Buckinghamshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in South Heath, Buckinghamshire
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat around South Heath, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Old water stains in the loft space
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in South Heath
The roof is one of the most expensive parts of a home to repair, and one of the hardest for a buyer to see. A pre-purchase roof survey looks at it closely before you’re tied in. We check the coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters, plus the loft where there’s safe access. The findings come in a written report with photos. Common reasons to book are sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes and blocked or leaking gutters, across clay and concrete tiles, the roof space and chimney stacks.
Some older homes in villages like South Heath are listed or sit in a conservation area. That can affect what materials a new roof may use, so check with the council and Historic England’s list. Whether you are buying or signing off new roofing, it’s worth knowing where you stand. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
The report does not just list problems. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Where
- South Heath (HP16)
- Wider area
- Buckinghamshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Pre-purchase roof surveys around South Heath
Cholesbury Manor House, about 3.4 miles north, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around South Heath. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. A number of Buckinghamshire villages keep thatched roofs on their older buildings. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Whether you are buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds.
For landlords with property near Great Missenden station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
South Heath is about 3 miles west of Chesham, in Buckinghamshire. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in South Heath can all book pre-purchase roof surveys, with a written report and photographs every time. Across Buckinghamshire, we cover South Heath and the places around it. Our Reading page covers surveys nearby.
Every address in HP16 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Local streets include Meadow Lane, Lappetts Lane and Wood Lane, and we cover them all. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Hyde End (1 mile south-east), Ballinger Common (1 mile north), Hundridge (1 mile east), Lee Common (1 mile north) and Chartridge (2 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Aylesbury (9 miles north-west), High Wycombe (6 miles south-west), Chesham (3 miles east), Marlow (10 miles south-west), Amersham (4 miles south-east) and Beaconsfield (7 miles south).
Near you in South Heath
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Annie Baileys pub, The Misbourne School and Missenden Abbey Adult Education College. South Heath’s nearest station is Great Missenden station, about 1.2 miles west of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Chiltern Hospital (1.3 miles south) and Great Missenden (0.9 miles south). Not far away are Pavis Wood and Sands Bank.
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in South Heath
Is South Heath in the area you cover?
Yes. We survey roofs across London and the South East, and South Heath is part of that. Just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us about the property.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in South Heath?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We do not sample or test for asbestos. Where a material might contain it, like old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it’s disturbed.
Are you insured?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Do you need access inside the house?
Where we can, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If access isn’t possible, we note it in the report.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Only where it’s safe. Many roofs can be seen well from windows, vantage points and the loft, and a drone is part of the Premium Survey where applicable.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
We carry out surveys on weekdays and at weekends. To arrange a date, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
What we look for on each type of roof
Clay and concrete tiles
Many post-war houses have concrete interlocking tiles. They wear slowly, but surfaces erode and edges crack, and low-pitched roofs need their laps to be right.
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.
Common roof problems in South Heath
Patch repairs are common on roofs of every age. Bitumen painted over a flashing, mortar where lead should be, or a few tiles that don’t match can point to a problem that keeps coming back. Our report records them so you can ask the seller what was done and when.
Most people get in touch when they’ve noticed one of these:
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
Take an older house close to St Mary's: a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
What to check before booking
- What follow-up you get after the report
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
- What insurance they carry
What a survey costs
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- House, block, shop or office
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all with VAT included. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Helping us price your survey
The more you let us know, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, it’s useful to mention:
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- The property’s address and postcode
- Anything about access we should know
You can call us seven days a week. To book or ask a question, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
How the survey works
Every roof is different, but as a rough guide the survey takes an hour or two at a typical home, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. If you have questions on the day, just ask. Older rural homes like those around South Heath 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.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- 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.
Before we arrive
- Keep pets in another room
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Arrange a survey
Booking is simple: just call 07833 053749 or send us an email, let us know about the property and we’ll suggest the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
Advice
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so there are some things a survey can’t cover:
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will tell you. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
What happens if roof problems are left?
A good many buyers go ahead anyway, but with their eyes open. You’ll know which jobs are urgent and which can wait, and you can line up a roofer before small faults grow. Around South Heath, older homes frequently have old roof timbers, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it is left.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The final price depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and the package you choose.
What you get with us
- Surveys seven days a week
- An independent view of the roof
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
Take a look at our cost guide and two real surveys.