Greater London · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Tooting, Greater London
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in Tooting, with photographs and a written report.
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Tooting
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 are tied in. We look at the slates or tiles, the ridges and valleys, the flashings, the chimneys and the gutters, plus the loft where there is safe access. You get a written report with photos. If you’ve noticed sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes and slates or tiles that have slipped or gone, we can find out what’s behind it, on clay and concrete tiles, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and chimney stacks alike.
London terraces and converted houses frequently share a roof line, chimney stacks and gutters with the house next door, with parapet walls and party-wall upstands marking where one roof ends and the next begins. For a purchase or a new roof in Tooting, that shapes what can be checked: only the parts we’re given access to and can see safely are inspected. For a flat, the lease typically says who looks after the roof.
We keep jargon out of it: where something needs attention, it says so plainly, and where it can wait, that’s said too.
- Place
- Tooting (SW17, SW19, CR4)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Common questions in Tooting
Is parking a problem for a survey in Tooting?
Parking in Tooting, as in most of London, takes a little planning: a visitor permit or a bay close to the door helps a lot, so mention what’s available when booking.
Is drone flying allowed in Tooting?
Normally it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. Tooting is about 1 mile from the edge of the flight restriction zone around London Heliport in Battersea. We check the exact boundary for the address before flying, and if the roof falls inside it, we ask for permission first. London’s airspace includes flight restriction zones around Heathrow, London City Airport and London Heliport, and restricted areas over Hyde Park, the City of London and the Isle of Dogs. Every London address is checked against them before a flight. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, and the rest of the survey doesn’t depend on the drone.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes. The report sets out what we found, with photos, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. We cannot promise how the seller will respond.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To arrange a date, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
Book as soon as your offer is agreed. The report is most useful before exchange, because after that the roof is yours to deal with.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, if whoever owns or manages the building agrees access. We look at the parts we’re given access to.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
On site, it normally takes an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Places near Tooting
More services for Tooting
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Tooting
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- The size of the roof
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so the price reflects that. The price is confirmed before booking.
Getting in touch
Before you get in touch, it’s useful to have:
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- When you need the report by
We survey roofs on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
What we’re asked to look at in Tooting
Most viewings never get near the roof. You see the rooms, not the slates, and a quick glance from the street misses a lot. New paint on a ceiling can hide old water stains, so a closer look is worth having before you commit.
A survey can pick up problems like:
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
As a London address, Tooting can be tricky for parking: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day easier, as a space near the door cannot be promised.
Questions to ask before you book
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- What happens after the report arrives
- How long the report takes to arrive
What happens if roof problems are left?
A slow leak can go unnoticed for months. Damp can spread into timbers and ceilings before anyone sees a mark. Finding the cause at the survey stage means you know about it from day one. In a London terrace or conversion, a roof defect rarely stays your problem alone: failed flashings and blocked valley gutters can send water into more than one home. Finding it early keeps the work smaller.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how it can be reached and seen safely. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
Why us?
- Photos and a written report every time
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Surveys on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
See what a roof survey costs and our case studies.
What you can safely check yourself
It helps to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry and it will help the survey.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Don’t go up yourself.
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
To be straight with you, a roof survey has limits:
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- Asbestos testing of any kind
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will tell you. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- The roof space
Tooting homes and their roofs
Welsh slate on Victorian and Edwardian terraces is a familiar sight across inner London. A butterfly roof with a central valley gutter, tucked behind a parapet wall, is common on these houses. Shared chimney stacks, party-wall upstands and lead work come with this kind of house. Whether you’re buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds. Southside House, about 3 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Tooting. If yours is one of the older homes, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof.
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near St Augustine, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light. Landlords with a home close to Tooting station may find that the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Tooting is about 3 miles south-west of Stockwell, in Greater London. Surveys in Tooting work the same way as everywhere we cover: a proper look at whatever is safely visible, photos and a clear written report. Tooting is one of the towns and villages in Greater London where we work. For surveys nearby, see our London page.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: SW17, SW19 and CR4. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Vant Road, Byton Road and Avarn Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Close by, we survey roofs in Tooting Bec (1 mile north-west), Colliers Wood (1 mile south), Furzedown (1 mile east), Streatham Park (1 mile east) and Summerstown (1 mile north-west). Further out, we also cover London (6 miles north-east), City of Westminster (6 miles north), Marylebone (6 miles north), Kensington (5 miles north), St Pancras (7 miles north) and Shoreditch (8 miles north-east).
Near you in Tooting
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to King's Head pub, Ensham School and Graveney School, among other places. The closest station to Tooting is Tooting station, about 0.6 miles south. A little further out are Southside Wandsworth (2.2 miles north-west) and Grove Hospital (under half a mile west). Not far away are Battersea Park Lake and Myrna Close.
What happens on the day
The visit has one job: to see as much of the roof as can be seen safely and record it clearly. Notes and photos go into the written report. It normally takes roughly 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Surveys in Tooting can be booked for any day of the week. It helps if you can point us to a visitor permit or a nearby bay, and to clear a path to the loft hatch. A back bedroom window can be the best vantage point for a rear addition, so we may ask to use one.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you are buying.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- 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.
Getting ready for the survey
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Find any records of previous roof work
Book a survey
To get a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Tooting, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. The address, the type of property and what you need to know help us give you an accurate price.