Surrey · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Sutton Abinger, Surrey
Pre-purchase roof surveys across Sutton Abinger, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. You get a clear report with photographs.
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
DIY checks: what’s safe
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Sutton Abinger: what you get
Buying a home is a big commitment, and the roof is one of the costliest parts to put right. A pre-purchase roof survey looks at it closely before you are tied in. We check the slates or tiles, the ridges and valleys, the flashings, the chimneys and the gutters, and the roof space where it’s safe to get in. You get a report with photographs. If you’ve noticed gutters that overflow or drip at the joints and blistered or split felt on a flat roof, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on clay and concrete tiles, chimney stacks and the roof space alike.
In a village or hamlet like Sutton Abinger, 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. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
The report doesn’t 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
- Sutton Abinger (RH5)
- Wider area
- Surrey
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
How it works
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. The inspection then takes about 1–2 hours at a typical home, and longer for a large or complex roof. Rural addresses near Sutton Abinger can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- We look at the roof from ground level, from windows, from the roof space and from the roof where safe.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Before the survey
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
Booking a survey
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
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Honest limits
A survey is a careful look at the roof, but it cannot do everything. Its limits include:
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- Asbestos testing of any kind
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
Roof types and parts we check
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
How the survey changes by roof type
Gutters and parapets
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter, typically to the back of the house. If yours does, we check that gutter and where it drains.
Clay and concrete tiles
Concrete interlocking tiles are common on post-war and newer homes. They’re heavy and hard-wearing, but they weather and can crack.
Sutton Abinger homes and their roofs
Historic houses such as Hatchlands Park, about 4.3 miles north-west, show how far back building in the area around Sutton Abinger goes. If your home is one of the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Older houses across Surrey often have handmade clay tiles, and many have tile-hanging. A few of Surrey’s oldest buildings have heavy Horsham stone slab roofs. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new.
If you own a rental within reach of Gomshall station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Sutton Abinger is about 5 miles south-west of Dorking, in Surrey. Sutton Abinger is one of many places we visit across Surrey, for homes and businesses alike. Across Surrey, we cover Sutton Abinger. There’s also a page for Guildford.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in RH5 are booked the same way as anywhere else. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Hoe Lane, Annisdowne Close and Sutton Place or a nearby road, we can help. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Hoe (1 mile west), Abinger (1 mile east), Abinger Hammer (1 mile north), Gomshall (1 mile north-west) and Shere (2 miles north-west). Further out, we also cover Guildford (7 miles north-west), Woking (10 miles north-west), Epsom (12 miles north-east), Horley (11 miles east), Redhill (12 miles east) and Ewell (13 miles north-east).
Near you in Sutton Abinger
We work in homes and buildings around The Volunteer pub and Hurtwood House, among other places. Sutton Abinger’s nearest station is Gomshall station, about 1.4 miles north-west. Well-known places in the area include Mesolithic Museum (0.9 miles east) and Abinger Castle (0.9 miles east). The countryside around Sutton Abinger includes Combe Bottom and Silent Pool.
Nearby places to Sutton Abinger
Other services in Sutton Abinger
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Sutton Abinger
Survey packages start from £150, inc. VAT. The price for your roof depends on:
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Which survey package you book
- How big the roof is
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package you pick makes a difference too. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
Booking your survey
What helps most when you contact us:
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- What’s prompted the survey
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
For a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Sutton Abinger, ring 07833 053749 or email us. A few details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Sutton Abinger
Patch repairs are common on roofs of every age. Bitumen painted over a flashing, mortar where lead should be, or a few tiles that do not match can point to a problem that keeps coming back. We note what we see so you can ask about it.
Problems we come across often include:
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
The streets around a church like Church of St James are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
What to check before booking
- Will the report include photos?
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
Sutton Abinger: your questions answered
Is Sutton Abinger within the area you cover?
Yes. Sutton Abinger is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Sutton Abinger?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it is not a RICS home survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Only where it is safe. We also inspect from ground level, upper windows and the loft space.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes, you can. The report sets out what we found, with photos, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. How the seller responds is up to them.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
That depends on how much you want to know about the roof. Home surveys sometimes suggest a closer look at the roof, and our survey gives you that closer look. It isn’t a replacement for a RICS survey.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.