Hampshire · London and the South East
Up Somborne Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Know where you stand with the roof before you decide what to do next. Pre-purchase roof surveys in Up Somborne.
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
Pre-purchase roof survey in Up Somborne: what you get
Some roofs cannot be seen well from the ground or from windows. Our Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and, where applicable, a drone inspection, and the report arrives the same day. Where a flight isn’t possible, because of airspace rules or the weather, we tell you and inspect from every other safe vantage point. If you are worried about damp timbers or stains in the loft and gutters that overflow or drip at the joints, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Older buildings in small places like Up Somborne may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials a new roof may use, so check with the council and Historic England’s list. For a buyer or someone with a newly finished roof, it is worth knowing which applies, as well as what condition the roof is in. There are about 500,000 listed buildings and around 10,000 conservation areas in England.
If any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You will know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Location
- Up Somborne (SO20)
- Region
- Hampshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What this survey can’t tell you
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
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Up Somborne
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Up Somborne?
Rear extensions, dormers and garages frequently 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, because many can only be seen from an upstairs window.
People typically book a survey when they’ve noticed something like this:
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
In and around Up Somborne, as anywhere, a roof is easiest to deal with when its problems are found early.
Questions to ask before booking
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Is VAT included in the price?
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
Practical tips
There is plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Mention any deadline when you contact us
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
Once the home is yours, the report becomes a maintenance list. Work through the urgent items before anything else, and keep the photos to compare against later. Premium comes with a follow-up after 12 months.
After you move in, have leaves and moss cleared from gutters and valleys, ideally once the leaves have dropped. Overflowing water is behind a lot of damp. Use a gutter contractor rather than going up a ladder yourself.
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings are a common source of leaks, so they get close attention in a pre-purchase survey. Any that need attention are photographed and explained.
Natural slate
On a slate roof, the underlay may be old bitumen felt, or there may be none at all on very old roofs. Where we can see it from the loft, we say what condition it is in.
Common questions in Up Somborne
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Up Somborne?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Is Up Somborne within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. We survey roofs across London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned ahead of time.
Does someone need to be in?
Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
Book as soon as your offer is agreed. You need the report before you exchange, because after that the roof is yours to deal with.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime. Just say which days work for you.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning, with whoever owns or manages the building. Tell us about it when you book and we will plan the survey around it.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
For landlords and managing agents
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Up Somborne. To discuss a property or a block, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords. Bigger roofs take more time.
What happens on the day
There is not much for you to do on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we will get on with the inspection. A typical survey takes an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. For a village or hamlet like Up Somborne, the journey is planned ahead of time: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect what can be seen safely, inside and out.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller.
- The roof is inspected from each safe vantage point, inside and out.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Keep pets in another room
- Find any records of previous roof work
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Booking a survey
To book a survey, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. You will know the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Up Somborne
Some Hampshire villages still have thatched roofs. Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about. Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
Take an older house close to All Saints Church: a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Up Somborne is about 5 miles north-west of Winchester, in Hampshire. In Up Somborne, as across Hampshire, every roof gets the same careful survey. Across Hampshire, we cover Up Somborne. You can also see our page for Southampton.
Surveys in SO20 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Local streets include Court Lane and Up Somborne Lane. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Little Somborne (1 mile west), Ashley (1 mile south-west), King's Somborne (2 miles south-west), Lower Slackstead (4 miles south) and Braishfield (5 miles south). Larger places within reach include Winchester (5 miles south-east), Eastleigh (9 miles south-east), Andover (9 miles north), Totton (12 miles south), Chandler's Ford (8 miles south) and Hedge End (13 miles south-east).
What’s near Up Somborne
Other landmarks nearby include Royal Hampshire County Hospital (4.9 miles south-east).