Hampshire · London and the South East
South Down Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in South Down, and put it all in a written report with photos.
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in South Down
Can you fly a drone over a roof in South Down?
The answer turns on the exact location and the conditions on the day. South Down 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. The flight also waits for calm, dry weather, though the rest of the survey goes ahead either way.
Do you cover smaller places like South Down?
Yes, South Down is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Does the weather affect the survey?
A survey can usually go ahead in light rain, and it can even help show where water is getting in. Strong wind or a downpour can stop drone flights and make roof access unsafe, so we will agree a new date if the weather is not suitable.
How quickly will I get the report?
Premium reports arrive the same day, Standard reports within 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Reports are emailed with photos included.
Can I take the findings back to 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 can’t promise any saving.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. We look at the parts we are given access to.
Does someone need to be in?
Someone needs to let us in if we are looking inside or in the loft. We’ll talk about access when booking.
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in South Down
If you’re buying a flat, the roof may well be shared. Depending on the lease, roof repairs may fall to the building owner or a management company, with costs often passed on through the service charge. We inspect what access allows us to see safely, and the report gives you clear points to raise with your solicitor or the managing agent. If the building has a flat roof, we check that too where access allows. Common reasons to book are blistered or split felt on a flat roof and signs of past leaks inside the loft, across clay and concrete tiles, chimney stacks and natural slate.
Somewhere as small as South Down, 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. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
Nothing in the report is left vague: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, and where it can wait, that is said too.
- Place
- South Down (SO21)
- Region
- Hampshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Nearby places to South Down
What else we do in South Down
What we can’t see
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, and that sets some limits:
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- The condition of the rest of the house (that’s a RICS home survey)
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will recommend the right survey. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What we check
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Natural slate
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- How big the roof is
All our prices include VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. You will know the price for your roof before booking.
Booking your survey
These details help when you get in touch:
- The property’s address and postcode
- Anything about access we should know
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- When you need the report by
Booking is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or email us, tell us about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Local roofs and buyers in South Down
Thatch survives on some older buildings in Hampshire’s villages. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most. The flight restriction zone around Southampton Airport comes within about 1 mile of South Down. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the exact boundary for the address before flying.
Take an older house close to Church of All Saints: ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges. For landlords with property near Shawford station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
South Down is about 3 miles north-east of Chandler's Ford, in Hampshire. Roofs in South Down get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Hampshire. We cover towns and villages across Hampshire. Southampton is in our area too.
Every address in SO21 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Whether your property is on Cross Way, Fairfield Road and Grove Road or a nearby road, we can help. We also cover the places around South Down: Compton (1 mile north), Otterbourne (1 mile south-west), Shawford (1 mile north-east), Twyford (1 mile east) and Oliver's Battery (2 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Winchester (3 miles north), Eastleigh (3 miles south), Fareham (13 miles south-east), Andover (15 miles north-west), Totton (10 miles south-west) and Chandler's Ford (3 miles south-west).
Local landmarks in South Down
Around South Down, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Bridge Inn and Thornden School, among other places. The nearest railway station is Shawford station, about 0.6 miles north-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Balfour Museum of Hampshire Red Cross History (2.9 miles north) and Wolvesey Castle (3.2 miles north). For a walk, there is Twyford Down and Shawford Down.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
It helps to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when you book, as it helps us focus the survey.
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Landlords, agents and block managers in South Down
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan.
How it works
We work from the outside in: outside views come first, then the loft space if there’s safe access. In total, it takes about one to two hours on an ordinary house, and more on a big or complicated roof. Around South Down, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it helps to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it’s safe.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- We email a report with photographs and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Before we arrive
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
How to book
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Advice
Leave it or get it looked at?
Leaving it means judging the roof from the street. That won’t show slipped slates on the rear slope, a worn valley or cracked flaunching. A survey fills that gap before you commit, with photos of anything that needs attention. Outbuildings and barns around South Down are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all including VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Why us?
- Packages from £150, inc. VAT
- An independent look at the roof
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- Drones and thermal imaging where applicable
Read what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.