Southampton · London and the South East
Roof Survey in Portswood
Roof surveys across Portswood, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. You get a clear report with photos.
- Ponding, splits or blisters on flat roofs
- Condensation or damp timbers in the loft
- Crumbling chimney pointing or cracked flaunching
How a roof survey works in Portswood
Most houses have more than one roof to look at. Flat roofs over extensions, garages and dormers are common. They’re included alongside the main roof, looking for ponding, splits, blisters and worn upstands. A flat roof normally wears out sooner than a pitched one. Felt often lasts around 15 to 20 years, while EPDM rubber can last 30 to 50. Typical surveys look at blocked, sagging or leaking gutters and torn or sagging underlay, on flat roofs, chimney stacks and lead flashings.
Around Portswood, older cottages sit alongside bungalows and newer houses. Coverings range from slate and clay tiles on older homes to concrete tiles on many later ones. On older homes, chimney stacks, valleys and gutters are normally where the work is, and the fixings under the coverings matter too. Nails and battens under older coverings often give out before the slates or tiles themselves.
Most points in the report come with a picture, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Place
- Portswood (SO17, SO14, SO18)
- Region
- Southampton
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Do you need a roof survey in Portswood?
A chimney stack takes more weather than almost any other part of a roof. Mortar crumbles, the flaunching around the pots cracks and stacks can lean. Water that gets into a stack can show up as damp in the rooms below.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Loose ridge or hip tiles
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or broken
- Blocked, sagging or leaking gutters
- Water stains on rafters and ceiling joists
If you let a flat or house near St Denys station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Before booking anyone
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- What insurance they carry
- Whether the price includes VAT
- When you will get the report
How we price roof surveys
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. That comes down to:
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Roof area
- Which survey package you book
Price depends partly on the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, including VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Getting in touch
The more you let us know, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, it helps to mention:
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- What’s prompted the survey
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- Any deadline, like an exchange date
To get a price for roof surveys in Portswood, ring 07833 053749 or email us. The address, the type of property and what you need to know help us give you an accurate price.
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Portswood
Portswood lies within about 3 miles of the sea, where wind off the sea can be strong. The weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead, as a small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or a downpour. About 1 mile north-east lies South Stoneham House, a reminder of how long the area around Portswood has been built on. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead.
If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for instance near Marlands Shopping Centre, a written record of the roof’s condition helps you plan maintenance rather than react to leaks. Anyone responsible for a site like St Denys Primary School will know that long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
Portswood is about 1 mile north of Southampton, in Southampton. We provide roof surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Portswood and the surrounding area. Our Southampton coverage includes Portswood and the places around it.
Surveys in SO17, SO14 and SO18 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Streets in the area include Ivy Road, Alma Road and Lawn Road, and we cover them all. Main roads around Portswood include the A335 and A3035, so getting to you is simple. Other places close to Portswood include St Denys (1 mile south-east), Southampton (1 mile south), Inner Avenue (1 mile south-west), Bitterne Manor (1 mile south-east) and Bitterne Park (1 mile east). Further out, we also cover Thornhill (3 miles south-east), Maybush (3 miles west), Eling (4 miles west), Rownhams (3 miles north-west), Millbrook (3 miles west) and Weston (3 miles south).
Around Portswood
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to St Anne's Catholic School, St Mary's Independent School and South Western Arms, among other places. Portswood has its own railway station: St Denys station. A little further out are Marlands Shopping Centre (1.5 miles south) and Royal South Hants Hospital (0.9 miles south). The countryside around Portswood includes Netley Common.
Common questions in Portswood
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Portswood?
Typically it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. The flight restriction zone around Southampton Airport covers Portswood, or comes right up to its edge. We ask the airport for permission before flying there, and only fly if it’s given. The flight also waits for calm, dry weather, and the rest of the survey doesn’t depend on the drone.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Portswood, take more of a battering?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there’s more wind, and more salt in the air. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it usually shows.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
How do I book a survey in Portswood?
It’s easiest to phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. Let us know the address and a little about the roof, and we will suggest the right survey. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends.
How much is a survey?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. The final figure depends on the roof and the package you choose, confirmed before anything is booked.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. It’s a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
When the roof and the conditions make it safe, yes. Many roofs can be seen well from windows, vantage points and the loft.
What we do, step by step
When we arrive, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that’s worrying you. After that, we look at everything we can see safely. The survey typically takes about 1–2 hours at most homes, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. Some parts of a survey depend on the weather, so a visit to Portswood is booked with the forecast in mind: drone flights and thermal imaging need the right conditions, while a look from the ground and the loft can go ahead in most weather.
- You let us know about the property and any concerns.
- We arrange a day that suits you, including weekends.
- We look at the roof from every safe vantage point, inside and out.
- Every part of the roof is checked and photographed.
- Your report arrives by email, with recommendations prioritised by urgency.
Before we arrive
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Leave side gates unlocked
Book a survey
We confirm the price for your roof before you book, so you know the cost up front. Roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Read more
What we can’t see
No survey can tell you everything, and we’d rather be clear about that before you book. Keep these in mind:
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Whether the roof structure meets design loads
- A promise that the roof will not leak in future
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Portswood
- The roof space
- Ridges, hips and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
- Flat roofs
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
Useful tips for Portswood property owners
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out:
- Gather any paperwork for past roof work
- Mention any flat roofs as well as the main roof
- Mention any damp patches when booking
- File the report with your home documents
Where it helps, we say which items are urgent. Some faults need dealing with soon, while others can wait for planned work. That helps you decide what to do first.
Every so frequently, look in the loft space with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Watch for stains, damp timbers and daylight through the roof. Photograph anything new.
Towns and villages near Portswood
Also in Portswood
Landlord and commercial surveys in Portswood
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you contact us and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
We survey roofs for landlords and letting agents as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photos, which helps you plan work between tenancies.