Southampton · London and the South East
Roof survey Southampton
Independent roof surveys across Southampton, from Victorian terraces and student lets to post-war homes, offices and flat-roofed blocks.
- Reports from £150 including VAT
- Drones and thermal imaging
- 20+ years’ experience
Roof surveys in Southampton
We survey roofs across Southampton for buyers, homeowners, landlords and businesses. Some people need a clear view of a roof before they buy, some have a leak that keeps coming back, and some manage buildings and want to plan work properly. Our roof survey page explains what we look at, and what our survey covers sets out the limits too.
The aim is a written report with photographs that a non-specialist can follow: what condition the roof is in, which defects we could see, and what we recommend, in order of urgency. You can take that report to a roofer, a seller, a landlord or your insurer.
A rebuilt centre and Victorian suburbs
Southampton’s housing mixes old and new more sharply than many cities. Parts of the medieval town walls and the Bargate survive, but much of the centre was badly bombed in 1940 and rebuilt after the war, so many central buildings date from the post-war decades, often with flat or low-pitched roofs. Around the centre, Victorian and Edwardian terraces and villas have slate or clay tile roofs, chimney stacks and rear additions, and many are now flats or shared homes.
Further out are interwar semis, post-war estates and newer developments, with concrete interlocking tiles, flat-roofed garages and porches, and dormer or extension roofs added later. With two universities in the city, plenty of houses are let to students, and landlords often want a roof checked between tenancies. Our concrete tile roofs and slipped slates guides cover the faults we see most.
Estuary weather, the airport and conservation areas
Southampton sits at the head of Southampton Water, where the Test and Itchen meet, so homes near the water get more wind and salt in the air than places inland. Salt corrodes fixings and flashings, and wind finds loose ridge pieces and slipped slates. After a storm, our storm damage roof report gives you an independent record for your insurer.
Southampton Airport has a flight restriction zone that reaches across parts of the city, so drone flights there need permission from the airport. We fly a sub-250g drone as a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), check the Drone Safety Map before every flight, and use other vantage points where a drone can’t be used. The city also has conservation areas and listed buildings; if yours is one, check with the council before re-roofing in a different material.
On the day, 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, and by drone where it is allowed and useful. The report says clearly what we could and couldn’t see, so you know where the gaps are.
Offices, retail, units and blocks of flats
Offices, shops, industrial units and blocks of flats across Southampton often have flat roofs or metal sheeting, with gutters, outlets and rooflights that need regular checks. Our flat roof survey looks at the membrane, upstands, drainage and signs of ponding, splits or deflection, and a gutter survey covers box gutters and outlets.
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use our landlord roof survey to record the condition of shared roofs and plan maintenance with everyone working from the same facts.
How it works
- Get in touch. Call 07833 053749 or email us with the address, the type of roof and what you’re worried about.
- Choose a survey. We’ll suggest the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the roof, with the price including VAT.
- The visit. We inspect what can be seen safely: from the ground and vantage points, inside the roof space, and by drone where applicable.
- Your report. A written report with photographs and recommendations: within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard, same day for Premium.
- Next steps. Use the report to brief roofers, ask the seller questions or plan maintenance.
Our services in Southampton
- Pre-purchase roof survey (from £150): Before you exchange: the roof’s condition, defects and what to raise with the seller, in a written report with photos.
- Roof survey (from £150): A full look at coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys, gutters and the roof space, with written recommendations.
- Roof leak investigation (from £150): Tracing where water is getting in, using moisture detection and thermal imaging where they help.
- Drone roof survey (from £400): Close-up photos of roofs that are tall, steep or hard to reach, flown by a CAA-registered operator with airspace checked first.
- Flat roof survey (from £150): Felt, asphalt, EPDM, GRP and single-ply roofs on extensions, garages, flats, offices and units.
- Thermal imaging roof survey (from £400): Thermal images that can point to trapped moisture or missing insulation, checked against moisture readings.
- Chimney survey (from £150): Stacks, pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings, including leaning and redundant stacks.
- Storm damage roof report (from £150): An independent record of storm damage, with photos, for you to give your insurer.
- Gutter survey (from £150): Gutters, valleys, parapet and box gutters, outlets and downpipes, and why they overflow.
- Landlord roof survey (from £150): Roof condition reports for landlords, managing agents and freeholders, to plan maintenance.
- New roof snagging (from £150): A check of a new or replacement roof for snags before you make the final payment.
- Electronic leak detection (quoted for your roof): Electronic testing to pinpoint holes in flat roof membranes.
Why Independent Roof Survey in Southampton
With more than 20 years’ experience, 5,000+ surveys completed and 98% customer satisfaction, we know what to look for. We use drones and thermal imaging, and we carry professional indemnity and public liability insurance. Visits run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Reports follow within 48 hours for a Basic Survey, in 24–48 hours for a Standard Survey and on the same day for a Premium Survey.
Around Southampton
From the centre, the nearest railway station is St Denys station. Well-known places nearby include Marlands Shopping Centre (1 mile south-west), Royal South Hants Hospital (less than half a mile south) and R J Mitchell Museum (0.9 miles south-west). Around the centre, we survey roofs on homes, rented flats and businesses close to Bevois Town Primary School, St Anne's Catholic School, St Mary's Independent School and Saint Mary's. Green spaces within reach include Netley Common.
Prices
All prices include VAT. Electronic leak detection is quoted for your roof.
Basic Survey
from £150
Including VAT · report within 48 hours
- Visual inspection
- Basic condition report
- Photographs
- Written recommendations
- Report emailed to you
Standard Survey
from £250
Including VAT · report in 24–48 hours
- Comprehensive inspection
- Detailed report with photographs
- Moisture detection
- Structural check
- Report in 24–48 hours
- Follow-up consultation
Premium Survey
from £400
Including VAT · same-day report
- Full inspection
- Thermal imaging
- Drone inspection where applicable
- Structural analysis
- Same-day report
- In-person consultation
- 12-month follow-up review
Areas we cover in Southampton
Pick your area for local details, or call 07833 053749 or email us with the address.
- Bassett
- Bassett Green
- Bitterne
- Bitterne Park
- Boyatt Wood
- Bursledon
- Chandler's Ford
- Chartwell Green
- Coxford
- Dibden
- Dibden Purlieu
- Eastleigh
- Eling
- Freemantle
- Harefield
- Hedge End
- Highfield
- Horton Heath
- Hounsdown
- Hythe
- Inner Avenue
- Itchen
- Knightwood
- Lordswood
- Mansbridge
- Marchwood
- Maybush
- Midanbury
- Millbrook
- Netley
- North Baddesley
- Northam
- Nursling
- Peartree Green
- Portswood
- Regents Park
- Rownhams
- Shirley
- Sholing
- St Denys
- St Mary's
- Swaythling
- Thornhill
- Totton
- Townhill Park
- West End
- Weston
- Woolston
Towns near Southampton
Questions from Southampton
Can you use a drone near Southampton Airport?
Only with permission. The airport has a flight restriction zone, so we check the airspace first and ask for permission where it is needed, or use other vantage points.
Do you survey student houses and HMOs?
Yes. Landlords often book a landlord roof survey between tenancies, so any work can be planned before the next let.
Does being near the water affect my roof?
It can. More wind and salt in the air near the coast mean metal fixings, flashings and loose slates or tiles are worth checking more often.
Can you survey a flat roof on a block of flats?
Yes. We look at the membrane, upstands, outlets, rooflights and drainage, and give you a written report with photographs.
Is your survey a RICS survey?
No. It is a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey and not a structural engineer’s report.
How quickly do I get the report?
Within 48 hours for a Basic Survey, 24–48 hours for a Standard Survey and the same day for a Premium Survey.
How much does a roof survey cost?
Our Basic Survey starts from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all including VAT. Larger commercial roofs are quoted.
How long does a survey take?
Usually about 1–2 hours for a house and about 3–4 hours for a commercial roof. Larger or more complex roofs take longer.