Isle of Wight · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Southford, Isle of Wight
Find out what’s going on with the leaking roof before you decide what to do next. We carry out roof leak investigations in Southford.
- Staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall
- Stains around a skylight
- Staining around the chimney inside
About our roof leak investigation in Southford
Flat roofs leak in their own ways. Common causes are splits and blisters, tired upstands and outlets that do not drain. Ponding water makes any weakness worse. We check the roof surface and the ceiling below to narrow it down. Leaks under flat extension, garage and dormer roofs are common. Felt frequently lasts around 15 to 20 years, so age is part of the picture. Typical surveys look at damp patches next to the stack and water coming in around a roof light or dormer, across valleys and parapet gutters, chimney stacks and lead flashings.
For a small place like Southford, the inspection is the same as anywhere: the journey and access are just planned in advance. It helps to know where the water appears, in what weather, and what you’ve seen outside, plus any earlier repairs. If you have photos of the water coming in, they help as well.
The report is written in plain words, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Photos show what each point refers to.
- Where
- Southford (PO38)
- Wider area
- Isle of Wight
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens if roof problems are left?
If a leak has been ‘fixed’ before and has come back, the cause was probably missed. We look past the obvious spot and check each likely route. That is often what breaks the cycle. Outbuildings and barns around Southford are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. It’s worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how it can be reached and seen safely. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
What you get with us
- Packages from £150, with VAT included
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- 20+ years’ experience
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
What you can safely check yourself
A lot can be seen from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
The survey, step by step
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. Then the inspection itself takes about one to two hours, more where the leak is intermittent or the roof is large. Somewhere as small as Southford, access is often the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- You get in touch with details of the leak and any photos.
- Inside, we check the damp area and the loft space above it.
- Likely entry points outside are checked, from flashings and valleys to gutters and outlets.
- We use moisture detection, and thermal imaging where it is useful.
- You receive a written report with photos showing the likely source and what needs attention.
Before the survey
- Keep pets in another room
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
Book a survey
Booking is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form, let us know about the property and we’ll suggest the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
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Your questions about roof leak investigations in Southford
Will you come out to Southford?
Yes, Southford is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Southford, take more of a battering?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, while strong wind lifts anything already loose.
Can every leak be traced?
Not always, and we’ll be honest about that. Some leaks hide well, especially those that need wind-driven rain. Where the source is not certain, we list the likely routes in order.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey seven days a week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Just tell us the days that suit you.
Will I get photos?
Yes, plenty. Each finding is shown in a picture where possible, which makes the report easy to follow.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. We’re experienced roof surveyors, and our survey covers the roof rather than the whole building. If you need a full building survey, you’ll need a RICS survey as well.
How much is a survey?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. You will know the price for the job before booking. To get a price, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Useful tips for Southford property owners
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Keep a photo record of the damp patch
- Check whether pipes or tanks run near the stain
- Keep water away from lights and sockets
- Don’t climb onto the roof to look
Any roofer you ask to quote can work from the report. They’ll see exactly where the problem is, rather than at the stain.
Check the loft after heavy rain, with care and a good torch. Watch for water marks, wet underlay and damp wood. Photograph anything new.
When to book a survey in Southford
Many leaks begin at a flashing. Where a roof meets a chimney, a wall or a dormer, lead or mortar seals the joint. When lead lifts or splits, or a mortar fillet cracks, rain runs straight in.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Leaks that appear only in driving rain
- Ceiling stains that grow after rain
- Damp on a chimney breast
- Water dripping from rafters or underlay
If you live in an older home near Church of St. Mary and St. Radegund, lead flashings, valleys and old chimneys are typical places for water to get in.
What to check before booking
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- When you will get the report
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Their track record with similar roofs
Roof leak investigations around Southford
Southford lies within about 2 miles of the sea, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Driving rain off the sea can be pushed into gaps that stay dry in calmer weather. Sheat Manor, about 3.7 miles north, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Southford. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
For landlords with property near Shanklin station, a clear finding on where water gets in helps you brief a roofer straight away.
Southford is about 6 miles south of Newport, in the Isle of Wight. If you’re in Southford, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Our area takes in places right across the Isle of Wight, from the larger towns to small villages. We also survey roofs in Portsmouth.
Every address in PO38 is within our area for roof leak investigations, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We also cover Bierley (1 mile south-west), Nettlecombe (1 mile south-east), Godshill (2 miles north), Wroxall (2 miles east) and Sandford (2 miles north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Newport (6 miles north), Ryde (9 miles north-east), Cowes (10 miles north), Sandown (6 miles north-east), Shanklin (4 miles east) and Ventnor (3 miles east). Harder-to-reach addresses take a little more planning, so please mention your location when you ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Landmarks near Southford
In Southford, that means homes and buildings near The White Horse Inn. The nearest railway station is Shanklin station, roughly 4.5 miles north-east. A little further out are Blackgang Sawmill Museum (2.2 miles south-west) and Arthur Webster Memorial Hospital for Children (4.5 miles north-east). The countryside around Southford includes Stenbury Down.
Also near Southford
Other services in Southford
How the survey changes by roof type
Lead flashings
Water from a failed flashing can travel down the wall or along a rafter. That’s why we check the flashings near a stain, not just the one directly above.
Flat roof upstands and outlets
The upturned edge of a flat roof covering keeps water out at walls. If it’s too low, cracked or poorly dressed, water gets behind it.