West Berkshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in North Heath, West Berkshire
Find out the condition of the roof at your property in North Heath from an independent roof surveyor. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Flashings that have lifted or split
How it works
Safety comes first on every visit. Everything that can safely be seen is inspected, and anything we cannot see is noted in the report. Most visits take an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Cottages and farmhouses around North Heath often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed beforehand.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it’s safe.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.
How to prepare
- Check pets are kept safely away
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
Book a survey
If you are buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just phone 07833 053749 or email us when you’re ready.
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How a pre-purchase roof survey works in North Heath
Many older houses carry decades of roof repairs. Corroded nails let slates slide, valley linings wear thin and chimney mortar erodes. Little of that is easy to judge from the pavement on a viewing. We look closely and record what we see, with photographs that show you exactly where. Each finding is explained in plain words, so it is clear what it means for your purchase. If you are worried about signs of past leaks inside the loft and patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Being in a small place like North Heath makes no difference to the inspection itself: it just means planning the journey and access beforehand. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages with roofs you’d like looked at when you book. Whether you’re buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
What you get is a clear record of the roof on the day we saw it. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later.
- Place
- North Heath (RG20)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Towns and villages near North Heath
More services for North Heath
Landlord and commercial surveys in North Heath
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed ahead of time. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which can make access easier.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, with the report sent to whoever needs it. Access is agreed with the tenant ahead of time.
What happens if roof problems are left?
After exchange, any roof defect is yours to deal with. Before it, you still have choices. Finding out later gives you the same facts, but with far less room to act on them. In a small place like North Heath, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report is not charged as an extra. Prices start from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
What you get with us
- Plain-English reports with photos
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Prices that include VAT
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
FAQs for North Heath
Does a conservation area affect roof work in North Heath?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Do you cover smaller places like North Heath?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Just tell us the days that suit you.
Is this an asbestos survey?
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.
Do you need access inside the house?
Ideally, yes. The loft tells us a lot about the roof, and views from upper windows help too. Access is typically arranged through the agent or seller.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
It depends on the roof and how confident you want to be. Home surveys sometimes suggest a closer look at the roof, and our survey gives you that closer look. It does not stand in for a RICS survey.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where applicable and safe. We are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. It’s included in the Drone Roof Survey and, where applicable, the Premium Survey.
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
One thing that affects the price is the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, including VAT. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Booking your survey
Before you get in touch, it is useful to have:
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
To get a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in North Heath, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. Some details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.
Tips from our surveys
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Do not leave it until just before exchange
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Let us know your exchange date as you book
You may want to pass the report to your solicitor or conveyancer so questions can go to the seller’s solicitor. It can prompt questions about past roof work and any paperwork for it.
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.
What you can safely check yourself
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us as you book, as it helps us focus the survey.
You can learn a lot 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.
Buying a home or a new roof in North Heath
Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. The covering on a house you’re buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest. Historic houses like Shaw House, about 3.8 miles south, show how far back building in the area around North Heath goes. 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.
If you own a rental within reach of Newbury station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full. For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Mary, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
North Heath is about 5 miles north of Newbury, in West Berkshire. Roofs in North Heath get the same thorough look as anywhere else in West Berkshire. Across West Berkshire, we cover North Heath and the places around it. You can also see our page for Reading.
Surveys in RG20 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Other places close to North Heath include Chieveley (1 mile east), Downend (1 mile north-east), Winterbourne (2 miles south), Leckhampstead (2 miles north-west) and Peasemore (2 miles north). We also work in nearby towns such as Newbury (5 miles south), Thatcham (6 miles south-east), Burghfield Common (13 miles east), Speenhamland (4 miles south), Hungerford (9 miles south-west) and Calcot (12 miles east).
Local landmarks in North Heath
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Wheatsheaf pub. For rail, the closest station is Newbury station, about 4.8 miles south of the centre. Nearby you will also find Donnington Castle (3.2 miles south) and West Berkshire Community Hospital (4.6 miles south-east). For a walk, there is Snelsmore Common.