Greater London · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Pratt's Bottom, Greater London
Wondering about the roof at a property in Pratt's Bottom? We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Pratt's Bottom and across Greater London, with plain-English findings.
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Pratt's Bottom
A Basic Survey starts from £150, while Standard starts from £250 and Premium from £400, including VAT. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check. Premium goes further, with thermal imaging, a drone where it applies and a same-day report. Choose the level that suits the home you’re buying. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. We survey chimney stacks, the roof space and clay and concrete tiles, and common reasons people get in touch are blistered or split felt on a flat roof and sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes.
In a London terrace or conversion, the roof frequently joins the neighbours’ roofs and shares their stacks and gutters, with parapet walls and party-wall upstands marking where one roof ends and the next begins. For a purchase or a new roof in Pratt's Bottom, that shapes what can be checked: only the parts we are given access to and can see safely are inspected. If it’s a flat, the lease typically sets out who is responsible for the roof.
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 plan your next steps.
- Where
- Pratt's Bottom (BR6, TN14)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Can I check my roof myself?
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and falls from height are serious. That part is for a survey.
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry.
Pratt's Bottom homes and their roofs
About 2.7 miles west lies Down House, a reminder of how long the area around Pratt's Bottom has been built on. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Outer London has lots 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. Whether you are buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds.
Landlords with a home close to Knockholt station may find that the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full. For a London address like Pratt's Bottom, it is useful to know about controlled parking before the day, along with any off-street space. If you live in an older home near All Souls' Church, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Pratt's Bottom is about 3 miles south of Orpington, in Greater London. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Pratt's Bottom. Pratt's Bottom is one of the towns and villages in Greater London where we work. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
Every address in BR6 and TN14 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys. That includes homes and businesses on Orchard Road, Runciman Close and Downs View Close. Close by, we survey roofs in Halstead (1 mile south-east), Chelsfield (1 mile north-east), Bopeep (1 mile north-east), Badgers Mount (1 mile east) and Maypole (1 mile north-east). Larger places within reach include London (14 miles north-west), Shoreditch (15 miles north-west), Whitechapel (14 miles north-west), Stockwell (13 miles north-west), Orpington (3 miles north) and Wimbledon (15 miles west).
What’s near Pratt's Bottom
In Pratt's Bottom, that means homes and buildings near Hewitt's Chalk Bank and Green Street Green Primary School, among other places. The closest station to Pratt's Bottom is Knockholt station, about 0.8 miles east. Nearby you will also find Crofton Roman Villa (2.4 miles north-west) and Lullingstone Castle (3.8 miles east). Not far away are Betsom's Hill and Downe Bank Nature Reserve.
What happens if roof problems are left?
A seller may honestly not know the state of the roof. The forms they complete only show what they’re aware of. An independent look tells you how the roof is now, whatever anyone remembers. Any roof job in Pratt's Bottom means planning around parking, neighbours and access. Knowing what’s needed early gives you time to plan it calmly.
Prices start from £150, including VAT, for a Basic Survey. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, both including VAT. You’ll know the price for your survey before booking.
Why book with us
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- 20+ years’ experience
- 98% of clients satisfied
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
What we cannot see
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll suggest the right survey before booking. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
What a survey costs
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- The roof’s overall size
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- Building height and the viewpoints available
We offer three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you’d like to know.
Getting in touch
When you call or email, these details help:
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- What made you get in touch
Buyers should book once an offer has been 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.
What we do, step by step
Where it is relevant and can be reached safely, the loft space is checked as well as the outside. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement, as far as the space allows. All in, the survey typically takes roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. In converted houses and mansion blocks, the loft hatch is often on a shared landing. Where that’s the case, access needs agreeing with whoever controls that landing. Everything else is planned around the building, not the postcode.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the roof space is agreed ahead of time.
- 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.
- You get a report with photographs and recommendations before you exchange.
Before the survey
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
Getting a price
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. We’ll confirm the price before booking.
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Useful tips for Pratt's Bottom property owners
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out:
- Let us know your exchange date when booking
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
You may want to pass the report to your solicitor or conveyancer so they can raise enquiries with the seller’s side. It can prompt questions about past roof work and any paperwork for it, especially where we’ve found patch repairs.
Look in the loft now and then, with care and a good torch. Watch for stains, damp timbers and chinks of daylight. Take photos so you can show whoever looks at it.
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Pratt's Bottom questions
Are there drone restrictions around Pratt's Bottom?
The answer turns on the exact location and the conditions on the day. London’s airspace includes flight restriction zones around Heathrow, London City Airport and London Heliport, and restricted areas over Hyde Park, the City of London and the Isle of Dogs. Each address is checked against all of them before the drone goes up. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first, including zones around airports and prisons. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, though the rest of the survey goes ahead either way.
Is my home in Pratt's Bottom listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
How experienced are you?
We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys, across 20+ years of surveying roofs.
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.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them.
What’s the best way to book?
It is easiest to ring 07833 053749 or email us. Give us the address and some details about the roof. We survey on weekdays and at weekends.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability.