’ll confirm the price before booking.
Related advice
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Forest Side
A RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey covers the whole building, so the roof is one item among many. We do not offer a RICS home survey, and ours isn’t a substitute for one. It adds a focused look at the roof on its own, with photos of what we find and written recommendations. The two sit side by side. We survey natural slate, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and clay and concrete tiles, and common reasons people get in touch are slipped or missing slates and tiles and a ridge or slope that dips.
For a small place like Forest Side, 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 as you book, so the visit can be planned around them. Whether you are buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Visits can be booked on any day of the week.
Nothing in the report is left vague: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, and where it can wait, that is said too.
- Place
- Forest Side (PO30)
- Wider area
- Isle of Wight
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey changes by roof type
Natural slate
On a slate roof, the underlay may be old bitumen felt, or there may be none at all on very old roofs. From inside the roof space, we report what we can see of it.
Clay and concrete tiles
Many post-war houses have concrete interlocking tiles. They wear slowly, but surfaces erode and edges crack.
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Forest Side
Do you cover smaller places like Forest Side?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Forest Side?
It can do. Within about 4 miles of the sea, as Forest Side is, metal fixings wear faster and gales find any loose ridge or slate.
How long does the survey visit take?
The visit typically takes about one to two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. We will confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and details are available on request.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes. Buyers use the findings to ask questions, ask for repairs before completion or ask for a price change. The outcome is between you and the seller.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once access has been agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so we need permission from the freeholder or managing agent. We can only inspect what we’re given access to.
How soon is the report ready?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. We send it by email with photos included.
Buying a home or a new roof in Forest Side
The coast is about 4 miles or less from Forest Side, so there’s more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, and loose ridges, slates and tiles are the first to lift in a gale. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If you live in an older home near St. Mary's Church, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming. Historic houses such as Carisbrooke Castle, about 1.3 miles south, show how far back building around Forest Side goes. If you are buying an older home nearby, it’s worth knowing whether it’s listed or in a conservation area before you plan any re-roofing.
Forest Side is about 1 mile north-west of Newport, in the Isle of Wight. Wherever you are in Forest Side, we can come and survey your property. Forest Side is one of the places in the Isle of Wight where we work for pre-purchase roof surveys. There is also a page for Portsmouth.
All of PO30 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. That includes homes and businesses on Forest Road and Gunville Road and the roads around them. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Hunny Hill (1 mile east), Parkhurst (1 mile north-east), Noke Common (1 mile north-east), Porchfield (2 miles north-west) and Locksgreen (2 miles west). We also work in nearby towns such as Ryde (7 miles east), Cowes (4 miles north), Sandown (8 miles south-east), Shanklin (8 miles south-east), Ventnor (9 miles south-east) and East Cowes (4 miles north-east). For harder-to-reach addresses, a little more planning is needed, so let us know when you contact us.
Local landmarks in Forest Side
We work in homes and buildings around Hunnyhill Primary School, Seaclose Park and Island Innovation VI Form Campus, among other places. Nearby you’ll also find Carisbrooke Castle (1.3 miles south) and St Mary's Hospital (1 mile east). The countryside around Forest Side includes Mill Hill and Briddlesford Nature Reserve.
Can I check my roof myself?
You can learn a lot from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are frequently out of sight.
Nearby places to Forest Side
More services for Forest Side
Honest limits
To be straight with you, a roof survey has limits:
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- Whether timbers meet design loads
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will point you to the right survey. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
Why act early in Forest Side
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, whatever anyone remembers. In a small place like Forest Side, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
Prices start from £150, inc. VAT, for a Basic Survey. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400, both with VAT included. You’ll know the price for the job before booking.
Why book with us
- 20+ years’ experience
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Surveys on weekdays and at weekends
- An independent look at the roof
Practical tips
There’s plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Check we will be able to get into the roof space
With the findings in hand, you can talk to the seller or their agent. You might ask for the work to be done before completion, or ask to adjust the price. What happens next is your decision and the seller’s.
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.