West Berkshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Lower Green, West Berkshire
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Lower Green, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
Common roof problems in Lower Green
Flat roofs turn up on extensions, dormers, porches and garages. A felt roof often lasts around 15 to 20 years, and standing water, blisters and splits are typical signs of ageing. They’re easy to overlook on a viewing, particularly when they’re only visible from an upper floor.
We are often asked to look at:
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
If you own a rental within reach of Kintbury station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
What to check before booking
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Whether the price includes VAT
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Lower Green
Buying a flat brings its own roof questions. Depending on the lease, roof repairs may fall to the building owner or a management company, with costs often passed on through the service charge. We inspect what access allows us to see safely, and the report gives you clear points to raise with your solicitor or the managing agent. If the building has a flat roof, we look at that too where access allows. We survey gutters and downpipes, lead flashings and valleys and clay and concrete tiles, and people most often book us about gutters that overflow or drip at the joints and gaps where slates or tiles have come loose.
In a village or hamlet like Lower Green, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
If any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You’ll know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Place
- Lower Green (RG17)
- Wider area
- West Berkshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Practical tips
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. Our suggestions:
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Let us know your timetable
It is worth sharing the report with your solicitor so they can raise enquiries with the seller’s side. It can prompt questions about past roof work and any paperwork for it, particularly where we’ve found patch repairs.
Do not block the vents at the eaves. Poor ventilation lets condensation build up, wetting timbers and insulation. Avoid packing insulation into the eaves so tightly that air can’t flow.
Towns and villages near Lower Green
Also in Lower Green
Why act early in Lower Green
When a chain is moving fast, a roof survey can feel like one more delay. Weekend visits are available as well as weekdays, and a Premium report comes the same day, so it can fit around a tight timetable. Outbuildings and barns around Lower Green are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. It is worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
Prices start from £150, with VAT included, for a Basic Survey. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400. We confirm the exact price before you book.
Why book us in Lower Green
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Clear package prices, inc. VAT
- 98% of customers satisfied
- Over 20 years’ experience
Take a look at our cost guide or two real surveys.
Questions from Lower Green
Will you come out to Lower Green?
Yes. Lower Green 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 as you book.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Lower Green?
Yes, Lower Green is within the area we cover. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Just phone 07833 053749 or email us and let us know about the property, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. You need the report before you exchange, because after that the roof is yours to deal with.
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, while ours looks only at the roof, in more detail. Our survey complements a RICS survey and does not replace one.
Do you use drones?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, and we check for restrictions near airports before flying. We are a CAA-registered drone operator.
How quickly will I get the report?
That depends on which survey you choose: within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Tell us your exchange date and we’ll help you choose.
How long will you be at the property?
The visit normally takes between one and two hours for a house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. We will confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
Roof by roof
Chimney stacks
Leaning stacks, loose pots and eroded mortar are common findings. We note them with photos so you can ask about them.
Gutters and parapets
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter, usually to the back of the house. If yours does, we check that gutter and where it drains.
What we do, step by step
We do not take risks to get a closer look. Everything that can safely be seen is inspected, and anything we cannot see is noted in the report. Most visits take about one to two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. In a small place like Lower Green, access is typically the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Getting ready for the survey
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
Booking a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? It is easiest to phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Advice
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Lower Green
If the drone is used for your survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. Stargroves, about 4.1 miles south-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Lower Green. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
The streets around a church such as Church of St Michael are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Lower Green is about 7 miles west of Newbury, in West Berkshire. In Lower Green, as across West Berkshire, every roof gets the same careful survey. Our area takes in places right across West Berkshire, large and small. For surveys nearby, see our Reading page.
Every address in RG17 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Streets in the area include Craven Road, Weavers Lane and Bitham Lane, and we cover them all. If you’re just outside Lower Green, we cover Inkpen (1 mile east), Upper Green (1 mile south-east), Inkpen Common (1 mile east), Hell Corner (2 miles east) and Kintbury (2 miles north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Newbury (7 miles east), Thatcham (10 miles east), Speenhamland (7 miles east), Hungerford (3 miles north-west), Lambourn (9 miles north) and Shaw (8 miles east).
Local landmarks in Lower Green
We work in homes and buildings around John O'Gaunt School and The Old Craven Arms and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Kintbury station, roughly 2.4 miles north-east. Other landmarks nearby include Hamstead Marshall 3 (4.2 miles east). Not far away are Kintbury Newt Ponds and Inkpen Hill.
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will tell you before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
Roof types and parts we check
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space