Portsmouth · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Portsmouth
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Portsmouth, from an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
Can I check my roof myself?
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us as you book and it will help the survey.
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Portsmouth
Buying a home is a big commitment, and the roof is one of the costliest parts to put right. A pre-purchase roof survey looks at it closely before you’re tied in. We check the coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters, plus the loft where there is safe access. The findings come in a written report with photos. If you’ve noticed roof slopes that look uneven or sagging and patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
In a place the size of Portsmouth, lots of homes are flats, whether above shops, in converted houses or in purpose-built blocks. If you’re buying a flat, the roof is often shared, and the lease typically says who looks after it. If the roof is newly replaced, whoever paid for it will want the work checked before signing it off.
The report is written in plain words, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Photographs show what each point refers to, with the urgent items made clear.
- Location
- Portsmouth (PO6, PO4, PO1, PO2)
- Wider area
- Portsmouth
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Leave it or get it looked at?
A mortgage valuation isn’t a roof survey. It looks at whether the property is suitable security for the loan, not at the condition of each slate and flashing. Our survey is done for you, and the report is written for you to use. Roofs in a place the size of Portsmouth range from new to very old, but none of them improve with neglect. A loose ridge, a cracked flashing or a blocked outlet is a small job today and a bigger one after a wet winter.
A Basic Survey starts from £150, with VAT included. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, both including VAT. We confirm the price for your roof before you book.
Why book us in Portsmouth
- Package prices that include VAT
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
See what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
Other services in Portsmouth
Landlord and commercial surveys in Portsmouth
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed in advance. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which helps when tenants work during the week.
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 with less disruption.
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, and that sets some limits:
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Portsmouth
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
Roof by roof
Clay and concrete tiles
Many post-war houses have concrete interlocking tiles. They wear slowly, but surfaces erode and edges crack.
Chimney stacks
We inspect the outside of the stack, and it is not a flue or gas safety check. If a flue needs testing, we will suggest who to ask.
Buying a home or a new roof in Portsmouth
Portsmouth lies within about 1 mile of the sea, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces, so exposed details get a close look whether you are buying or signing off new work. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If you let a flat or house near Fratton 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 St Wilfrid, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Portsmouth is in England. Bookings from Portsmouth are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Our area takes in places right across the surrounding area, large and small.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in PO6, PO4, PO1 and PO2 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Local streets include Church Road, April Square and Rudmore Square. You’ll find Portsmouth on the A3 and A27, so it is easy for us to get to. Other places close to Portsmouth include Rudmore (1 mile north-west), Landport (1 mile south-west), North End (1 mile north), Fratton (1 mile south-east) and Kingston (1 mile south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Wymering (3 miles north), Paulsgrove (3 miles north), Drayton (3 miles north-east) and Farlington (3 miles north-east).
Landmarks near Portsmouth
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Portsmouth Academy, Alexandra Park and St Edmund's Catholic School and the streets around them. The closest station to Portsmouth is Fratton station, about 0.9 miles south of the centre. A little further out are Royal Portsmouth Hospital (0.7 miles south-west) and Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum (within half a mile west). For a walk, there is Milton Locks and Portsdown Hill.
What we do, step by step
We photograph the roof as we go, so you can see in the report what we found and where. We take close-ups from wherever is safe, including by drone where it’s applicable and the weather allows. A typical visit takes an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. For a commercial building or block in Portsmouth, roof access is agreed with whoever manages it ahead of the visit. At home, it helps to clear a route to the loft and point out any stains or leaks. You then get a written report with photographs.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- Access to the house and the roof space is agreed in advance.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it is safe.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Before the survey
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
Getting a price
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Advice
Portsmouth questions
Is my home in Portsmouth listed or in a conservation area?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you cover Portsmouth?
Yes, Portsmouth is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Portsmouth as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Do you need access inside the house?
Ideally, yes. The loft tells us a lot about the roof, and upstairs windows give useful views. Access is usually arranged through the agent or seller.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it is not a RICS home survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
How long will you be at the property?
Allow an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. We’ll give you an idea of timing when booking.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. The report sets out what we found, with photos, which you can share with the seller or agent. How the seller responds is up to them.