Buckinghamshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Marlow Common, Buckinghamshire
Find out what’s going on with the roof before you spend money on it. Pre-purchase roof surveys in Marlow Common, with photos and a clear written report.
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Marlow Common
Some roofs cannot be seen well from ground level or from windows. Our Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and, where it applies, a drone inspection, along with a same-day report. Where a flight isn’t possible, because of airspace rules or the weather, we tell you and look from the ground, windows and the loft instead. Typical surveys look at damp timbers or stains in the loft and quick fixes on flashings and valleys, across lead flashings and valleys, gutters and downpipes and flat-roofed extensions and dormers.
For a small place like Marlow Common, the visit is planned like any other: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed beforehand. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them when booking, so the visit can be planned around them. Whether you are buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the coverings down to the gutters, each with a short note and a photo. You’ll see the good as well as the bad.
- Location
- Marlow Common (SL7)
- Region
- Buckinghamshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Marlow Common questions
Is drone flying allowed in Marlow Common?
That depends on where the roof is and on the weather. Marlow Common is about 3 miles from Wycombe Air Park, so the Drone Safety Map is checked for restrictions around it before we fly. The flight also waits for calm, dry weather, though the rest of the survey goes ahead either way.
Is my home in Marlow Common listed or in a conservation area?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Is Marlow Common in your area?
Yes. We cover Marlow Common and the rest of Buckinghamshire, as part of our work across London and the South East. For a price, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first, with the building owner or managing agent. Mention it when you get in touch and we’ll explain what’s needed.
What if it rains on the day?
It can, depending on the survey. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. We will rearrange with you if the weather isn’t right.
Will you climb onto the roof?
When conditions and the roof make it safe, yes. We also inspect from ground level, upper windows and the loft space, and a drone is part of the Premium Survey where applicable.
Do you need to go inside the property?
If it can be arranged, yes. From the loft space we can see staining, timbers and underlay. If access is not possible, we note it in the report.
Towns and villages near Marlow Common
Also in Marlow Common
Before and after the survey
Nothing here needs a ladder. Our suggestions:
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Let us know your timetable
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
If the report shows work is needed, you can raise it with the seller or agent. You might ask for the work to be done before completion, or ask to adjust the price. The outcome is between you and the seller.
Keep an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. A pair of binoculars from the garden shows a lot.
What a survey costs
Our packages start from £150, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on:
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all inc. VAT. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
What we need to know
There’s no need for technical words. It’s enough to let us know:
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- The type of building and roof, like pitched or flat
We survey roofs on weekdays and at weekends. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Why get it checked now?
Plenty of buyers go ahead anyway, but with their eyes open. The report shows what needs doing first, so you can plan work before small faults get bigger. For an older or listed building in a place like Marlow Common, repairs may need matching materials and consent, so a defect found early gives time to plan the work properly.
All our prices include VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. You will know the exact price before you book.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Marlow Common
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Package prices that include VAT
- Visits on any day of the week
What we do, step by step
After the inspection, everything we found is written up in a report with photographs, emailed to you. As for time on site, most surveys take an hour or two on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Somewhere like Marlow Common needs a little journey planning: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. The roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from the loft where there’s safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it is safe.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- Your report arrives by email, with photos and recommendations prioritised by urgency.
Preparing for the visit
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- Tell us where we can park nearby
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
How to book
Once you know what you need, phone 07833 053749 or email us. From there it’s a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day, weekday or weekend.
Related advice
Marlow Common homes and their roofs
Wycombe Air Park is about 3 miles from Marlow Common. Where the drone is part of the survey, the Drone Safety Map is checked for restrictions first. A number of Buckinghamshire villages keep thatched roofs on their older buildings. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Whether you are buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds.
Harleyford Manor lies about 1.6 miles south, so building around Marlow Common goes back a long way. Older homes in the area can come with listed status or conservation area rules, which affect re-roofing, so check with the council before you buy.
Marlow Common is about 2 miles west of Marlow, in Buckinghamshire. From houses to flats and shops in Marlow Common, the roof can be surveyed. Marlow Common is one of the towns and villages in Buckinghamshire we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. Reading is in our area too.
All of SL7 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Other places close to Marlow Common include Bovingdon Green (1 mile east), Mundaydean Bottom (1 mile north), Chisbridge Cross (1 mile north-west), Danesfield (1 mile south) and Bockmer End (1 mile south-west). Further out, we also cover High Wycombe (4 miles north-east), Chesham (13 miles north-east), Amersham (11 miles north-east), Beaconsfield (7 miles east), Chalfont St Peter (11 miles east) and Princes Risborough (10 miles north).
Local landmarks in Marlow Common
In Marlow Common, that means homes and buildings near The Royal Oak pub and Sir William Borlase's Grammar School. Marlow Common’s nearest station is Marlow station, about 1.9 miles east. Other landmarks nearby include High Wycombe Castle (4.6 miles north-east) and Marlow Community Hospital (1.7 miles east). The countryside around Marlow Common includes Carpenter's Wood.
Honest limits
Some things cannot be seen without opening up the roof, so a survey has limits:
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
- Whether timbers meet design loads
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will point you to the right survey. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Marlow Common
- Natural slate
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
Common roof problems in Marlow Common
The fixings and underlay frequently fail before good slates or tiles do. Natural slate can last 100 years or more, yet the nails holding it rust and let slates slide. That kind of wear is common on older roofs.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
For landlords with property near Marlow station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
- How soon the report will arrive
- Whether VAT is added on top
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one