Hampshire · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Foulford
A careful look at the roof at your property in Foulford, with photos and a written report.
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
What we are asked to look at in Foulford
Slates and tiles can outlast the nails, battens and underlay that hold them. Natural slate can last 100 years or more, yet the nails holding it rust and let slates slide. That kind of wear is common on older roofs.
Typical things we are asked to look at include:
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
Take an older house close to St John the Baptist: ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs frequently have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
What to check before booking
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Is VAT included in the price?
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Foulford
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’re tied in. We check 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. We survey gutters and downpipes, the roof space and clay and concrete tiles, and common reasons people get in touch are cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing and old water stains in the roof space.
Being in a small place like Foulford makes no difference to the inspection itself: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed in advance. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages with roofs you’d like looked at when booking. Whether you are buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Location
- Foulford (BH24)
- Region
- Hampshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from Foulford
Do you cover smaller places like Foulford?
Yes, we do. Our area covers London and the South East, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Foulford?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
When is the best time to have the roof checked when buying?
Once your offer has been accepted, and before exchange. That way you can still act on what we find, whether that means asking questions or negotiating.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
Only where it’s safe. Many roofs can be seen well from windows, vantage points and the loft, and a drone is part of the Premium Survey where it applies.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We do not carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, like cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them.
Will you need to get into the loft?
Ideally, yes. We look in the roof space where there’s safe access, and views from upper windows help too. The agent or seller can arrange entry.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey seven days a week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tell us which days suit you when booking.
Tips that help
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
The report gives any roofer you ask to quote a clear brief. They’ll see exactly what we found, and where, so each quote covers the same ground.
Chimneys and flashings need watching. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. Binoculars from ground level are enough for a first look.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Leaving it means judging the roof from the street. That rarely shows the back slope, the valleys or the top of the chimney. We fill that gap before you’re tied in, with photos of anything that needs attention. Matching old materials, such as handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. That is one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the size and height of the roof, how it can be seen safely and which survey you book.
Why book us in Foulford
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Plain-English reports with photos
Buying a home or a new roof in Foulford
A number of Hampshire villages keep thatched roofs on their older buildings. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. The covering on a house you’re buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest. Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
With Avon Tyrrell House about 3.3 miles south, the area around Foulford has a long history. Older homes in the area can come with listed status or conservation area rules, which affect re-roofing, so check with the council before you buy.
Foulford is in Hampshire. Bookings from Foulford are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. We cover towns and villages across Hampshire, large and small. Our Southampton page covers surveys nearby.
Here we cover the BH24 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. We also cover the places around Foulford: Forest Corner (1 mile north-west), Shobley (1 mile north), Hangersley (1 mile north-west), Hightown (1 mile south-west) and Poulner (1 mile west). We also work in nearby towns such as Totton (11 miles north-east), Lymington (11 miles south-east), Romsey (15 miles north-east), Hythe (15 miles east), New Milton (7 miles south-east) and Barton on Sea (8 miles south-east).
Near you in Foulford
Well-known places in the area include St Leonard's Hospital (5.5 miles south-west). Not far away are Blashford Lakes and Linbrook Lake.
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
Some things can’t be seen without opening up the roof, and that sets some limits:
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will suggest the right survey before you book. What a survey covers and does not.
What we look at
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
The survey, step by step
We will ask a few questions first, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. Then the inspection itself 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 rural homes like those around Foulford can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it is safe.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.
How to prepare
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Booking a survey
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or drop 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.
Advice
Landlord and commercial surveys in Foulford
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Foulford. To discuss a property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed ahead of time. Surveys run on any day of the week, which helps when tenants work during the week.