Southampton · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Millbrook
Get a clear view of the roof at a property in Millbrook. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Millbrook
The roof is one of the most expensive parts of a home to repair, and one of the hardest for a buyer to see. Our pre-purchase roof survey gives you a proper look at it before you’re committed. We check the slates or tiles, the ridges and valleys, the flashings, the chimneys and the gutters, plus the loft where there is safe access. You get a written report with photographs. We survey gutters and downpipes, clay and concrete tiles and natural slate, and the problems we are asked to look at most are slipped or missing slates and tiles and flashings that have lifted or split.
In a smaller place like Millbrook, homes are mostly houses and bungalows, from older cottages to more recent builds. In older homes, the slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens and underlay holding them. Whether you’re buying or have just had the roof replaced, that hidden layer is worth knowing about. Older roofs often have bitumen felt under the coverings, as breathable membranes only arrived in the late 1990s.
It isn’t only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Where
- Millbrook (SO15, SO16)
- Wider area
- Southampton
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a report with photos, sent to you by email. On timing, it usually takes an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Homes around Millbrook frequently have gardens on more than one side, which gives us room to step back and see the roof. Let us know if any side is fenced off or hard to reach. Inside, the loft is checked where it can be reached safely.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- We agree a time and how we’ll get in, including the loft.
- We look at the roof from ground level, from windows, from the loft space and from the roof where safe.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Before we arrive
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
Getting a price
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll explain the options and the price.
Related advice
Millbrook: your questions answered
How do I find out if my home in Millbrook is listed?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Is Millbrook within the area you cover?
Yes. Millbrook is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Can you survey in bad weather?
A survey can usually go ahead in light rain, and it can even help show where water is getting in. Heavy rain or strong wind can ground a drone and make the roof unsafe, so we will agree a new date if the weather is not suitable.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
It usually takes about one to two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Report times depend on the package, from the same day for Premium to within 48 hours for Basic.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It works alongside a home survey.
How experienced are you?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have completed over 5,000 surveys.
Do you need access inside the house?
Where we can, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If we cannot get in, the report says so.
What we’re asked to look at in Millbrook
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 point to a problem that keeps coming back. Our report records them so you can ask the seller what was done and when.
Most people get in touch after spotting something like this:
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
If you let a flat or house near Millbrook (Hants) station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What they will not be able to tell you
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
Towns and villages near Millbrook
What else we do in Millbrook
Landlords, agents and block managers in Millbrook
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, with the most urgent items set out first.
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, from shops and offices to industrial units. Larger roofs take longer, and they’re priced for the size.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Millbrook: local notes
Millbrook lies within about 1 mile of the sea, and wind near the sea can be strong. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or a downpour, so the weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead. The flight restriction zone around Southampton Airport comes within about 2 miles of Millbrook. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the exact boundary for the address before flying.
Southampton Tudor House and Garden lies about 2.2 miles south-east, so building around Millbrook goes back a long way. Buying a period property here means asking about the roof’s age and repairs, and about any listing or conservation area. If you live in an older home near Church of the Holy Trinity, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Millbrook is about 2 miles west of Southampton, in Southampton. Surveys in Millbrook work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Our area takes in places right across Southampton.
Surveys in SO15 and SO16 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. You will find streets such as Mill Road, Mendip Road and Severn Road, all of which we cover. If you’re just outside Millbrook, we cover Regents Park (1 mile north-east), Shirley (1 mile north-east), Freemantle (1 mile east), Maybush (1 mile north) and Redbridge (1 mile west). Further out, we also cover Townhill Park (4 miles east), Midanbury (4 miles east), Thornhill (5 miles east), Chartwell Green (4 miles east), Harefield (5 miles east) and Itchen (4 miles east).
Around Millbrook
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Millbrook Community School, Blacksmiths Arms and Regents Park Community College and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Millbrook (Hants) station, roughly 0.8 miles south-east of the centre. A little further out are Marlands Shopping Centre (2 miles east) and Western Community Hospital (0.7 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Testwood Lakes.
Practical tips
You do not need to be a roofer to help. What helps most:
- Tell us your exchange date as you book
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Don’t leave it until just before exchange
- Ask for loft access on the day
The report gives any roofer you ask to quote a clear brief. The photos show the defects and where they are, which makes quotes easier to compare.
Don’t block the vents at the eaves. 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.
How the survey changes by roof type
Flat roofs
A flat roof that has been coated over several times may hide problems underneath. We record what we can see and say where a closer look is needed.
Gutters and parapets
Gutters, downpipes and outlets carry water away from walls. We check for blockages, leaking joints and sagging runs.
Checking the roof from the ground
A lot can be seen from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Never climb onto the roof to look.
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are frequently out of sight.