Southampton · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Highfield, Southampton
Not sure what state the roof is in? You can book a pre-purchase roof survey in Highfield and across Southampton, with plain-English findings.
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Old water stains in the loft space
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Highfield
Some roofs can’t be seen well from the ground or from windows. Our Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and, where applicable, a drone inspection, and the report arrives the same day. Where a flight isn’t possible, because of airspace rules or the weather, we tell you and look from ground level, windows and the loft instead. If you are worried about patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem and a ridge or slope that dips, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Around Highfield, you will mostly find houses and bungalows of different ages. In older homes, the slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens and underlay holding them. Whether you’re buying or have just had the roof replaced, that hidden layer is worth knowing about. Breathable membranes only appeared in the late 1990s, so older roofs often have bitumen felt or nothing at all.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Location
- Highfield (SO17, SO16, SO14)
- Wider area
- Southampton
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Highfield
Highfield lies within about 3 miles of the sea, where wind off the sea can be strong. The weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead, as a small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or a downpour. The flight restriction zone around Southampton Airport covers Highfield, or comes right up to its edge. If your survey includes the drone, we ask the airport for permission first, and only fly if it’s given.
For an older house near a landmark such as Highfield Church, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are. If you own a rental within reach of St Denys station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Highfield is about 1 mile north of Southampton, in Southampton. Wherever you are in Highfield, we can come and survey your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Our area takes in places right across Southampton, large and small.
All of SO17, SO16 and SO14 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Whether your property is on Winn Road, Nile Road and The Avenue or a nearby road, we can survey it. Main roads around Highfield include the A3035. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Bassett (1 mile north-west), Shirley (2 miles west), Lordswood (2 miles north-west), Freemantle (2 miles south-west) and Coxford (2 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover Thornhill (3 miles south-east), Harefield (3 miles east), Sholing (3 miles south-east), Woolston (3 miles south), Eling (4 miles west) and Rownhams (3 miles north-west).
Landmarks near Highfield
We work in homes and buildings around Saint George Catholic Voluntary Aided College Southampton, Richard Taunton Sixth Form College and The Cowherds Inn, among other places. The nearest railway station is St Denys station, about 0.8 miles south-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Royal South Hants Hospital (1.2 miles south) and Marlands Shopping Centre (1.7 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Netley Common.
FAQs for Highfield
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Highfield?
Typically it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. Highfield is inside, or right on the edge of, the flight restriction zone around Southampton Airport. We ask the airport for permission before flying there, and only fly if it is given. The flight also waits for calm, dry weather.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Highfield?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. It is a dedicated roof survey, and you get a written report with photos. It doesn’t cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Mention it when you get in touch and we’ll explain what’s needed.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We do not sample or test for asbestos. Where a material might contain it, like old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it is disturbed.
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 when booking.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Light rain is typically fine; heavy rain and wind are different. High wind or heavy rain can make access unsafe and ground a drone, and we’d agree another day.
What we do, step by step
After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a written report with photos, emailed to you. On timing, most surveys take about 1–2 hours for a house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. A visit to a smaller place like Highfield is no different on the day: outside, inside and from any safe vantage point, in that order. Point out any stains, cracks or loose pieces you’ve spotted.
- 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.
Preparing for the visit
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
Book a survey
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or email us and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. We’ll confirm the price before you book.
Advice
Before and after the survey
There is plenty you can do without going near the roof. Here’s what helps most:
- Let us know your timetable
- Check we will be able to get into the loft space
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
Your report arrives by email, with photos of what we found. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Each defect is explained in plain words, and recommendations are ranked by urgency where that helps.
After you move in, have leaves and moss cleared from gutters and valleys, ideally once the leaves have dropped. Overflowing water is behind a lot of damp. Get a professional in rather than climbing up yourself.
When to book a survey in Highfield
Chimneys take the worst of the weather. Pointing crumbles, flaunching cracks and flashings lift. On terraced and semi-detached homes, a stack may be shared with next door, which can affect how any work is arranged.
Problems we come across often include:
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
With South Stoneham House about 1.1 miles north-east, the area around Highfield 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.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Are they insured for the work?
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
Also near Highfield
Also in Highfield
Why it is worth a survey now in Highfield
It is tempting to skip the roof to keep a sale moving. Weekend visits are available as well as weekdays, and a Premium report comes the same day, which helps it fit around your exchange date. In a smaller place like Highfield, wherever a roof is exposed, a loose ridge or flashing doesn’t stay loose for long. Wind gets under it and lifts more, and water follows.
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so the price reflects that. You will know the figure before booking.
Why book us in Highfield
- 20+ years’ experience
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or two real surveys.
Different roofs, different checks
Clay and concrete tiles
Many post-war houses have concrete interlocking tiles. They wear slowly, but surfaces erode and edges crack.
Chimney stacks
A leaning stack, cracked flaunching or crumbling pointing can all need work. We note them with photos so you can ask about them.
What this survey cannot tell you
It’s a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. Its limits include:
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- Whether timbers meet design loads
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks