Portsmouth · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Fratton
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat around Fratton, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
Common roof problems in Fratton
Many roofs have had quick fixes over the years. Bitumen painted over a flashing, mortar where lead should be, or a few tiles that do not match can point to a problem that keeps coming back. We note what we see so you can ask about it.
We are often asked to look at:
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
For an older house near a landmark like St Mary's Church, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Fratton
Book after your offer is accepted and before exchange. At that point you can still ask questions, while you’re not yet committed. Visits run on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when a sale is moving quickly. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. If you’ve noticed loose pots and cracked flaunching and slipped or missing slates and tiles, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Smaller places like Fratton often have bungalows and cottages as well as houses, and many have been extended or had dormers added. Even on a low roof, dormers, valleys and flat-roofed additions need a careful look. The same goes for a purchase or a new roof around Fratton. Snags and wear both tend to show at dormer lead work and along flat-roof edges.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- Fratton (PO1, PO4, PO3)
- Region
- Portsmouth
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Why act early in Fratton
The lender’s valuation is done for the lender, not for you. It looks at whether the property is suitable security for the loan, and it won’t look closely at the roof. Our survey is done for you, and the report is written for you to use. With lower homes, common in places like Fratton, there’s little between a roof defect and the ceiling, so water can show inside quickly once it gets past the covering. Catching the cause first saves redecorating as well.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT.
Why book us in Fratton
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Over 20 years’ experience
Read our cost guide and two real surveys.
Useful tips for Fratton property owners
Small things make a difference, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Some pointers:
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
- Tell us your exchange date when booking
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation to talk the findings through, while Premium includes a consultation in person. Whichever package you choose, you can ask us what a finding means.
Once you’ve moved in, keep gutters, valleys and outlets clear, especially after autumn. Blocked gutters cause much of the damp we see. Use a gutter contractor rather than going up a ladder yourself.
What else we do in Fratton
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.
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when booking and it will help the survey.
The survey, step by step
We look at the roof from outside and, where it’s relevant and there’s safe access, from inside the loft space too. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement. The whole visit usually takes between one and two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. With a bit of garden around a house, as there often is around Fratton, the roof can be viewed from several angles. Let us know if any side is fenced off or hard to reach. Inside, the loft is checked where it can be reached safely.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- 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.
Getting ready for the survey
- Keep pets in another room
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
How to book
If you’re buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just call 07833 053749 or send us an email when you are ready.
Related advice
Fratton: your questions answered
Is my home in Fratton 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.
Will you come out to Fratton?
Yes. Fratton is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
It is your choice, but the two do different jobs. A home survey looks at the whole property, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Our survey complements a RICS survey and doesn’t replace one.
When will the report arrive?
It depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Let us know your timetable as you book.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it is applicable. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Only where it is 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.
Honest limits
It helps to know what a survey won’t do before you book:
- A structural engineer’s report
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
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.
Roofs we survey in Fratton
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate
Fratton homes and their roofs
Fratton lies within about 2 miles of the sea, and wind near the sea can be strong. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, so the weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead. If the drone is used for your survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
Landlords with a home close to Fratton station may find that a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Fratton is about 1 mile south-east of Portsmouth, in Portsmouth. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Fratton can all book pre-purchase roof surveys, with a written report and photographs every time. Across Portsmouth, we cover Fratton.
Surveys in PO1, PO4 and PO3 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Streets in the area include Renny Road, Clive Road and Union Road, and we cover them all. With the A288 close by, Fratton is simple for us to get to. If you’re just outside Fratton, we cover Kingston (1 mile north-east), Portsmouth (1 mile north-west), Landport (1 mile west), Baffins (1 mile north-east) and Copnor (1 mile north-east). Larger places within reach include Wymering (3 miles north), Paulsgrove (3 miles north), Cosham (3 miles north), Drayton (3 miles north) and Farlington (4 miles north-east).
Local landmarks in Fratton
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Portsmouth Academy, Alexandra Park and St Edmund's Catholic School. Fratton has its own railway station: Fratton station. Nearby you’ll also find St Mary's Hospital (within half a mile east) and Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum (0.8 miles north-west). Open spaces near Fratton include Milton Locks and Portsdown Hill.