Hampshire · London and the South East
Soberton Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in Soberton, and put it all in a report with photographs.
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
Pre-purchase roof survey in Soberton
Book after your offer is accepted and before exchange. At that point you can still ask questions, because nothing is binding yet. We survey seven days a week, which helps when the chain is moving fast. The report comes within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. We survey flat-roofed extensions and dormers, clay and concrete tiles and natural slate, and people most often book us about slipped or missing slates and tiles and roof slopes that look uneven or sagging.
In a village or hamlet like Soberton, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. 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.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photographs, emailed to you. It explains the condition of the roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Location
- Soberton (SO32)
- Region
- Hampshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your 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
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
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:
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
- The condition of the rest of the house (that’s a RICS home survey)
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will suggest the right survey. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Gutters and downpipes
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
For landlords and managing agents
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf, with the report sent to whoever needs it. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on, photographs included.
Common roof problems in Soberton
The fixings and underlay often fail before good slates or tiles do. Natural slate can last 100 years or more, but corroded nails let slates slip. It is a frequent finding on older houses.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
In and around Soberton, as anywhere, a roof is easiest to deal with when its problems are found early.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- How soon the report will arrive
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Are they insured for the work?
What we do, step by step
Every roof is different, but as a rough guide the survey takes an hour or two for most houses, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. If you have questions on the day, just ask. Older rural homes like those around Soberton can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- You book once your offer is accepted and tell us the address and your timetable.
- We agree a time and how we will get in, including the loft.
- The roof is inspected from every safe vantage point, inside and out.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- Your report arrives by email, with photos and recommendations prioritised by urgency.
Before we arrive
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Let us know about parking near the property
Getting a price
We survey roofs on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Advice
What you can safely check yourself
You can learn a lot from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
Places near Soberton
More services for Soberton
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Soberton
Do you cover Soberton?
Yes, Soberton is within the area we cover. We survey roofs across London and the South East. Just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know about the property.
How do I find out if my home in Soberton is listed?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
They do different things. A home survey looks at the whole property, while ours looks only at the roof, in more detail. Ours sits alongside a RICS survey rather than replacing it.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Do you need to go inside the property?
If it can be arranged, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If access isn’t possible, we note it in the report.
How experienced are you?
We have completed more than 5,000 surveys, across 20+ years of surveying roofs, and 98% of customers are satisfied.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. You might ask for work to be done, ask questions or ask for a change to the price. The outcome is between you and the seller, so we can’t promise any saving.
Local roofs and buyers in Soberton
A number of Hampshire villages keep thatched roofs on their older buildings. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new. If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If you live in an older home near Church of St Peter, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Soberton is about 6 miles north-west of Horndean, in Hampshire. In Soberton, as across Hampshire, every roof gets the same careful survey. Soberton is one of the places in Hampshire where we work for pre-purchase roof surveys. For surveys nearby, see our Portsmouth page.
All of SO32 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Streets in the area include High Street, Station Road and Long Road. We also cover Droxford (1 mile north), Brockbridge (1 mile north), Soberton Heath (2 miles south), Hill Grove (2 miles west) and Southend (2 miles south). We also work in nearby towns such as Winchester (11 miles north-west), Gosport (10 miles south), Havant (9 miles south-east), Eastleigh (9 miles west), Fareham (7 miles south-west) and Horndean (6 miles south-east).
Near you in Soberton
Typical jobs here are in homes near White Lion Inn and the streets around them. Other landmarks nearby include Knowle Hospital (5.4 miles south-west) and Bishop's Waltham Museum (3.7 miles west). The countryside around Soberton includes Beacon Hill and St Clair's Meadow.
What we look for on each type of roof
Gutters and parapets
Parapet and box gutters are hidden behind walls and can overflow inside. We look at their linings and outlets from wherever is safe.
Natural slate
On a slate roof, the underlay may be old bitumen felt, or there may be none at all on very old roofs. From inside the loft space, we report what we can see of it.