Hampshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Viables, Hampshire
Know where you stand with the roof before you spend money on it. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Viables.
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
Pre-purchase roof survey in Viables
A RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey covers the whole building, and the roof is only one part of it. We don’t offer a RICS home survey, and ours isn’t a substitute for one. It adds a focused look at the roof on its own, with photographs of what we find and written recommendations. You can have both if you want the fullest picture. We survey clay and concrete tiles, chimney stacks and the roof space, and people most often book us about slipped or missing slates and tiles and blistered or split felt on a flat roof.
Around Viables, you’ll mostly find houses and bungalows of different ages. In older homes, the slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens and underlay holding them. For a purchase or a newly replaced roof, what’s under the coverings matters as much as what’s on top. 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, with the urgent items made clear.
- Where
- Viables (RG21, RG22, RG25)
- Wider area
- Hampshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Viables?
Flat roofs turn up on extensions, dormers, porches and garages. A felt roof frequently lasts around 15 to 20 years, and standing water, blisters and splits are typical signs of ageing. A buyer can easily miss them, especially when they’re only visible from an upper floor.
Common reasons to book include:
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
Landlords with a home close to Basingstoke station may find that the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Questions to ask before booking
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Their report turnaround times
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
We only report whatever is safely visible on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
- A structural engineer’s report
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roofs we survey in Viables
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
Tips that help
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Do not leave it until just before exchange
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
It’s worth sharing the report with your solicitor so they can raise enquiries with the seller’s side. It can prompt questions about past roof work and any paperwork for it.
Chimneys and flashings need watching. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. A pair of binoculars from the garden shows a lot.
Also near Viables
More services for Viables
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Viables: local notes
If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. Some Hampshire villages still have thatched roofs. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. The covering on a house you’re buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest.
The Vyne lies about 3.9 miles north, so building around Viables goes back a long way. If you’re buying an older home nearby, it’s worth knowing whether it is listed or in a conservation area before you plan any re-roofing. If you live in an older home near Church of All Saints, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Viables is about 1 mile south-east of Basingstoke, in Hampshire. Viables gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Across Hampshire, we cover Viables. For surveys nearby, see our Reading page.
Every address in RG21, RG22 and RG25 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Whether your property is on Grove Road, Porter Road and Morley Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Cliddesden (1 mile south), Eastrop (1 mile north), Oakridge (1 mile north), Lychpit (2 miles north-east) and Old Basing (2 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Farnborough (14 miles east), Fleet (11 miles east), Aldershot (14 miles east), Alton (8 miles south-east), Yateley (13 miles north-east) and Tadley (8 miles north).
Near you in Viables
In Viables, that means homes and buildings near The Costello School, Queen Mary's College and Hackwood Park and the streets around them. Viables’s nearest station is Basingstoke station, about 1.3 miles north. A little further out are Willis Museum (0.9 miles north) and Festival Place (1.1 miles north). Not far away are The Mill Field and Farleigh Hill.
What affects the price in Viables
To price your survey, we check:
- House, block, shop or office
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
Prices start from £150, with VAT included, for a Basic Survey. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, both with VAT included. You’ll know the price for the job before booking.
Getting in touch
Before you get in touch, it’s useful to have:
- Dates you’re working to, such as exchange
- Access details, like a loft hatch or a shared roof
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
Not sure which survey you need? It’s easiest to phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
The survey, step by step
The visit has one job: to see as much of the roof as can be seen safely and record it clearly. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. It typically takes roughly 1–2 hours for a house, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. Being in a smaller place like Viables does not change how the visit works: we look from ground level, from windows, from the loft and from the roof where it is safe. Point out any stains, cracks or loose pieces you’ve spotted.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it’s safe.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- Your report arrives by email, with photos and recommendations prioritised by urgency.
How to prepare
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
Book a survey
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email when you’re ready.
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FAQs for Viables
Is my home in Viables listed or in a conservation area?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Is Viables in the area you cover?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Viables as anywhere else.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We do not sample or test for asbestos. The report may flag materials that could contain asbestos on buildings built or refurbished before 2000, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it’s disturbed.
Does the weather affect the survey?
It can, depending on the survey. Drones can’t fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. We will rearrange with you if the weather isn’t right.
Does someone need to be in?
It depends on what we need to see. For inside areas and the loft space, someone has to give us access.
What insurance do you have?
We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
What’s the best way to book?
To book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and tell us the address and what you need to know. We will confirm the price and agree a day with you.
How the survey changes by roof type
Clay and concrete tiles
Clay and concrete tiles commonly last 50 years or more. We check for slipped, cracked and missing tiles, and for mismatched replacements that point to past repairs.
Gutters and parapets
The rainwater system keeps water off the walls. Leaking joints, sagging lengths and blockages are all noted.