West Berkshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Great Shefford, West Berkshire
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Great Shefford, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
Pre-purchase roof survey in Great Shefford
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 look at 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. Where the building has a flat roof, it’s checked as far as access allows. Typical surveys look at chimney mortar that has eroded and standing water on a flat extension roof, on gutters and downpipes, clay and concrete tiles and lead flashings and valleys.
Older buildings in small places like Great Shefford may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials a new roof may use, so check with the council and Historic England’s list. For a buyer or someone with a newly finished roof, it’s worth knowing which applies, as well as what condition the roof is in. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
Nothing in the report is left vague: where something needs attention, it says so plainly, along with how urgent it is.
- Location
- Great Shefford (RG17)
- Wider area
- West Berkshire
- Cost
- 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
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
DIY checks: what’s safe
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
FAQs for Great Shefford
Do you carry out roof surveys in Great Shefford?
Yes, Great Shefford is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Great Shefford as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
How do I find out if my home in Great Shefford is listed?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We carry out surveys on any day of the week. To arrange a date, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Do you use drones?
Yes, where it is applicable. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
How do I arrange a pre-purchase roof survey in Great Shefford?
Just call 07833 053749 or email us. After a few questions, we confirm the price and fix a day.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
On site, it usually 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.
Before and after the survey
You do not need to be a roofer to help. What helps most:
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
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.
After strong winds, look at the roof from the ground. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.
How it works
The aim of the visit is simple: to see as much of the roof as can safely be seen and record it clearly. Notes and photos go into the written report. The visit typically takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Around Great Shefford, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it’s safe.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- 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.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Getting ready for the survey
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Arrange a survey
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email whenever suits you.
Advice
For landlords and managing agents
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, call 07833 053749 or email us.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in. We survey on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Why get it checked now?
The lender’s valuation is done for the lender, not for you. It looks at whether the property is suitable security for the loan, not at the condition of each slate and flashing. Our survey is done for you, and the report is written for you to use. 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.
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package matters as well. The price is always agreed first.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Great Shefford
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Prices that include VAT
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Plain-English reports with photos
See how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
It is useful to know what a survey won’t do before booking:
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Great Shefford
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings and valleys
Nearby places to Great Shefford
What else we do in Great Shefford
Local roofs and buyers in Great Shefford
If your home is older, it is worth knowing whether it is listed or in a conservation area before planning roof work. Listed building consent covers changes to a listed building’s special interest, and an Article 4 direction can bring extra controls in a conservation area. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new.
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Church of St Mary, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming. In and around Great Shefford, as anywhere, a roof is easiest to deal with when its problems are found early.
Great Shefford is about 8 miles north-west of Newbury, in West Berkshire. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Great Shefford. Great Shefford is one of the places in West Berkshire where we work. For surveys nearby, see our Reading page.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: RG17. Local streets include Station Road, The Mead and Miller's Field. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in East Shefford (1 mile south-east), Weston (1 mile south-east), East Garston (2 miles north-west), Shefford Woodlands (2 miles south-west) and East Garston Woodlands (2 miles west). We also work in nearby towns such as Newbury (8 miles south-east), Thatcham (10 miles south-east), Speenhamland (7 miles south-east), Hungerford (5 miles south-west), Lambourn (4 miles north-west) and Shaw (7 miles south-east).
Around Great Shefford
For a walk, there’s Sole Common Pond.