Greater London · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Long Ditton
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in Long Ditton, and put it all in a written report with photographs.
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Blocked or leaking gutters
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
It’s a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Natural slate
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Long Ditton
Book after your offer is accepted and before exchange. At that point you can still ask questions, while you are not yet committed. We survey on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when a sale is moving quickly. The report comes within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. We survey the roof space, lead flashings and valleys and flat-roofed extensions and dormers, and people most often book us about flashings that have lifted or split and quick fixes on flashings and valleys.
London terraces and converted houses frequently share a roof line, chimney stacks and gutters with the house next door. For a purchase or a new roof in Long Ditton, that shapes what can be checked: we inspect what we’re given access to and can see safely, which may not include a neighbour’s side. If it’s a flat, the lease typically sets out who is responsible for the roof.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Where
- Long Ditton (KT6)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Practical tips
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Ask for loft access on the day
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
- Request records of any re-roofing
We email the report to you, with photos of each finding. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Each defect is explained in plain words, with recommendations prioritised by urgency where relevant.
Keep the loft ventilated. Condensation in a roof space can look like a leak and can damage timbers over time. Keep insulation clear of eaves vents so air can move.
Leave it or get it looked at?
The lender’s valuation is done for the lender, not for you. Its job is to check the property’s value for the mortgage, and it will not look closely at the roof. A roof survey is carried out for the buyer. Behind a London parapet, a blocked gutter can sit full of water without anyone seeing it. When the stain finally shows, the damage underneath is often older than it looks.
Every price we give includes VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. You will know the price for the job before you book.
Why book with us
- Photos and a written report every time
- Package prices that include VAT
- PI and public liability insurance
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
Questions from Long Ditton
Is parking a problem for a survey in Long Ditton?
In much of London, parking needs planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day run more smoothly, so mention what’s available when booking.
Are there drone restrictions around Long Ditton?
Usually it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. Across London there are restriction zones around Heathrow, London City and London Heliport, plus restricted areas over Hyde Park, the City of London and the Isle of Dogs. Every London address is checked against them before a flight. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first, including zones around airports and prisons. High wind or heavy rain also stops a small drone flying.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
How long will you be at the property?
On site, it typically takes about 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Report times depend on the package, from the same day for Premium to within 48 hours for Basic.
When is the best time to have the roof checked when buying?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. The report is most useful before exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
When will the report arrive?
It depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Tell us your exchange date and we will help you choose.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It works alongside a home survey.
What we are asked to look at in Long Ditton
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.
Most people get in touch after spotting one of these:
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Blocked or leaking gutters
Landlords with a home close to Surbiton station may find that a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Questions to ask before you book
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- What they will not be able to tell you
- Are they insured for the work?
- What follow-up you get after the report
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Landlords and letting agents in Long Ditton book surveys as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photos.
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.
Also near Long Ditton
Other services in Long Ditton
Buying a home or a new roof in Long Ditton
In outer London, interwar semis with hipped, tiled roofs sit alongside older slate-roofed terraces. Bay roofs, hip ridges and dormers from later loft conversions are the details that set these houses apart. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most. If the drone is used for your survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
Take an older house close to Church of St Mary: a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming. Controlled parking zones are common in London, so mention any permit rules for Long Ditton.
Long Ditton is about 1 mile south-west of Surbiton, in Greater London. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Long Ditton can all book pre-purchase roof surveys. We cover towns and villages across Greater London, large and small. For surveys nearby, see our London page.
Every address in KT6 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Whether your property is on Pound Close, Fleece Road and St Chads Close or anywhere close by, we can survey it. If you’re just outside Long Ditton, we cover Ditton Hill (1 mile south), Seething Wells (1 mile north), Thames Ditton (1 mile west), Hinchley Wood (1 mile south-west) and Surbiton Park (1 mile north-east). Larger places within reach include London (12 miles north-east), City of Westminster (11 miles north-east), Marylebone (12 miles north-east), Kensington (9 miles north-east), St Pancras (13 miles north-east) and Shoreditch (14 miles north-east).
Around Long Ditton
Around Long Ditton, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Shrewsbury House School, Stokes Field and Raintree pub and the streets around them. Long Ditton’s nearest station is Surbiton station, roughly 0.7 miles north-east of the centre. Nearby you will also find Tolworth Hospital (1.3 miles east) and Metropolitan Police Mounted Branch Museum (1.5 miles west). The countryside around Long Ditton includes The Lake and Kingston Hill Road area.
The survey, step by step
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so the report shows exactly what we saw. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available, including by drone where it’s applicable and the weather allows. Most surveys take about one to two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. For a visit in Long Ditton, parking and access are the things to plan: tell us about permits, visitor bays or off-street space, which floor the property is on and how to get into the loft. We then look at whatever is safely visible from ground level, windows, the loft and, where it’s safe, the roof itself.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from ground level and from vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it is safe.
- You get a photo-illustrated written report and recommendations before you exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Let us know about parking before the day
Booking a survey
For a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Long Ditton, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. Some details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.