Greater London · London and the South East
Norbiton Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Norbiton from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us across London and South East England.
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
Common roof problems in Norbiton
Chimneys take the worst of the weather. Mortar erodes, the flaunching around the pots cracks and the flashings work loose. A stack may be shared with the neighbours, which can affect how any work is arranged.
Most people get in touch when they’ve noticed something like this:
- Old water stains in the loft space
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
Landlords with a home close to Norbiton station may find that it’s worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
What to check before booking
- Whether VAT is added on top
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Which limits apply to the survey
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Norbiton
The roof is one of the most expensive parts of a home to repair, and one of the hardest for a buyer to see. A pre-purchase roof survey looks at it closely before you are tied in. 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 report with photographs. We’re frequently asked to look into a ridge or slope that dips and gutters that overflow or drip at the joints, across lead flashings and valleys, natural slate and flat-roofed extensions and dormers.
In London, a good many houses have been split into flats, extended or fitted with a dormer loft conversion. Every alteration brings new junctions, flashings and flat-roof areas to look at. For a purchase in Norbiton, or for new roofing work there, those junctions deserve a careful look. Lead work around dormers and new flat roofs is easy to get wrong and easy to miss.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent.
- Place
- Norbiton (KT2, KT1, KT3)
- Region
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from Norbiton
Are there drone restrictions around Norbiton?
The answer turns on the exact location and the conditions on the day. 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. Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions, including zones around airports and prisons. Strong wind or a downpour also stops a small drone flying, though the rest of the survey goes ahead either way.
How do I find out if my home in Norbiton is listed?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
How quickly will I get the report?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Reports are emailed, with photos.
Do you need access inside the house?
Where possible, yes. We look in the roof space where there is safe access, and views from upper windows help too. Access is typically arranged through the agent or seller.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We do not sample or test for asbestos. Where a material might contain it, such as old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it’s disturbed.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
Surveys run on any day of the week. To arrange a date, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes. The report sets out what we found, with photos, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. We can’t promise how the seller will respond.
What we do, step by step
Once we’ve finished looking, we write up our findings as a report with photos, sent to you by email. On timing, most surveys take an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Many London properties are flats or terraces with no side access, so the back of the roof is frequently seen from upstairs windows, from inside or, where a flight is allowed, from the air. Mention any building rules, key holders or managing agents when you book.
- You book once your offer is accepted and tell us the address and your timetable.
- We agree a time and how we will get in, including the loft.
- We look at the roof from ground level, from windows, from the roof space and from the roof where safe.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- We email a report with photographs and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Let us know where we can park nearby
How to book
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You will know the price before anything is booked.
Advice
Norbiton homes and their roofs
Outer London has plenty of Victorian and Edwardian terraces with slate roofs, but also a great many interwar semis, frequently with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles. On a semi of that age, the small roofs over the bays, the hip tiles and any later dormer each need their own look. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about. Historic houses such as Pembroke Lodge, about 2.2 miles north, show how far back building in the area around Norbiton goes. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Norbiton is in London, so parking needs planning: tell us about permits, visitor bays or off-street space when you book. If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near Church of St Peter, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Norbiton is about 3 miles west of Wimbledon, in Greater London. Norbiton is one of many places we visit across Greater London, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Our area takes in places right across Greater London. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
We survey roofs across the KT2, KT1 and KT3 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. Whether your property is on New Road, York Road and Orme Road or a nearby road, we can survey it. Other places close to Norbiton include Kingston upon Thames (1 mile west), Coombe (1 mile north-east), New Malden (1 mile south-east), Motspur Park (1 mile east) and Coombe Hill (2 miles north-east). Further out, we also cover London (10 miles north-east), City of Westminster (9 miles north-east), Marylebone (9 miles north-east), Kensington (7 miles north-east), St Pancras (11 miles north-east) and Shoreditch (12 miles north-east).
Local landmarks in Norbiton
We work in homes and buildings around Kingston Grammar School, Tiffin School and The Black Horse pub and the streets around them. Norbiton has its own railway station: Norbiton station. A little further out are Kingston Hospital (under half a mile north) and Bentall Centre (0.9 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Rose Walk and Kingston Hill Road area.
Tips from our surveys
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out:
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
- Don’t leave it until just before exchange
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
After you move in, keep the report somewhere safe. Deal with the urgent items first, and keep the photos to compare against later. The Premium Survey includes a 12-month follow-up to see how things have changed.
After strong winds, look at the roof from ground level. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Dealing with them early keeps water out.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Norbiton
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. Recommendations are set out in order of urgency where relevant, which helps when budgeting.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work.
Why get it checked now?
A mortgage valuation isn’t a roof survey. Its job is to check the property’s value for the mortgage, not at the condition of each slate and flashing. A roof survey is carried out for the buyer, and the report is written for you to use. In a London terrace or conversion, a roof defect rarely stays your problem alone: a blocked parapet gutter or slipped slate can let water into the flat below or the house next door. Finding it early keeps the work smaller.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The final price depends on how big and how high the roof is, how it can be seen safely and which survey you book.
Why us?
- Surveys seven days a week
- Package prices that include VAT
- 98% customer satisfaction
- An independent look at the roof
Read what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.
Honest limits
It’s a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll tell you before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Norbiton
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- The roof space