Greater London · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in South Croydon, Greater London
Find out the condition of the roof at your property in South Croydon from an independent roof surveyor. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
Pre-purchase roof survey in South Croydon
A full home survey looks at the whole property, so the roof is one item among many. We do not offer a RICS home survey, and ours isn’t a substitute for one. It adds a focused look at the roof on its own, with photos and written recommendations you can act on. You can have both. We survey clay and concrete tiles, lead flashings and valleys and flat-roofed extensions and dormers, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are slates or tiles that have slipped or gone and flashings that have lifted or split.
London terraces and converted houses often share a roof line, chimney stacks and gutters with the house next door, with parapet walls and party-wall upstands marking where one roof ends and the next begins. For a purchase or a new roof in South Croydon, that shapes what can be checked: only the parts we’re given access to and can see safely are inspected. If it is a flat, the lease usually sets out who is responsible for the roof.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Where
- South Croydon (CR2, CR8, CR0)
- Region
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What we look for on each type of roof
Flat roofs
Flat roofs on extensions, dormers and garages are easy to forget about. Felt often lasts around 15 to 20 years, EPDM rubber 30 to 50 and GRP up to about 30. We check how the covering is wearing.
Gutters and parapets
Gutters, downpipes and outlets carry water away from walls. We check for blockages, leaking joints and sagging runs.
Places near South Croydon
Also in South Croydon
Pre-purchase roof surveys around South Croydon
Alongside Victorian and Edwardian terraces, outer London has a great many interwar semis, frequently with hipped roofs of 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. The covering on a house you’re buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest. Historic houses such as Addington Palace, about 2.4 miles east, show how far back building in the area around South Croydon goes. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs.
If you let a flat or house near Sanderstead station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full. Take an older house close to Church of St Augustine: a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
South Croydon is about 1 mile south of Croydon, in Greater London. We visit South Croydon as part of our work across Greater London, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Our area takes in places right across Greater London, from the larger towns to small villages. London is in our area too.
Here we cover the CR2, CR8 and CR0 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. We cover properties on Edgar Road, Bynes Road and Grange Road and the roads around them. We also cover the places around South Croydon: Croydon (1 mile north), Coombe (1 mile north-east), Sanderstead (1 mile south-east), Riddlesdown (2 miles south) and Selsdon (2 miles east). Further out, we also cover London (10 miles north), City of Westminster (11 miles north), Marylebone (12 miles north), Kensington (11 miles north-west), St Pancras (12 miles north) and Shoreditch (12 miles north).
Around South Croydon
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Purley Arms, Harris Academy Purley and Duppas Hill. There’s a railway station in South Croydon itself: Sanderstead station. Other landmarks nearby include Purley War Memorial Hospital (1.2 miles south-west) and Croydon Airport Visitor Centre (1 mile west). The countryside around South Croydon includes Roundshaw Downs and Duppas Hill.
What happens on the day
After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a photo-illustrated written report, sent to you by email. On timing, it normally takes about 1–2 hours for a house, and longer for a large or complex roof. In a London conversion, the way into the loft space is often from a communal landing or the top flat. If that applies to your building, it helps to agree access with the neighbours or the managing agent first. Everything else is planned around the building, not the postcode.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed beforehand.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from ground level and from vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
Booking a survey
Getting a price is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and give us some details about the property and we’ll point you to the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
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Why get it checked now?
When a chain is moving fast, a roof survey can feel like one more delay. Weekend visits are available as well as weekdays, and the Premium Survey report arrives the same day, so it can fit around a tight timetable. In a London terrace or conversion, a roof defect rarely stays your problem alone: failed flashings and blocked valley gutters can send water into more than one home. Finding it early keeps the work smaller.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, inc. VAT, and we will tell you which fits.
Why us?
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- 98% of customers satisfied
- 5,000+ surveys completed
See our cost guide or our case studies.
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so there are some things a survey can’t cover:
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will recommend the right survey before booking. The full list of what we check.
What we look at
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
- The roof space
For landlords and managing agents
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.
FAQs for South Croydon
Is my home in South Croydon listed or in a conservation area?
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.
Is drone flying allowed in South Croydon?
Typically it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. 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. Every London address is checked against them before a flight. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, though the rest of the survey goes ahead either way.
How long does the survey visit take?
The visit usually takes about 1–2 hours at a typical home, and longer for a large or complex roof. We’ll give you an idea of timing as you book.
How many surveys have you done?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once access has been agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so whoever owns or manages the building needs to agree access. We can only inspect what we’re given access to.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
Book as soon as your offer is agreed. You need the report before you exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
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.
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in South Croydon?
Flat roofs turn up on extensions, dormers, porches and garages. A felt roof often lasts around 15 to 20 years, and ponding, blisters and splits are common signs of age. They’re easy to overlook on a viewing, particularly when they’re only visible from an upper floor.
Typical things we’re asked to look at include:
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
Controlled parking zones are common in London, so mention any permit rules for South Croydon, along with any off-street space.
What to check before booking
- How long the report takes to arrive
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Their insurance cover
- Whether VAT is added on top