Buckinghamshire · London and the South East
Walter's Ash Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A careful look at the roof at your property in Walter's Ash, and put it all in a written report with photos.
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Blocked or leaking gutters
Useful tips for Walter's Ash property owners
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- Mention any deadline when you get in touch
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
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.
After strong winds, look at the roof from ground level. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Walter's Ash
With a written roof report, you can go back to the seller or agent with specifics. You might ask about past repairs, ask for work to be done before completion or think again about your offer. We can’t say how a seller will respond, but you will be asking from facts rather than guesses. It can also help you decide whether the purchase is still right for you. We survey clay and concrete tiles, chimney stacks and the roof space, and the problems we are asked to look at most are loose pots and cracked flaunching and roof slopes that look uneven or sagging.
In a village or hamlet like Walter's Ash, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Whether you are 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.
You receive the findings by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Where
- Walter's Ash (HP14)
- Wider area
- Buckinghamshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What we do, step by step
It helps to start with what’s prompted the survey: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. That way we can focus on what matters to you. Most visits take roughly 1–2 hours for a house, or half a day or so for a commercial building. Older rural homes like those around Walter's Ash can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen.
- You book once your offer is accepted and let us know the address and your timetable.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from the ground, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it’s safe.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
How to book
We survey roofs on any day of the week. To find a date that works for you, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Related advice
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Walter's Ash
Some villages in Buckinghamshire still have thatched roofs. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Whether you’re buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds. About 2.2 miles south-east lies Hughenden Manor, a reminder of how long the area around Walter's Ash has been built on. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
For an older house near a landmark like Church of St Botolph, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light. For landlords with property near Saunderton station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Walter's Ash is about 4 miles north-west of High Wycombe, in Buckinghamshire. Walter's Ash is part of the area we cover as part of our work across London and South East England. Across Buckinghamshire, we cover Walter's Ash. There’s also a page for Reading.
Here we cover the HP14 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Local streets include Main Road, Honey Way and Bradenham Wood Lane, and we cover them all. We also cover Naphill (1 mile south-east), Upper North Dean (1 mile north-east), Lower North Dean (1 mile east), Speen (1 mile north) and Bryant's Bottom (1 mile north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Aylesbury (10 miles north), High Wycombe (4 miles south-east), Chesham (8 miles east), Marlow (7 miles south), Amersham (8 miles east) and Beaconsfield (8 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Walter's Ash
We work in homes and buildings around The Wheel pub and the streets around them. The closest station to Walter's Ash is Saunderton station, about 1.5 miles west. Well-known places in the area include Wycombe Hospital (3.7 miles south-east) and High Wycombe Castle (3.5 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Prestwood Local Nature Reserve.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Walter's Ash
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client, photos included.
We survey roofs for letting agents and landlords as well as householders. A written report with photographs gives you a clear record of the roof.
Nearby places to Walter's Ash
Also in Walter's Ash
What this survey cannot tell you
Our survey isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Walter's Ash
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- The roof space
What a survey costs
To price your survey, we check:
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
- How big the roof is
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package matters as well. We’ll give you the figure before anything is booked.
Booking your survey
A little information up front helps. Please include:
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- The kind of building and roof involved
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Leave it or get it looked at?
The lender’s valuation is done for the lender, not for you. It looks at whether the property is suitable security for the loan, and it will not look closely at the roof. A roof survey is carried out for the buyer, and the report is written for you to use. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Walter's Ash, driving rain gets into any weakness, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, including VAT, and we will tell you which fits.
Why book with us
- Visits on any day of the week
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Clear package prices, with VAT included
Read what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Walter's Ash
Is my home in Walter's Ash listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Will you come out to Walter's Ash?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We survey roofs across London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Light rain is typically fine; heavy rain and wind are different. Strong wind or a downpour can make access unsafe and ground a drone, so we’d move the date with you.
Will you need to get into the loft?
Ideally, yes. The loft tells us a lot about the roof, and views from upper windows help too. The agent or seller can arrange entry.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Do you use drones?
Where it is applicable and safe, yes. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where it applies.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, if the building owner or managing agent agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we are allowed to reach, and the report makes that clear.