Isle of Wight · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Sandown
Find out what’s going on with the roof before you spend money on it. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Sandown.
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
Pre-purchase roof survey in Sandown: what you get
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’s safe access. The findings come in a written report with photos. We are often asked to look into lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney and slipped or missing slates and tiles, across lead flashings and valleys, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and the roof space.
Houses in smaller places like Sandown can stand more in the open than those in a built-up town, which can mean more wind and rain on the roof. Ridges, verges and flashings are where that weather normally shows first. For a purchase or a new roof, those exposed edges are looked at closely. Wind lifts anything already loose, so a small fault on an exposed roof does not stay small for long.
If any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You’ll know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Place
- Sandown (PO36, PO37)
- Wider area
- Isle of Wight
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Practical tips
Getting the most from a pre-purchase roof survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Some tips:
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Check we will be able to get into the loft space
If you want quotes for the work, roofers can work from the report. The photos show the defects and where they are, so each quote covers the same ground.
Check the roof from the garden and the street after a storm. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.
What we can’t see
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Sandown: local notes
Sandown lies within about 1 mile of the sea, and wind near the sea can be strong. The weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead, as a small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain. Sandown is about 1 mile from Sandown Airport. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If you own a rental within reach of Sandown station, it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it. For an older house near a landmark like Christ Church, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming. Morton Manor, about 1.5 miles north-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Sandown. Older homes in the area can come with listed status or conservation area rules, which affect re-roofing, so check with the council before you buy.
Sandown is about 10 miles south of Gosport, in the Isle of Wight. We provide pre-purchase roof surveys for householders, landlords and businesses in Sandown and nearby. Across the Isle of Wight, we cover Sandown and the places around it. Portsmouth is in our area too.
Surveys in PO36 and PO37 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Streets in the area include High Street, Nunwell Street and Park Rise, all of which we cover. With the A3055 and A3056 close by, Sandown is simple for us to get to. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Lake (1 mile south-west), Yaverland (1 mile north-east), Adgestone (1 mile north), Alverstone (1 mile north-west) and Morton (1 mile north-east). Larger places within reach include Newport (7 miles north-west), Ryde (5 miles north), Cowes (10 miles north-west), Ventnor (5 miles south-west), East Cowes (9 miles north-west) and Oakfield (5 miles north). As one of the bigger places in the Isle of Wight, Sandown has every kind of building, from houses and flats to offices. If you are somewhere remote, the survey takes a little more planning.
Near you in Sandown
Around Sandown, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Old Comical pub, Sandown Bay Academy and Broadlea Primary School. Sandown has its own railway station: Sandown station. Well-known places in the area include National Poo Museum (within half a mile south) and Arthur Webster Memorial Hospital for Children (1.6 miles south-west). Open spaces near Sandown include Alverstone Mead and Brading Down.
Can I check my roof myself?
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Don’t go up yourself.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
What we do, step by step
There is not much for you to do on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we’ll take it from there. The survey itself takes between one and two hours at a typical home, and longer for a large or complex roof. Homes around Sandown often have gardens on more than one side, which gives us room to step back and see the roof. Mention any side of the property we can’t get to. The loft, where there is safe access, completes the picture.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Preparing for the visit
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Booking a survey
Getting a price is simple: just call 07833 053749 or send us an email and give us some details about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.
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What a survey costs
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. That comes down to:
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so the price reflects that. You’ll know the figure before booking.
Booking your survey
If you can, have these to hand when you get in touch:
- Anything about access we should know
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: ring 07833 053749 or email us. The price is agreed before a date is set.
How the survey changes by roof type
Flat roofs
Standing water, blisters, splits and tired upstands all point to wear. We check outlets too, since a blocked one leaves water sitting on the roof, and we say what we see from wherever is safe.
Clay and concrete tiles
Many post-war houses have concrete interlocking tiles. They wear slowly, but surfaces erode and edges crack, and low-pitched roofs need their laps to be right.
Towns and villages near Sandown
Other services in Sandown
FAQs for Sandown
Is my home in Sandown listed or in a conservation area?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Are there drone restrictions around Sandown?
The answer turns on the exact location and the conditions on the day. Sandown Airport is about 1 mile away, so we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before any flight. Strong wind or a downpour also stops a small drone flying, and the rest of the survey doesn’t depend on the drone.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We’ve been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have completed over 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
Do I need to be at home?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the roof space, someone has to give us access; we will agree the details as you book.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. It’s a roof survey by an experienced roof surveyor, and you get a written report with photos. It does not cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
Once your offer has been accepted, and before exchange. That way you can still act on what we find.