Southampton · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Southampton
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Southampton, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Get in touch for a price.
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
Why act early in Southampton
Sellers are not always aware of roof problems. The forms they complete only show what they’re aware of. Our survey shows you the roof as it is today. A small defect on a roof in Southampton seldom stays small: a slipped slate or cracked ridge lets in water, water rots battens, and more slates or tiles follow. Early action is usually the cheaper option.
Every price we give includes VAT, and the report isn’t charged as an extra. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
What you get with us
- Plain-English reports with photos
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- Visits on any day of the week
- Packages from £150, including VAT
Read what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Southampton: what you get
Older homes often have roofs that have been patched over the years. Slates slip when their nails corrode, lead valleys and flashings wear, and chimney pointing crumbles. Most of it cannot be seen from the street. Our survey picks it out, with photos that show you exactly where. Each finding is explained in plain words, so it is clear what it means for your purchase. We are often asked to look into standing water on a flat extension roof and damp timbers or stains in the loft, across chimney stacks, gutters and downpipes and natural slate.
A place the size of Southampton has homes of every age, from period houses to post-war estates, flats and new-build streets. Older slate roofs, post-war concrete tiles and brand-new coverings each have their own typical faults. Whether you’re buying or have just paid for a new roof, knowing which you’re dealing with shapes what gets checked.
The report is written in plain words, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Photographs show what each point refers to.
- Where
- Southampton (SO19, SO16, SO15, SO18)
- Region
- Southampton
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Also near Southampton
More services for Southampton
What a survey costs
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
For a price for your roof in Southampton, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and a few details. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Getting in touch
We will usually ask about:
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Dates you’re working to, like exchange
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
When you’re ready to go ahead, call 07833 053749 or email us. We’ll suggest a package, agree the price and find a date.
FAQs for Southampton
How do I find out if my home in Southampton is listed?
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 fly a drone over a roof in Southampton?
It depends on the exact address and the weather on the day. Southampton is inside, or right on the edge of, the flight restriction zone around Southampton Airport. Before any flight there, we ask the airport for permission, and the flight only goes ahead if it’s given. A small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, though the rest of the survey goes ahead either way.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing are not part of what we do. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, like cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them.
When will the report arrive?
Premium reports arrive the same day, Standard reports within 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. We send it by email with photos included.
Do you cover Southampton?
Yes. We survey roofs in Southampton. For a price, call 07833 053749 or email us.
How long does the survey visit take?
On site, it usually takes an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Report times depend on the package, from the same day for Premium to within 48 hours for Basic.
What if it rains on the day?
A survey can typically go ahead in light rain, and it can even help show where water is getting in. Heavy rain or strong wind can ground a drone and make the roof unsafe, so we will agree a new date if the weather is not suitable.
Different roofs, different checks
Natural slate
Many older homes in London and South East England have slate roofs. We look for slates that have slid, cracked or gone, and for clips or tingles that show past repairs.
Clay and concrete tiles
Tiled roofs often last half a century or longer. Cracked, slipped or missing tiles are noted, and for mismatched replacements that point to past repairs.
What we are asked to look at in Southampton
Rear extensions, dormers and garages often have flat roofs. A felt roof often lasts around 15 to 20 years, and standing water, blisters and splits are typical signs of ageing. A buyer can easily miss them, particularly when they’re only visible from an upper floor.
Things that frequently lead to a survey include:
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
If you let a flat or house near St Denys station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Questions to ask before booking
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Whether VAT is added on top
- What the survey won’t cover
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
Buying a home or a new roof in Southampton
Southampton is within about 2 miles of the coast, so there’s more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, and strong wind lifts anything already loose on a roof. Southampton is inside, or right on the edge of, the flight restriction zone around Southampton Airport. If your survey includes the drone, permission from the airport is needed first, and the flight only goes ahead if it’s given.
Southampton Tudor House and Garden lies about 1.4 miles south, so building around Southampton goes back a long way. Older homes in the area can come with listed status or conservation area rules, which affect re-roofing, so check with the council before you buy. If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near Saint Mary's, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Southampton is in England. Southampton is one of many places we visit across the surrounding area, for homes and businesses alike. We cover towns and villages across the surrounding area.
We work across SO19, SO16, SO15 and SO18 for pre-purchase roof surveys. We cover properties on London Road, Marshall Square and Grosvenor Square and the roads around them. Southampton is on the A27 and A33, so it’s easy for us to get to. We also cover the places around Southampton: Inner Avenue (1 mile west), St Denys (1 mile north-east), Bitterne Manor (1 mile east), Portswood (1 mile north) and Northam (1 mile south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Maybush (3 miles west), Eling (4 miles west), Rownhams (3 miles north-west), Hounsdown (5 miles west), Nursling (4 miles north-west) and Hillyfields (3 miles west).
Near you in Southampton
Around Southampton, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Rockstone Place Park, The Hobbit pub and St Mary's Independent School, among other places. Southampton has its own railway station: St Denys station. Nearby you’ll also find Marlands Shopping Centre (1 mile south-west) and R J Mitchell Museum (0.9 miles south-west). The countryside around Southampton includes Netley Common.
How the survey works
Before we start, let us know why you’ve booked: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. That way we can focus on what matters to you. Most visits take roughly 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. If the property is near the centre of Southampton, let us know about car parks or permit rules nearby. We’ll want to see the loft, if there is one, and any ceiling or wall showing damp. Outside, the roof is viewed from every point that’s safe.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the roof space is agreed beforehand.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it is safe.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Before we arrive
- Tell us where we can park nearby
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
Getting a price
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Related advice
Useful tips for Southampton property owners
Nothing here needs a ladder. Our suggestions:
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
After you move in, keep the report somewhere safe. Work through the urgent items before anything else, and use the photos as a record of how the roof looked when you bought. The Premium Survey includes a 12-month follow-up.
After strong winds, look at the roof from the ground. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Dealing with them early keeps water out.