Southampton · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Shirley, Southampton
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Shirley, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
Shirley homes and their roofs
Shirley is within about 1 mile of the coast, and wind near the sea can be strong. The weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead, as a small drone cannot fly safely in high wind or heavy rain. With Southampton Tudor House and Garden about 1.9 miles south-east, Shirley sits in an area with a long building history. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
For an older house near a landmark such as Shirley Parish Church, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Shirley is about 2 miles west of Southampton, in Southampton. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Shirley can all book pre-purchase roof surveys. Across Southampton, we cover Shirley.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in SO15, SO16 and SO17 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Streets in the area include May Road, Dyer Road and York Road, all of which we cover. You’ll find Shirley on the A3057, which makes it simple to reach. We also cover Regents Park (1 mile west), Freemantle (1 mile south), Millbrook (1 mile south-west), Coxford (1 mile north-west) and Maybush (1 mile north-west). Larger places within reach include Townhill Park (3 miles east), Midanbury (3 miles east), Thornhill (4 miles east), Chartwell Green (4 miles east), Harefield (4 miles east) and Itchen (3 miles south-east). Shirley is among the bigger towns we cover in Southampton.
What’s near Shirley
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Crown Public House, St James' Park and Regents Park Community College, among other places. The closest station to Shirley is Millbrook (Hants) station, about 0.7 miles south of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Netley Castle (4.4 miles south-east) and Foresters Museum & Archive (1 mile south-east). Green spaces nearby include Testwood Lakes.
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Shirley
A roof report gives you something solid to take back to the seller or the agent. You can ask about the roof’s history, ask for repairs before completion or rethink the price. What the seller agrees to is up to them, but you will be asking from facts rather than guesses. It can also help you decide whether the purchase is still right for you. Common reasons to book are standing water on a flat extension roof and flashings that have lifted or split, on the roof space, lead flashings and valleys and gutters and downpipes.
Around Shirley, you will mostly find houses and bungalows of different ages. In older homes, the slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens and underlay holding them. For a purchase or a newly replaced roof, what’s under the coverings matters as much as what’s on top. Breathable membranes only appeared in the late 1990s, so older roofs often have bitumen felt or nothing at all.
It isn’t only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend.
- Where
- Shirley (SO15, SO16, SO17)
- Wider area
- Southampton
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Honest limits
It is a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will suggest the right survey. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roofs we survey in Shirley
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
- The roof space
Practical tips
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out:
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Do not leave it until just before exchange
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
Your report arrives by email, with photographs of what we found. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Each defect is explained in plain words, and recommendations are ranked by urgency where that helps.
After strong winds, look at the roof from the ground. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.
Roof by roof
Clay and concrete tiles
Concrete interlocking tiles are common on post-war and newer homes. They’re heavy and hard-wearing, but they weather and can crack.
Chimney stacks
Our chimney check is a visual one, and it isn’t a flue or gas safety check. We’ll say if the flue needs a specialist.
Places near Shirley
What else we do in Shirley
Common questions in Shirley
Is Shirley within the area you cover?
Yes, Shirley is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Shirley?
The answer turns on the exact location and the conditions on the day. Shirley is about 1 mile from the edge of the flight restriction zone around Southampton Airport. We check the exact boundary for the address before flying, and if the roof falls inside it, we ask for permission first. Strong wind or a downpour also stops a small drone flying, though the rest of the survey goes ahead either way.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
On site, it normally takes between one and two hours at a typical home, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Report times depend on the package, from the same day for Premium to within 48 hours for Basic.
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. What the seller agrees to is their decision.
Will you need to get into the loft?
Ideally, yes. We look in the roof space where there is safe access, and views from upper windows help too. Access is typically arranged through the agent or seller.
Are you insured?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability.
When will the report arrive?
That depends on which survey you choose: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Let us know your timetable when booking.
When to book a survey in Shirley
Many roofs have had quick fixes over the years. Bitumen over flashings, mortar fillets in place of lead and odd replacement tiles can be signs that something has leaked before. Our report records them so you can ask the seller what was done and when.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Old water stains in the roof space
Landlords with a home close to Millbrook (Hants) station may find that a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Are they insured for the work?
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Whether the price includes VAT
Why it is worth a survey now in Shirley
Once you exchange, the roof’s problems become yours. Before then, you can still ask questions, ask for work to be done or reconsider. Finding out later gives you the same facts, but too late to use them in the purchase. Homes in smaller places like Shirley can face more weather, so a loose ridge or verge soon lets rain in. Wind gets under it and lifts more.
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where applicable) come with the Premium Survey, from £400 including VAT. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Why book with us
- An independent view of the roof
- Prices that include VAT
- 20+ years’ experience
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
See what a roof survey costs and our case studies.
The survey, step by step
You do not need to do much on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we will take it from there. The survey itself takes about one to two hours at most homes, and more on a big or complicated roof. A visit to Shirley is planned like any other: the time, the access and where to park are agreed ahead of time. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. If there are outbuildings or garages you want looked at, mention them.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Preparing for the visit
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Book a survey
To get a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Shirley, phone 07833 053749 or email us. The address, the type of property and what you’d like to know help us price the survey accurately.