Bracknell Forest · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in The Warren
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in The Warren, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Get in touch for a price.
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
The Warren: your questions answered
How do I find out if my home in The Warren is listed?
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.
My home in The Warren has a flat-roofed garage or porch. Is it worth having that looked at?
It’s often worth it, as these roofs are easy to forget. Cement sheet roofs on buildings from before 2000 may contain asbestos, so a specialist asbestos surveyor should check before they’re disturbed.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning. Mention it when you contact us and we will explain what’s needed.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it helps and it’s safe, yes. Flights depend on the weather on the day and airspace rules, and we check for restrictions near airports before flying. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.
Do I need to be at home?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. Access is agreed with you when booking.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
After your offer is accepted and before you exchange contracts. That way you can still act on what we find.
How long does the survey visit take?
On site, it typically takes about one to two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Report times depend on the package, from the same day for Premium to within 48 hours for Basic.
About our pre-purchase roof survey in The Warren
If you’re buying a flat, the roof may well be shared. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that’s often not the individual flat owner, with costs often passed on through the service charge. We inspect what access allows us to see safely, and the report helps you ask your solicitor or the managing agent the right questions. If the building has a flat roof, we check that too where access allows. Typical surveys look at standing water on a flat extension roof and a ridge or slope that dips, across gutters and downpipes, lead flashings and valleys and the roof space.
In a smaller place like The Warren, homes are mostly houses and bungalows, from older cottages to more recent builds. In older homes, the slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens and underlay holding them. Whether you’re buying or have just had the roof replaced, that hidden layer is worth knowing about. Breathable membranes only appeared in the late 1990s, so older roofs often have bitumen felt or nothing at all.
The report is written in plain words, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Photographs show what each point refers to, and recommendations are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
- Location
- The Warren (RG12, SL5)
- Region
- Bracknell Forest
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Towns and villages near The Warren
Also in The Warren
What a survey costs
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
For a price for your roof in The Warren, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and some details. We will confirm the figure before booking.
What we need to know
Before you get in touch, it helps to have:
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from ground level or a window; never climb up to get a better view. To send them or to book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Local roofs and buyers in The Warren
The Warren is part of Bracknell, one of the post-war new towns. Many homes in the new towns date from the post-war decades, with concrete interlocking tiles, low-pitched roofs and flat-roofed garages and porches. Low pitches, ageing concrete tiles and old flat roofs each have their own weak points, worth knowing before you commit. An older home may be listed, or stand in a conservation area. To find out, check Historic England’s list and ask the council about conservation areas. Re-roofing in different materials may need permission there.
Landlords with a home close to Martins Heron station may find that it’s worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
The Warren is about 1 mile east of Bracknell, in Bracknell Forest. The Warren is one of many places we visit across Bracknell Forest, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. The Warren is one of the towns and villages in Bracknell Forest where we work. Reading is in our area too.
We work across RG12 and SL5 for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. Whether your property is on Bog Lane, The Square and Mendip Road or a nearby road, we can help. We also cover the places around The Warren: Martins Heron (1 mile north), Forest Park (1 mile south-west), Jennett's Park (1 mile north-west), Harmans Water (1 mile west) and Bullbrook (1 mile north). We also work in nearby towns like Sandhurst (5 miles south-west), Binfield (3 miles north-west), Temple Park (3 miles north-west), Popeswood (3 miles north-west), College Town (5 miles south-west) and Farley Wood (3 miles west).
Landmarks near The Warren
Around The Warren, our work takes us to homes and buildings near LVS Ascot and Ranelagh School and the streets around them. There is a railway station in The Warren itself: Martins Heron station. Other landmarks nearby include Heatherwood Hospital (1.6 miles east) and The Lexicon (1.5 miles north-west). Open spaces near The Warren include Heath Lake and Wildmoor Heath.
Why it is worth a survey now in The Warren
When a chain is moving fast, a roof survey can feel like one more delay. We visit seven days a week, and the Premium Survey report arrives the same day, so it can fit around a tight timetable. Blocked gutters on homes around The Warren overflow and soak walls. It’s easy to sort the cause early and slow to dry a damp wall.
There are three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Why book with us
- PI and public liability insurance
- Surveys on weekdays and at weekends
- 98% of clients satisfied
- An independent view of the roof
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in The Warren
Asbestos was banned in UK construction in 1999. It is often found in cement sheets, soffits and flue pipes. We do not test for it or carry out asbestos surveys, but we flag materials that might and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before work starts.
Problems we come across frequently include:
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
For an older house near a landmark such as St Paul, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Whether VAT is added on top
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
Before and after the survey
Nothing here needs a ladder. A few suggestions:
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Check we’ll be able to get into the loft space
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Let us know your timetable
The report gives any roofer you ask to quote a clear brief. The photos show the defects and where they are, so each quote covers the same ground.
Every so often, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Watch for stains, damp timbers and chinks of daylight. Take photos so you can show whoever looks at it.
How the survey works
Photographs are taken throughout the visit, so you can see in the report what we found and where. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available. A typical visit takes roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Some parts of a survey depend on the weather, so a visit to The Warren is booked with the forecast in mind: the parts that need calm, dry weather are planned around it.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Before the survey
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
Booking a survey
Once you know what you need, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date.
Read more
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
Before booking, it is worth knowing what a survey will not do:
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll tell you before booking. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roofs we survey in The Warren
- Gutters and downpipes
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys