West Berkshire · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Winterbourne, West Berkshire
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in Winterbourne, and put it all in a written report with photos.
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- A ridge or slope that dips
Questions from Winterbourne
Do you carry out roof surveys in Winterbourne?
Yes, Winterbourne is within the area we cover. We survey roofs across London and the South East. Just call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know about the property, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Is my home in Winterbourne listed or in a conservation area?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
They do different things. A home survey looks at the whole property, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Our survey complements a RICS survey and doesn’t replace one.
How many surveys have you done?
We’ve been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have completed over 5,000 surveys.
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.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, once access has been agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is frequently shared, so we need permission from the building owner or managing agent. We inspect only the parts we’re allowed to reach.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. Buyers use the findings to ask questions, ask for repairs before completion or ask for a price change. The outcome is between you and the seller, so we cannot promise any saving.
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Winterbourne
Many older houses carry decades of roof repairs. Corroded nails let slates slide, valley linings wear thin and chimney mortar erodes. Little of that is easy to judge from the pavement on a viewing. Our survey picks it out, with photos so you can see it for yourself. Each finding is explained in plain words, so you know what it means for the house you’re buying. Typical surveys look at quick fixes on flashings and valleys and slipped or missing slates and tiles, across flat-roofed extensions and dormers, chimney stacks and lead flashings and valleys.
Some older homes in villages like Winterbourne are listed or sit 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’s worth knowing which applies. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
Report times depend on the survey you book: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Where
- Winterbourne (RG20, RG14)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Useful tips for Winterbourne property owners
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
If the report shows work is needed, you can raise it with the seller or agent. Some buyers ask for repairs before completion, others ask for a change to the price. The outcome is between you and the seller.
Chimneys and flashings need watching. Watch for gaps in the pointing, cracked flaunching and loose lead. Binoculars from ground level are enough for a first look.
Also near Winterbourne
What else we do in Winterbourne
Local roofs and buyers in Winterbourne
The wider area around Winterbourne has a long history of building, with Shaw House about 2.6 miles south-east. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new.
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Church of St James, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Winterbourne is about 3 miles north of Newbury, in West Berkshire. Whether the building in Winterbourne is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, the roof can be surveyed. Across West Berkshire, we cover Winterbourne. For surveys nearby, see our Reading page.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: RG20 and RG14. Close by, we survey roofs in North Heath (2 miles north), Boxford (2 miles west), Chieveley (2 miles north-east), Donnington (2 miles south) and Downend (2 miles north-east). Larger places within reach include Newbury (3 miles south), Thatcham (5 miles south-east), Burghfield Common (13 miles east), Speenhamland (3 miles south), Hungerford (8 miles west) and Calcot (13 miles east).
What’s near Winterbourne
We work in homes and buildings around Trinity School, among other places. Winterbourne’s nearest station is Newbury station, about 3.4 miles south of the centre. Well-known places in the area include British Balloon Museum & Library Ltd (3.1 miles south) and West Berkshire Community Hospital (3.6 miles south-east). The countryside around Winterbourne includes Snelsmore Common.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date, which helps when we check the roof.
What a survey costs
Survey packages start from £150, including VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
- The roof’s overall size
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
One thing that affects the price is the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, with VAT included. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Booking your survey
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It’s useful to include:
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Access details, like a loft hatch or a shared roof
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
What happens on the day
The aim of the visit is simple: to look at the roof as closely as is safe and record what we find. Notes and photographs go into the written report. The visit normally takes between one and two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Older roofs in small places like Winterbourne can have low, tight loft spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us the address and when you hope to exchange.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it is safe.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Before the survey
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
Arrange a survey
Getting a price is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or email us and give us a few details about the property and we will suggest the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Read more
Landlord and commercial surveys in Winterbourne
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Tell us about it as you book and we will plan the survey around it.
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.
What we’re asked to look at in Winterbourne
A chimney stack stands out in the wind and rain. Mortar erodes, the flaunching around the pots cracks and the flashings work loose. A stack may be shared with the neighbours, which can affect how any work is arranged.
Look out for signs like these:
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
If you own a rental within reach of Newbury station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
What to check before booking
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- What they will not be able to tell you
- Their report turnaround times
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?