Isle of Wight · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Upton, Isle of Wight
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Upton. We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Flashings that have lifted or split
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Upton
A full home survey looks at the whole property, so the roof is one item among many. We don’t offer a RICS home survey, and ours is not a substitute for one. What it adds is a closer look at the roof alone, with photos of what we find and written recommendations. You can have both if you want the fullest picture. If you’re worried about quick fixes on flashings and valleys and slates or tiles that have slipped or gone, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on flat-roofed extensions and dormers, lead flashings and valleys and the roof space alike.
Somewhere as small as Upton, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings frequently sit beside a few newer homes. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks, 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. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, so you can plan your next steps.
- Location
- Upton (PO33)
- Wider area
- Isle of Wight
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from Upton
How do I find out if my home in Upton is listed?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Upton, take more of a battering?
It can do. Upton is within about 3 miles of the sea, and coastal roofs tend to see faster wear on metal parts and more wind lifting loose pieces.
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 is not a replacement for a RICS survey.
Do you cover Upton?
Yes. We cover Upton and the rest of the Isle of Wight, as part of our work across London and South East England. To book, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
What insurance do you have?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability.
Do you go up on the roof?
When conditions and the roof make it safe, yes. Many roofs can be seen well from windows, vantage points and the loft, and a drone is part of the Premium Survey where applicable.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it is applicable. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, and we check for restrictions near airports before flying. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget.
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Let us know about it when you book and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
How it works
After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a report with photographs, emailed to you. As for time on site, it usually takes between one and two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Older rural homes like those around Upton can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- 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.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Before the survey
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
Getting a price
We survey roofs on weekdays and at weekends. To arrange a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Read more
Practical tips
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
Once the home is yours, the report becomes a maintenance list. Deal with the urgent items first, and use the photos as a record of how the roof looked when you bought. The Premium Survey includes a 12-month follow-up to see how things have changed.
Chimneys and flashings need watching. Watch for gaps in the pointing, cracked flaunching and loose lead. A pair of binoculars from the garden shows a lot.
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings are a common source of leaks, so we check each one closely. We photograph any that need work.
Gutters and parapets
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter, normally to the back of the house. If yours does, we check that gutter and where it drains.
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- The roof’s overall size
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
To find out what your survey will cost, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and a few details. The price is agreed before a date is set.
What we need to know
A little information up front helps. It is useful to include:
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- Anything about access we should know
- What’s prompted the survey
- The address and postcode of the property
We confirm the exact price before booking, so you know where you stand. Our price is from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Upton: local notes
The coast is about 3 miles or less from Upton, so there is more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Corroded clips and nails and lifted ridge pieces are typical of exposed roofs near the sea, which is worth knowing before you buy or pay for new work. Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
Nunwell House, about 2.2 miles south-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Upton. When you buy an older home, the roof’s age, past repairs and any listing all affect what you might spend later. If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Church of St. Michael and All Angels, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them. If you own a rental within reach of Smallbrook Junction station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Upton is about 1 mile south-west of Ryde, in the Isle of Wight. Wherever you are in Upton, we can come and survey your property. Our area takes in places right across the Isle of Wight. We also survey roofs in Portsmouth.
Surveys in PO33 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. We cover properties on Stroud Wood Road, Upton Road and Carters Road and the roads around them. We also cover the places around Upton: Haylands (1 mile north-east), Binstead (1 mile north), Ryde (1 mile north-east), Oakfield (1 mile north-east) and Elmfield (2 miles north-east). Larger places within reach include Newport (5 miles west), Cowes (6 miles north-west), Sandown (4 miles south), Shanklin (6 miles south), Ventnor (8 miles south) and East Cowes (5 miles north-west). For harder-to-reach addresses, a little more planning is needed, so mention it when booking.
Local landmarks in Upton
We work in homes and buildings around Ryde Academy and Ryde School with Upper Chine. For rail, the closest station is Smallbrook Junction station, about 1.1 miles east of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Arthur Webster Memorial Hospital for Children (5.2 miles south) and Sandown Castle (4 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Briddlesford Nature Reserve and Brading Down.
Other services in Upton
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
It is a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. Its limits include:
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll point you to the right survey before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space