Isle of Wight · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Lake, Isle of Wight
Get a clear view of the roof at a property in Lake. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
Tips from our surveys
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Do not leave it until just before exchange
- Check we’ll be able to get into the roof space
- Mention any deadline when you contact us
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
If the report shows work is needed, you can raise it with the seller or 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 cannot promise any result.
Once you’ve moved in, keep gutters, valleys and outlets clear, particularly after autumn. Overflowing water is behind a lot of damp. Get a professional in rather than climbing up yourself.
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Lake
A RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey covers the whole building, so the roof is one item among many. We don’t offer a RICS home survey, and ours is not a substitute for one. It adds a focused look at the roof on its own, with photographs of what we find and written recommendations. You can have both if you want the fullest picture. If you’re worried about patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem and gaps where slates or tiles have come loose, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Smaller places like Lake frequently have bungalows and cottages as well as houses, many of them extended or given dormers over the years. Even on a low roof, dormers, valleys and flat-roofed additions need a careful look. The same goes for a purchase or a new roof around Lake. Lead around a dormer and the edges of a flat roof are common places for snags and wear alike.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent, whichever applies.
- Place
- Lake (PO36, PO37)
- Wider area
- Isle of Wight
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Other services in Lake
Surveys for landlords and agents in Lake
Letting agents frequently book on a landlord’s behalf. Access is agreed with the tenant ahead of time.
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work.
Lake: your questions answered
Is the coastal weather around Lake hard on roofs?
Generally, yes: wind and salt air take more of a toll near the sea. Exposed details such as ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch, and Lake is within about 1 mile of the coast.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Lake?
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?
Once your offer has been accepted, and before exchange. That gives you time to use the findings.
Is Lake in your area?
Yes. Our area covers London and South East England, and that includes Lake.
Does someone need to be in?
Someone needs to let us in if we’re looking inside or in the loft. We’ll talk about access as you book.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
It’s your choice, but the two do different jobs. A RICS home survey covers the whole building, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Ours sits alongside a RICS survey rather than replacing it.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Ideally, yes. We look in the roof space where there is safe access, and views from upper windows help too. The agent or seller can arrange entry.
How the survey works
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so you can see in the report what we found and where. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available. Most surveys take about 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Being in a smaller place like Lake doesn’t change how the visit works: outside, inside and from any safe vantage point, in that order. Point out any stains, cracks or loose pieces you’ve spotted.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- Access to the house and the roof space is agreed ahead of time.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it is safe.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Before we arrive
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
Getting a price
Every survey is priced before it is 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 email us.
Read more
Buying a home or a new roof in Lake
Lake lies within about 1 mile 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 cannot fly safely in high wind or heavy rain. With Rylstone Manor about 1.7 miles south, Lake sits in an area with a long building history. If yours is one of the older homes, 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 your house is among the older ones in the streets near Church of The Good Shepherd, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Lake is about 1 mile south-west of Sandown, in the Isle of Wight. Lake is one of many places we visit across the Isle of Wight. Our the Isle of Wight coverage includes Lake. You can also see our page for Portsmouth.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in PO36 and PO37 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We offer pre-purchase roof surveys to properties on Lea Road, New Road and Percy Road and the roads around them. Lake is on the A3055, which makes it simple to reach. We also cover the places around Lake: Sandown (1 mile north-east), Alverstone (1 mile north-west), Queen's Bower (1 mile north-west), Shanklin (1 mile south) and Alverstone Garden Village (1 mile north-west). Larger places within reach include Newport (7 miles north-west), Ryde (5 miles north), Cowes (10 miles north-west), Ventnor (4 miles south-west), East Cowes (9 miles north-west) and Oakfield (5 miles north). For harder-to-reach addresses, a little more planning is needed, so mention it when booking.
Around Lake
Typical jobs here are in homes near Sandown Bay Academy, The Old Comical pub and The Bay Church of England School. There is a railway station in Lake itself: Lake station. Nearby you will also find National Poo Museum (within half a mile east) and Arthur Webster Memorial Hospital for Children (1.2 miles south-west). For a walk, there’s Brading Down and Alverstone Mead.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
What we’re asked to look at in Lake
The fixings and underlay often fail before good slates or tiles do. Good slate can last well over a century, yet the nails holding it rust and let slates slide. That kind of wear is common on older roofs and easy to miss from ground level.
We are often asked to look at:
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
If you let a flat or house near Lake station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Questions to ask before you book
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- How long the report takes to arrive
Why it is worth a survey now in Lake
Sellers are not always aware of roof problems. The forms they complete only show what they’re aware of. An independent look tells you how the roof is now, whatever anyone remembers. On a bungalow or cottage around Lake, the roof sits close to the rooms below, so a small leak can mark a ceiling within a few storms. Finding the cause first saves a second job inside.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. We’ll give you the figure before anything is booked.
Why book with us
- Package prices that include VAT
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- An independent view of the roof
Take a look at our cost guide or our case studies.