Surrey · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Holmbury St Mary
An experienced roof surveyor for pre-purchase roof surveys in Holmbury St Mary. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us across London and South East England.
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
What we are asked to look at in Holmbury St Mary
Buildings put up or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos. Cement roof sheets, soffits and flue pipes are typical places to find it. We do not carry out asbestos surveys, but our report flags materials that could contain it and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before work starts.
Common reasons to book include:
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
Take an older house close to St Mary The Virgins Church: the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Before you book anyone
- How soon the report will arrive
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Is VAT included in the price?
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Holmbury St Mary
Many older houses carry decades of roof repairs. Slates slip when their nails corrode, lead valleys and flashings wear, and chimney pointing crumbles. Little of that is easy to judge from the pavement on a viewing. We look closely and record what we see, with photos so you can see it for yourself. We explain each finding in plain English, so it’s clear what it means for your purchase. We are often asked to look into flashings that have lifted or split and slipped or missing slates and tiles, on flat-roofed extensions and dormers, clay and concrete tiles and chimney stacks.
Somewhere as small as Holmbury St Mary, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings often sit beside a few newer homes. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
The report is written in plain words, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Photos show what each point refers to.
- Where
- Holmbury St Mary (RH5)
- Wider area
- Surrey
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Checking the roof from the ground
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us as you book, as it helps us focus the survey.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, which helps when we check the roof.
For landlords and managing agents
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. Recommendations are set out with the most urgent first where relevant, which helps with budgets and planning.
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget.
What happens if roof problems are left?
A mortgage valuation is not a roof survey. Its job is to check the property’s value for the mortgage, not at the condition of each slate and flashing. Our survey is done for you, and the report is written for you to use. In a small place like Holmbury St Mary, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. The price is always agreed first.
Why book us in Holmbury St Mary
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- 5,000+ surveys completed
See what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.
Towns and villages near Holmbury St Mary
Also in Holmbury St Mary
Common questions in Holmbury St Mary
Do you cover smaller places like Holmbury St Mary?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We work right across London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Holmbury St Mary?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime. Just say which days work for you.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we’re allowed to reach.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
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 a roof survey worth having alongside a home 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. Ours sits alongside a RICS survey rather than replacing it.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes. You might ask for work to be done, ask questions or ask for a change to the price. The outcome is between you and the seller, so we cannot promise any saving.
Local roofs and buyers in Holmbury St Mary
Older houses across Surrey frequently have handmade clay tiles, and many have tile-hanging. Horsham stone slab roofs survive on some old buildings in Surrey. The covering on a house you’re buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest. The wider area around Holmbury St Mary has a long history of building, with Polesden Lacey about 4.8 miles north. If you own one of the older houses, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
If you own a rental within reach of Gomshall station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Holmbury St Mary is about 5 miles south-west of Dorking, in Surrey. Anywhere in Holmbury St Mary, we can come and survey your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Holmbury St Mary is one of the places in Surrey we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. For surveys nearby, see our Guildford page.
Every address in RH5 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys. We offer pre-purchase roof surveys to properties on Horsham Road and Felday Glade. We also cover the places around Holmbury St Mary: Pitland Street (1 mile south), Peaslake (1 mile west), Farley Green (3 miles west), Ewhurst (3 miles south) and Ewhurst Green (3 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Guildford (8 miles north-west), Woking (11 miles north-west), Epsom (12 miles north-east), Horley (11 miles east), Redhill (11 miles east) and Ewell (13 miles north-east).
Around Holmbury St Mary
Typical jobs here are in homes near Wotton and Abinger Commons, The Volunteer pub and Hurtwood House, among other places. The closest station to Holmbury St Mary is Gomshall station, roughly 2.1 miles north-west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Mesolithic Museum (0.7 miles north-east) and Abinger Castle (0.7 miles north-east). Open spaces near Holmbury St Mary include Leith Hill and Silent Pool.
What happens on the day
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof, but as a rough guide the survey takes an hour or two at a typical home, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. You are welcome to ask questions while we’re there. Rural addresses near Holmbury St Mary can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- We arrange access with 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.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- We email a report with photographs and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Before we arrive
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
Arrange a survey
We survey roofs seven days a week. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Related advice
Tips from our surveys
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Request records of any re-roofing
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
If the report shows work is needed, you can raise it with the seller or agent. Some buyers ask for repairs before completion, others ask for a change to the price. What happens next is your decision and the seller’s, and we cannot promise any result.
After strong winds, look at the roof from ground level. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.