Wokingham · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Langley Common
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Langley Common from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys.
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
Langley Common: your questions answered
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Langley Common?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Do you cover smaller places like Langley Common?
Yes. Langley Common is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when booking.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
Only where it is safe to do so. Much of the inspection is done from the ground, from windows and from the loft space. On Premium, a drone is used where applicable.
How many surveys have you done?
We’ve been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. It’s a roof survey by an experienced roof surveyor, with a written report and photographs. It does not cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
Does someone need to be in?
It depends on what we need to see. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in; we’ll agree the details when booking.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We survey seven days a week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tell us which days suit you as you book.
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Langley Common
Book after your offer is accepted and before exchange. At that point you can still ask questions, while you are not yet committed. Visits run on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when a sale is moving quickly. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. We are often asked to look into roof slopes that look uneven or sagging and ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof, across flat-roofed extensions and dormers, lead flashings and valleys and chimney stacks.
Older buildings in small places like Langley Common 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’re buying or signing off new roofing, it’s worth knowing where you stand, as well as what condition the roof is in. There are about 500,000 listed buildings and around 10,000 conservation areas in England.
Most points in the report come with a picture, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Location
- Langley Common (RG40, RG41)
- Wider area
- Wokingham
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings close the gaps at chimneys, walls and abutments. We look for lead that has lifted, split or been patched over.
Chimney stacks
We inspect the outside of the stack, and it is not a flue or gas safety check. We will say if the flue needs a specialist.
Honest limits
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Langley Common?
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. It’s a frequent finding on older houses and easy to miss from ground level.
It is worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
For landlords with property near Wokingham station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Questions to ask before you book
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Their report turnaround times
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- The size of the roof
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how safely it can be seen. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT.
Helping us price your survey
The more you let us know, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, tell us:
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
A quick phone call is typically the easiest start: call 07833 053749 or send us an email, and we will ask about the building and what you need. You will have a price before anything is arranged.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
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 with budgets and planning.
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget.
Nearby places to Langley Common
What else we do in Langley Common
Local roofs and buyers in Langley Common
There are about 500,000 buildings on England’s list of listed buildings, and around 10,000 conservation areas. 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 check with the council. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. The covering on a house you are buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest.
The streets around a church such as St Eligius are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Langley Common is about 2 miles south-west of Wokingham, in Wokingham. Wherever you are in Langley Common, we can come and survey your property. Across Wokingham, we cover Langley Common and the places around it.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in RG40 and RG41 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Langley Common Road and School Road or a nearby road, we can survey it. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Barkham (1 mile east), Arborfield Garrison (1 mile south), California (1 mile south-east), Eversley (2 miles south) and Finchampstead (3 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Reading (5 miles north-west), Woodley (4 miles north), Earley (3 miles north-west), Crowthorne (4 miles east), Lower Earley (3 miles north-west) and Winnersh (3 miles north).
Near you in Langley Common
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Bramshill Hunt pub, Shepperlands Farm Nature Reserve and Bohunt School Wokingham and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Wokingham station, roughly 2.5 miles north-east. Other landmarks nearby include Beaumys Castle (4 miles west) and Berkshire Library & Museum of Freemasonry (2.1 miles north). Open spaces near Langley Common include South Lake and Holt Copse & Joel Park.
The survey, step by step
The visit normally starts outside and finishes in the loft: outside views come first, then the roof space if there is safe access. In total, it takes an hour or two at a typical home, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. Around Langley Common, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- 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.
- 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.
Before the survey
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Check we can get to the back of the property
Book a survey
If you are buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form whenever suits you.