West Sussex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Selham
A careful look at the roof at your property in Selham, and put it all in a report with photos.
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Flashings that have lifted or split
Pre-purchase roof survey in Selham: what you get
Some roofs cannot be seen well from ground level or from windows. Our Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and, where applicable, a drone inspection, along with a same-day report. If airspace rules or the weather rule out a flight, we will say so and inspect from every other safe vantage point. We are often asked to look into damp timbers or stains in the loft and a ridge or slope that dips, on natural slate, the roof space and flat-roofed extensions and dormers.
Somewhere as small as Selham, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings frequently sit beside a few newer homes. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent.
- Where
- Selham (GU28)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Selham: local notes
If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. About 2.7 miles west lies Cowdray House, a reminder of how long the area around Selham has been built on. 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.
Take an older house close to Church of St James: ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs frequently have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Selham is about 8 miles south of Haslemere, in West Sussex. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Selham can all book pre-purchase roof surveys, with a written report and photographs every time. Our area takes in places right across West Sussex. We also survey roofs in Guildford.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: GU28. If you are just outside Selham, we cover South Ambersham (1 mile west), River (2 miles north), Tillington (2 miles north-east), Upperton (2 miles north-east) and Rotherbridge (2 miles east). Larger places within reach include Bognor Regis (13 miles south), Chichester (11 miles south-west), Littlehampton (13 miles south-east), Emsworth (14 miles south-west), Rustington (14 miles south-east) and Storrington (11 miles east).
Around Selham
Well-known places in the area include Midhurst Community Hospital (2.9 miles west) and Coultershaw Heritage Site (2.5 miles east). Not far away are Graffham Common.
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Selham
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. That comes down to:
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- Which survey package you book
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so they’re priced to match. You’ll know the figure before booking.
What we need to know
There’s no need for technical words. It is enough to let us know:
- The property’s address and postcode
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Selham
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf, and the report can go to both. Access is agreed with the tenant ahead of time.
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, call 07833 053749 or email us with the addresses.
Roof by roof
Chimney stacks
Our chimney check is a visual one, not a flue, gas or sweep inspection. We’ll say if the flue needs a specialist.
Lead flashings and valleys
Lead-lined valleys and gutters are common on older homes in London and South East England. Worn or cracked lead lets water straight into the roof, and lead is also a target for theft.
What you can safely check yourself
A lot can be seen from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
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.
Also in Selham
Common questions in Selham
Is my home in Selham listed or in a conservation area?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do you cover smaller places like Selham?
Yes, Selham is covered. Our area covers London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it is useful to know about access.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Where it is safe, yes. We inspect from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the loft and from the roof itself where safe. On Premium, a drone is used where it applies.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing are not part of what we do. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, like cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes. Buyers use the findings to ask questions, ask for repairs before completion or ask for a price change. The outcome is between you and the seller, so we cannot promise any saving.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime. Just say which days work for you.
Do I need to be at home?
That depends on the survey. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in, while outside access can be discussed when you book.
Before and after the survey
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Request records of any re-roofing
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Check we’ll be able to get into the loft space
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
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.
Do not block the vents at the eaves. 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 we do, step by step
When we arrive, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you want to find out. After that, we look at everything we can see safely. Most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Somewhere like Selham needs a little journey planning: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect everything that’s safely in view, inside and out.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from the ground, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it’s safe.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- We email a written report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Before the survey
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Book a survey
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.