Hampshire · London and the South East
Locks Heath Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Locks Heath and the rest of Hampshire. We survey on any day of the week.
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
Practical tips
Getting the most from a pre-purchase roof survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Tips:
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Don’t leave it until just before exchange
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
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. What happens next is your decision and the seller’s, and we cannot promise any result.
After you move in, have leaves and moss cleared from gutters and valleys, especially after autumn. Overflowing water is behind a lot of damp. Use a gutter contractor rather than going up a ladder yourself.
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Locks Heath
A Basic Survey starts from £150, while Standard starts from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included. Standard adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. Premium goes further, with thermal imaging, a drone where applicable and a same-day report. Choose the level that suits the home you are buying. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. Typical surveys look at roof slopes that look uneven or sagging and chimney mortar that has eroded, on clay and concrete tiles, gutters and downpipes and natural slate.
Smaller places like Locks Heath 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. That applies whether you’re buying in Locks Heath or checking a new roof there. Snags and wear both tend to show at dormer lead work and along flat-roof edges.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Where
- Locks Heath (SO31, PO14, PO15)
- Region
- Hampshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Locks Heath
The coast is about 2 miles or less from Locks Heath, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces, which is worth knowing before you buy or pay for new work. Thatch survives on some older buildings in Hampshire’s villages. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Whether you’re buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds.
For landlords with property near Swanwick station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Locks Heath is about 3 miles west of Fareham, in Hampshire. If you’re in Locks Heath, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Our Hampshire coverage includes Locks Heath and the places around it. Southampton is in our area too.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in SO31, PO14 and PO15 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Church Road, Lower Church Road and Laxton Close or a nearby road, we can help. If you are just outside Locks Heath, we cover Titchfield Common (1 mile south-east), Park Gate (1 mile north), Warsash (1 mile south-west), Sarisbury (1 mile north-west) and Segensworth (1 mile north-east). Larger places within reach include Winchester (14 miles north), Gosport (6 miles south-east), Havant (12 miles east), Eastleigh (8 miles north-west), Fareham (3 miles east) and Horndean (12 miles east).
Landmarks near Locks Heath
Typical jobs here are in homes near Brookfield Community School and Language College and Jolly Farmer Public House. The nearest railway station is Swanwick station, about 0.9 miles north of the centre. Nearby you will also find St Andrew's Castle (2.2 miles west) and Carron Row Farm Museum (1.6 miles east). The countryside around Locks Heath includes Holly Hill Woodland Park.
Places near Locks Heath
Also in Locks Heath
What we are asked to look at in Locks Heath
Asbestos was banned in UK construction in 1999. Cement roof sheets, soffits and flue pipes are typical places to find it. We don’t test for it or carry out asbestos surveys, but we flag materials that might so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check before anything is disturbed.
People typically book a survey when they’ve noticed one of these:
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near St John, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- How long the report takes to arrive
- What the survey will not cover
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
Questions from Locks Heath
Is my home in Locks Heath listed or in a conservation area?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Locks Heath, take more of a battering?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces.
How do I book a survey in Locks Heath?
The quickest way is to phone 07833 053749 or email us. Tell us the address and a little about the roof. We survey on weekdays and at weekends.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
Only where it’s safe to do so. We inspect from the ground, from windows and vantage points, from the loft and from the roof itself where safe. On Premium, a drone is used where it applies.
Do you work in Locks Heath?
Yes. We survey roofs in Locks Heath and the rest of Hampshire. To book, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. The report is most useful before exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. The report sets out what we found, with photos, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. How the seller responds is up to them.
For landlords and managing agents
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps with budgets and planning.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed in advance. Surveys run seven days a week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
What this survey can’t tell you
In fairness, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book. The full list of what we check.
What we look at
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
Roof by roof
Natural slate
Slate is common on Victorian and Edwardian houses. We look for slates that have slid, cracked or gone, plus the metal clips that show earlier patching.
Clay and concrete tiles
Older homes in the South East often have handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles on some. Where pegs have rotted, tiles can slip, so we look for gaps along the courses.
What happens on the day
There is not much for you to do on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we will take it from there. A typical survey takes between one and two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. In a smaller place like Locks Heath, as anywhere, the forecast plays a part: the parts that need calm, dry weather are planned around it.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- You get a photo-illustrated written report and recommendations before you exchange.
Before we arrive
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
Arrange a survey
We confirm the price for the job before you book, so you know where you stand. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. To book, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.