Isle of Wight · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Hillgrove, Isle of Wight
Independent pre-purchase roof surveys in Hillgrove. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Flashings that have lifted or split
For landlords and managing agents
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the addresses.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps when budgeting.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Hillgrove
With a written roof report, you can go back to the seller or agent with specifics. You can ask about the roof’s history, ask for repairs before completion or rethink the price. We cannot say how a seller will respond, but you will be negotiating from a clear picture rather than a hunch. It also helps you decide whether to go ahead at all. We’re often asked to look into gutters that overflow or drip at the joints and blistered or split felt on a flat roof, on clay and concrete tiles, lead flashings and valleys and the roof space.
Older buildings in small places like Hillgrove 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. Whether you are buying or signing off new roofing, it’s worth knowing where you stand, as well as what condition the roof is in. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
After the visit, you get a photo-illustrated written report, sent by email. It sets out the condition of the roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Where
- Hillgrove (PO33)
- Wider area
- Isle of Wight
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Hillgrove homes and their roofs
The coast is about 4 miles or less from Hillgrove, 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, which is worth knowing before you buy or pay for new work. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near St. Mark's Church, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs frequently have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges. For landlords with property near Smallbrook Junction station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Hillgrove is about 2 miles north-east of Newport, in the Isle of Wight. Hillgrove is one of many places we visit across the Isle of Wight. We cover towns and villages across the Isle of Wight. You can also see our page for Portsmouth.
All of PO33 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Staplers (1 mile south-west), Wootton (1 mile north-east), Fairlee (1 mile west), Cross Lane (1 mile south-west) and Barton (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Ryde (4 miles east), Cowes (4 miles north-west), Sandown (6 miles south-east), Shanklin (6 miles south-east), Ventnor (8 miles south) and East Cowes (3 miles north-west). Remote addresses need a little more planning, so please mention your location when you ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Landmarks near Hillgrove
Around Hillgrove, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Woodmans Arms, Seaclose Park and Medina College and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Smallbrook Junction station, roughly 4.3 miles east. Nearby you will also find Carisbrooke Castle (3.2 miles south-west) and Isle of Wight Bus & Coach Museum (1.7 miles west). Open spaces near Hillgrove include Briddlesford Nature Reserve and Mill Hill.
What we are asked to look at in Hillgrove
Most viewings never get near the roof. You see the rooms, not the slates, and a quick glance from the street misses a lot. Fresh decoration can also cover the marks an old leak left behind, so a closer look is worth having before you commit.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Old water stains in the loft space
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
Historic houses such as Arreton Manor, about 2.4 miles south, show how far back building around Hillgrove goes. When you buy an older home, the roof’s age, past repairs and any listing all affect what you might spend later.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Their track record with similar roofs
- What the survey won’t cover
- Is VAT included in the price?
What happens on the day
On the day, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that’s worrying you. We then inspect everything that can be seen safely, using the ground, windows, the loft and a drone where applicable. The survey typically takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Older rural homes like those around Hillgrove can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. Each part is looked at from wherever it can be seen safely, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- You book once your offer is accepted and let us know the address and your timetable.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- We check the roof from ground level, from windows, from the loft space and from the roof where safe.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- We email a written report with photographs and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Before the survey
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
Booking a survey
If you’re buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email when you’re ready.
Related advice
Hillgrove: your questions answered
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Hillgrove, take more of a battering?
It can do. Within about 4 miles of the sea, as Hillgrove is, metal fixings wear faster and gales find any loose ridge or slate.
Is my home in Hillgrove listed or in a conservation area?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
After your offer is accepted and before you exchange contracts. That gives you time to use the findings, whether that means asking questions or negotiating.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We do not carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them.
Is Hillgrove in your area?
Yes. Hillgrove is part of the area we cover, and the service is the same as everywhere else we work.
Do you need to go inside the property?
If it can be arranged, yes. From the loft space we can see staining, timbers and underlay. If access isn’t possible, we note it in the report.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. Buyers use the findings to ask questions, ask for repairs before completion or ask for a price change. The outcome is between you and the seller, so we cannot promise any saving.
How the survey changes by roof type
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.
Clay and concrete tiles
Older homes in the South East often have handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles on some. Where pegs have rotted, tiles can slip.
Also near Hillgrove
Also in Hillgrove
When you need someone else
No survey can tell you everything, and it’s better to know them up front. Bear these in mind:
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
Tips from our surveys
Getting the most from a pre-purchase roof survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Some tips:
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation to talk the findings through, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. Whichever package you choose, you can ask us what a finding means.
Keep an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. Binoculars from ground level are enough for a first look.