Surrey · London and the South East
Lightwater Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Lightwater and the rest of Surrey. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
What this survey cannot tell you
It’s a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What we look at
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Lightwater
Some roofs cannot be seen well from the ground or from windows. Our Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and, where applicable, a drone inspection, and the report arrives the same day. If airspace rules or the weather rule out a flight, we will say so and inspect from every other safe vantage point. If you’ve noticed blocked or leaking gutters and a ridge or slope that dips, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
In a smaller place like Lightwater, homes are mostly houses and bungalows, from older cottages to more recent builds. Older roofs may still have their original slates or clay tiles, with fixings and underlay that have done a long stint. For a purchase or a newly replaced roof, what’s under the coverings matters as much as what’s on top. Older roofs frequently have bitumen felt under the coverings, as breathable membranes only arrived in the late 1990s.
Where we cannot see part of the roof, the report says so. That way, it is clear what was covered and what wasn’t.
- Place
- Lightwater (GU18, GU19)
- Wider area
- Surrey
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
The visit typically starts outside and finishes in the loft: outside views come first, then the loft space if there’s safe access. All told, expect about one to two hours at a typical home, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. Parking around Lightwater is normally easier than in a town centre, but mention lanes, gates or long drives. On bungalows and lower roofs, much can be seen from the ground, with the loft showing the underside, while taller roofs may need other vantage points or the drone where it applies.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller.
- The roof is inspected from every safe viewpoint, inside and out.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- We email a written report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Before we arrive
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
How to book
If you are buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form when you are ready.
Related advice
Lightwater questions
Will you come out to Lightwater?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Lightwater?
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.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Will you climb onto the roof?
When conditions and the roof make it safe, yes. Many roofs can be seen well from windows, vantage points and the loft.
When is the best time to have the roof checked when buying?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. You need the report before you exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
How quickly will I get the report?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Reports are emailed, with photographs.
How many surveys have you done?
We have been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
Nearby places to Lightwater
More services for Lightwater
Local roofs and buyers in Lightwater
If the drone is used for your survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. Older houses across Surrey often have handmade clay tiles, and many have tile-hanging. Some old buildings in Surrey and Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most.
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near All Saints, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Lightwater is about 3 miles east of Camberley, in Surrey. We provide pre-purchase roof surveys for householders, landlords and businesses in Lightwater and nearby. We cover towns and villages across Surrey, from the larger towns to small villages. There is also a page for Guildford.
Surveys in GU18 and GU19 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Local streets include Ambleside Road, Ridgeway Close and Shrublands Drive, all of which we cover. If you’re just outside Lightwater, we cover Donkey Town (1 mile south-east), Bagshot (1 mile north-west), Windlesham (1 mile north-east), Lucas Green (2 miles south-east) and West End (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Guildford (8 miles south-east), Woking (5 miles south-east), Camberley (3 miles west), Farnham (11 miles south-west), Egham (8 miles north-east) and Walton-on-Thames (12 miles east).
Near you in Lightwater
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Gordon's School and Brentmoor Heath and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Bagshot station, roughly 1.3 miles north-west of the centre. Nearby you will also find Brookwood Hospital (3.3 miles south-east) and The Museum of The National Rifle Association (2.7 miles south). Open spaces near Lightwater include Brookwood Lye.
For landlords and managing agents
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan.
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf, and the report can go to both. Access is agreed with the tenant in advance.
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Lightwater
All our prices include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Height and safe access
We offer three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Getting in touch
The more you let us know, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, let us know:
- The type of building and roof, like pitched or flat
- The property’s address and postcode
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine. To get started, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
Leave it or get it looked at?
A mortgage valuation isn’t a roof survey. It looks at whether the property is suitable security for the loan, and it won’t look closely at the roof. Our survey is done for you. Around Lightwater, leaves and moss in gutters lead to overflowing water and damp walls, particularly where trees overhang. It’s easy to sort the cause early and slow to dry a damp wall.
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report isn’t charged as an extra. Prices start from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
Why us?
- An independent view of the roof
- Plain-English reports with photos
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- 98% customer satisfaction
See how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
What we’re asked to look at in Lightwater
Slates and tiles can outlast the nails, battens and underlay that hold them. Natural slate can last 100 years or more, but corroded nails let slates slip. That kind of wear is common on older roofs and easy to miss from ground level.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
Landlords with a home close to Bagshot station may find that a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- What happens after the report arrives
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- How long the report takes to arrive