Roof survey

How it works

1. You tell us about the property, the roof and anything that worries you.
2. We agree a date; surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
3. We inspect what can be seen safely: from the ground, from windows, from the loft and by drone where applicable.
4. We photograph defects and note how urgent each one is.
5. Your written report is emailed to you, with recommendations you can act on.

What we look at

Coverings, ridges, hips and valleys, flashings and chimneys, gutters and downpipes, and the roof space where there is safe access. On older roofs, the fixings and underlay often fail before good slates or tiles do, so we look for the signs of both.

Using the report

The report gives you the facts about the roof in plain English. You can use it to plan maintenance, compare roofers’ quotes against the same list of defects, or keep it with the property’s records.

Why it’s worth doing now

Roofs fail slowly, then suddenly. A slipped slate or a lifted flashing lets in a little water for months before a ceiling stains, and by then timbers or insulation may be wet. A survey finds the small defects while they are still small, and gives you a clear list to plan work around instead of guessing.

What our survey covers and doesn’t

We inspect what can be seen safely: from the ground, from windows and vantage points, from inside the roof space where there is safe access, from the roof where it is safe, and by drone where applicable. Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey, not a structural engineer’s report and not an asbestos survey, and we can’t see under coverings or inside walls without opening them up. Where a roof may contain asbestos, such as cement sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag it so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check before it is disturbed.

What our survey covers

What affects the price

• The size and height of the roof
• How many roofs there are, including extensions, dormers and garages
• How complex the roof is: valleys, parapets, chimneys and different levels
• Access to the roof space and the roof
• The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
• Whether drone inspection or thermal imaging is needed
• For commercial roofs and blocks, the size of the roof and the number of buildings

What to check before booking a roof surveyor

• What the report includes, and when you’ll get it
• Whether photographs are included
• How the roof will be inspected: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
• Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
• For drone work, a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
• What the survey doesn’t cover
• The price, including VAT

After the survey

Deal with the urgent items first, and use the report to brief roofers so every quote is based on the same list of defects. Keep the report with the property’s records; it’s a useful baseline the next time the roof is looked at. Call us if you’d like anything in it explained.