Hampshire · London and the South East
Knowle Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Knowle, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
The survey, step by step
Where it’s relevant and can be reached safely, the loft space is checked as well as the outside. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement. All in, the survey usually takes roughly 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, or half a day or so for a commercial building. Rural addresses near Knowle 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. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Preparing for the visit
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Let us know about parking near the property
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
How to book
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know the cost up front. Our price is from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Knowle
Older homes often have roofs that have been patched over the years. 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 that show you exactly where. We explain each finding in plain English, so you know what it means for the house you’re buying. We survey lead flashings and valleys, gutters and downpipes and natural slate, and people most frequently book us about quick fixes on flashings and valleys and signs of past leaks inside the loft.
Somewhere as small as Knowle, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings frequently sit beside a few newer homes. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Whether you are buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
The report is written in plain words, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Photos show what each point refers to.
- Place
- Knowle (PO17)
- Region
- Hampshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we look for on each type of roof
Gutters and parapets
Some older terraces have a butterfly roof with a central valley gutter. If the home you are buying has one, that gutter and its outlet get a careful look.
Lead flashings and valleys
Many older houses have lead in their valleys and hidden gutters. Worn or cracked lead lets water straight into the roof, and missing lead is not unknown, as it is a target for thieves.
Knowle homes and their roofs
Knowle lies within about 4 miles of the sea, 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, so exposed details get a close look whether you’re buying or signing off new work. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, so the council is the place to ask.
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Church of St Francis, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Knowle is about 2 miles north of Fareham, in Hampshire. In Knowle, as across Hampshire, every roof gets the same careful survey. Knowle is one of the towns and villages in Hampshire where we work. You can also see our page for Portsmouth.
Every address in PO17 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Serotine Close, Boundary Walk and Park Approach or anywhere close by, we can help. Other places close to Knowle include Funtley (1 mile south), Tapnage (1 mile north-west), Heathfield (2 miles south), Segensworth (2 miles west) and Titchfield Park (2 miles south-west). Further out, we also cover Winchester (13 miles north), Gosport (6 miles south-east), Havant (10 miles east), Eastleigh (9 miles north-west), Horndean (9 miles east) and Totton (13 miles west).
Around Knowle
Around Knowle, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Miners Arms and The Henry Cort Community College, among other places. The closest station to Knowle is Fareham station, about 2 miles south of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Portchester Castle (4.9 miles south-east) and Knowle Hospital (less than half a mile north-east). The countryside around Knowle includes Portsdown Hill and Swanwick Lakes.
Common questions in Knowle
Do you cover smaller places like Knowle?
Yes, Knowle is covered. We work right across London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it’s useful to know about access.
Is my home in Knowle listed or in a conservation area?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. 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.
What insurance do you have?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and we can provide details if a managing agent needs them.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, once access has been agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is frequently shared, so the building owner or managing agent needs to agree access. We can only inspect what we are given access to.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
Book as soon as your offer is agreed. You need the report before you exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
Do you need access inside the house?
Ideally, yes. The loft tells us a lot about the roof, and views from upper windows help too. Access is typically arranged through the agent or seller.
Do I need to be at home?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. Access is agreed with you when you book.
More services for Knowle
Tips that help
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
With the findings in hand, you can talk to the seller or their agent. You might ask for the work to be done before completion, or ask to adjust the price. The outcome is between you and the seller, and we can’t promise any result.
Chimneys and flashings need watching. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. Binoculars from the ground are enough for a first look.
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
We confirm the price for your roof before booking. This is what makes a difference:
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where applicable) come with the Premium Survey, which starts from £400, including VAT. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Getting in touch
Here’s what helps us most when you contact us:
- Anything about access we should know
- The property’s address and postcode
- Dates you’re working to, such as exchange
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
Not sure which survey you need? It is easiest to phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
We survey roofs for landlords and letting agents as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photographs, which helps you plan work between tenancies.
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. Recommendations are set out in order of urgency where relevant, which helps when budgeting.
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Knowle?
Many roofs have had quick fixes over the years. Bitumen painted over a flashing, mortar where lead should be, or a few tiles that don’t match can be signs that something has leaked before. We note what we see so you can ask about it.
Problems we come across often include:
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
If you let a flat or house near Fareham station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Which limits apply to the survey
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see