West Berkshire · London and the South East
Wash Common Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Wash Common, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Wash Common
Historic houses like Benham Park, about 2.4 miles north-west, show how far back building in the area around Wash Common goes. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Whether you are buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds.
If you own a rental within reach of Newbury station, it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
Wash Common is about 2 miles south-west of Newbury, in West Berkshire. Whether the building in Wash Common is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, we can survey the roof. Wash Common is one of the places in West Berkshire we cover. For surveys nearby, see our Reading page.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: RG14 and RG20. We cover properties on Battle Road, Stuart Road and Warren Road. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Wash Water (1 mile south-west), Enborne Row (1 mile south-west), Skinners Green (1 mile north-west), Newtown Common (1 mile south-east) and Sandleford (1 mile east). Further out, we also cover Thatcham (4 miles north-east), Burghfield Common (12 miles east), Hungerford (8 miles west), Calcot (14 miles east), Lambourn (12 miles north-west) and Shaw (3 miles north-east).
Local landmarks in Wash Common
We work in homes and buildings around Horris Hill School, Park House School and The Gun pub. The nearest railway station is Newbury station, about 1.8 miles north-east. Other landmarks nearby include British Balloon Museum & Library Ltd (2 miles north-east) and Hamstead Marshall 2 (2.7 miles north-west). The countryside around Wash Common includes Sidown Hill and Audrey's Meadow.
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Wash Common
Buying a home is a big commitment, and the roof is one of the costliest parts to put right. Our pre-purchase roof survey gives you a proper look at it before you are committed. We check the slates or tiles, the ridges and valleys, the flashings, the chimneys and the gutters, and the loft space where it is safe to get in. The findings come in a written report with photos. If you’re worried about worn or lifted lead flashings and blocked or leaking gutters, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on gutters and downpipes, the roof space and lead flashings and valleys alike.
Around Wash Common, 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 frequently have bitumen felt or nothing at all.
The report records the roof as we found it on the day. It’s useful straight away, and a good reference for later, such as when you want to compare after future work.
- Place
- Wash Common (RG14, RG20)
- Wider area
- West Berkshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Common questions in Wash Common
Do you cover Wash Common?
Yes, Wash Common is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Wash Common as anywhere else.
Will you come out to Wash Common?
Yes, Wash Common is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Surveys run seven days a week. To find a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it isn’t a RICS home survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Are you insured?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
Do I need to be at home?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the loft space, someone has to give us access; we’ll agree the details when you book.
When is the best time to have the roof checked when buying?
After your offer is accepted and before you exchange contracts. That way you can still act on what we find.
What you can safely check yourself
It helps to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Share it with us as you book and it will help the survey.
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That’s where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
What we cannot see
It is useful to know what a survey won’t do before booking:
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you before booking. The full list of what we check.
What we look at
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- Gutters and downpipes
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- The roof space
The survey, step by step
Where it’s relevant and can be reached safely, the loft space is checked as well as the outside. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement. The whole visit normally takes about 1–2 hours at a typical home, and more on a big or complicated roof. Being in a smaller place like Wash Common doesn’t change how the visit works: outside, inside and from any safe vantage point, in that order. It is useful to show us anything you’ve already noticed.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
How to prepare
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
Arrange a survey
For a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Wash Common, ring 07833 053749 or email us. The address, the type of property and what you’d like to know help us give you an accurate price.
Advice
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings and valleys
Lead-lined valleys and gutters are common on older homes in London and South East England. Splits in a lead valley send water inside, and missing lead is not unknown, as it is a target for thieves.
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.
When to book a survey in Wash Common
The fixings and underlay often fail before good slates or tiles do. Good slate can last well over a century, yet the nails holding it rust and let slates slide. It’s a frequent finding on older houses.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
For an older house near a landmark like St Luke Church, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Before you book anyone
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Whether the price includes VAT
- What the survey will not cover
- What insurance they carry
Leave it or get it looked at?
A mortgage valuation isn’t a roof survey. It looks at whether the property is suitable security for the loan, not at the condition of each slate and flashing. Our survey is done for you. In an older home around Wash Common, water from a roof defect can get into timber and plaster, and that is a much bigger job than the original defect.
Every price we give includes VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. You will know the exact price before booking.
What you get with us
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance