Isle of Wight · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Godshill, Isle of Wight
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat around Godshill, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Old water stains in the roof space
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Godshill
Buying a flat brings its own roof questions. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that is often not the individual flat owner. We check as much of the roof as access safely allows, and the report gives you clear points to raise with your solicitor or the managing agent. If the building has a flat roof, we check that too where access allows. We survey natural slate, the roof space and gutters and downpipes, and people most often book us about sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes and cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing.
Some older homes in villages like Godshill are listed or sit in a conservation area. That can affect what materials a new roof may use, so check with the council and Historic England’s list. Whether you are buying or signing off new roofing, it is worth knowing where you stand. There are about 500,000 listed buildings and around 10,000 conservation areas in England.
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.
- Where
- Godshill (PO38)
- Region
- Isle of Wight
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Godshill
The coast is about 4 miles or less from Godshill, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, and loose ridges, slates and tiles are the first to lift in a gale. Historic houses like Sheat Manor, about 2.5 miles north-west, show how far back building in the area around Godshill goes. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Landlords with a home close to Shanklin station may find that a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Godshill is about 5 miles south of Newport, in the Isle of Wight. Godshill is part of the area we cover and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and South East England. Our area takes in places right across the Isle of Wight, from the larger towns to small villages. For surveys nearby, see our Portsmouth page.
Every address in PO38 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys. You will find streets such as High Street, Jubilee Close and Yarborough Close, all of which we cover. If you’re just outside Godshill, we cover Sandford (1 mile east), Rookley Green (1 mile north-west), Rookley (2 miles north-west), Whiteley Bank (2 miles east) and Merstone (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include Newport (5 miles north), Ryde (7 miles north-east), Cowes (9 miles north), Sandown (4 miles east), Shanklin (4 miles east) and Ventnor (4 miles south-east). Harder-to-reach addresses take a little more planning, so tell us where you are as you book.
Around Godshill
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Essex pub and the streets around them. The closest station to Godshill is Shanklin station, roughly 3.5 miles east of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Whitecroft Hospital (3.2 miles north-west) and Museum of Country And Agriculture (2.6 miles north-east). For a walk, there is Alverstone Mead and Stenbury Down.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, with the most urgent items set out first.
Where a roof is shared: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll plan the survey around it.
Why act early in Godshill
Once you exchange, the roof’s problems become yours. Before it, you still have choices. A survey after you’ve moved in tells you the same things, but too late to use them in the purchase. Matching old materials, such as handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where it applies, which starts from £400, including VAT. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Why book us in Godshill
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- Package prices that include VAT
Take a look at what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
What we’re asked to look at in Godshill
Most viewings never get near the roof. You see the rooms, not the slates. Fresh decoration can also cover the marks an old leak left behind, which is why buyers book a closer look before committing.
It’s worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
The streets around a church like All Saints' Church 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.
Questions to ask before you book
- Their track record with similar roofs
- What insurance they carry
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
Tips from our surveys
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
If the report shows work is needed, you can raise it with the seller or 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 you move in, have leaves and moss cleared from gutters and valleys, especially after autumn. Blocked gutters cause much of the damp we see. Use a gutter contractor rather than going up a ladder yourself.
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- Roof area
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
To find out what your survey will cost, ring 07833 053749 or email us and tell us about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
What we need to know
We will typically ask about:
- Dates you’re working to, like exchange
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price before you book.
Also near Godshill
What else we do in Godshill
How the survey works
The visit normally starts outside and finishes in the loft: outside views come first, then the loft space if there’s safe access. In total, it takes roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Around Godshill, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- We agree a time and how we will get in, including the loft.
- We inspect the roof from the ground, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it is safe.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- We email a report with photographs and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
How to prepare
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Booking a survey
For a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Godshill, call 07833 053749 or email us. Some details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.
Related advice
Common questions in Godshill
Do you cover smaller places like Godshill?
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 Godshill?
Generally, yes: wind and salt air take more of a toll near the sea. Exposed details such as ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch.
When will the report arrive?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Reports are emailed, with photographs.
Does someone need to be in?
Not always. If we only need the outside, we can agree that beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Are you insured?
We are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, for every survey we carry out.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It complements one rather than replacing it.
How do I arrange a pre-purchase roof survey in Godshill?
The quickest way is to ring 07833 053749 or send us an email. Give us the address and a few details about the roof, and we’ll suggest the right survey. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends.