Buckinghamshire · London and the South East
Swan Bottom Roof Survey
Find out what’s going on with the roof before you decide what to do next. Roof surveys in Swan Bottom.
- Worn lead at chimneys and abutments
- Loose chimney pots
- Leaking gutter joints and downpipes
Roof surveys for homes and businesses in Swan Bottom
Our report is written in plain English, not jargon. Each defect is described with photographs and a recommendation, and where it’s relevant we say what’s urgent and what can wait. With the Standard Survey you also get moisture detection and a structural check. Premium adds thermal imaging, a drone inspection where it applies and a same-day report. Each report is emailed to you. If you’ve noticed crumbling chimney pointing or cracked flaunching and worn or blocked valleys, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. Damp in old walls is slow to dry, so a small leak can do a lot of harm. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are often the first to give way.
If any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You’ll know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Location
- Swan Bottom (HP16)
- Region
- Buckinghamshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
FAQs for Swan Bottom
Do you cover smaller places like Swan Bottom?
Yes, Swan Bottom is covered. We survey roofs across London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned ahead of time.
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Great Missenden station?
Yes, landlords and agents book with us as well as owners. You can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and some details.
What does a roof survey include?
We check the coverings, ridges, hips, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters, along with the loft where it is safe. The report includes photos and recommendations.
Does a roof survey replace a structural engineer?
No. Where we see something that needs a structural engineer, the report says so. We do not provide structural calculations.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. Our survey is a roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey of the whole building. It focuses on the roof, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
Where it’s safe, yes. We also inspect from ground level, from windows and vantage points, and from the loft. On Premium, a drone is used where it applies.
When will the report arrive?
It depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. It’s emailed to you.
Different roofs, different checks
Clay plain and peg tiles
Tile-hanging on walls and dormer cheeks is checked as part of the roof where it’s relevant. Loose or missing tiles there let rain into the wall.
Chimney stacks
We check the stack itself, and it is not a flue or gas safety check. If a specialist is needed, we’ll say so.
Also near Swan Bottom
More services for Swan Bottom
What happens on the day
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. The inspection then takes about 1–2 hours for an ordinary house roof, and longer if there are extensions, dormers or several chimneys. Cottages and farmhouses around Swan Bottom frequently have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can be seen safely.
- We help you choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey.
- We arrive at the agreed time and talk through any concerns.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Extra checks are carried out where your package includes them.
- You get a written report with photos and clear recommendations.
Before the survey
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Note where any stains or damp appear
Book a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll explain the options and the price.
Read more
Before and after the survey
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Keep the report with your property records
- Mention any damp patches when you book
- Mention any flat roofs as well as the main roof
- Watch for slipped slates after bad weather
The recommendations are prioritised by urgency where relevant. Some things need prompt attention, others can be planned for. It makes the next steps much clearer.
Have gutters and valleys cleared regularly, particularly after autumn. Leave the clearing to a professional. Clear gutters prevent a lot of damp.
DIY checks: what’s safe
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. Never climb onto the roof to look.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
What we can’t see
We only report whatever is safely visible on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- Whether the roof structure meets design loads
- Confirmation of asbestos in soffits or cement sheets
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or email us and we will tell you. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What we check
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Ridges, hips and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Flat roofs
- Lead flashings
Why it is worth a survey now in Swan Bottom
Hidden gutters and valleys can fail without warning. An overflow there sends water indoors. We check them before they cause trouble. In a place like Swan Bottom, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. It’s worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
There are three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, all including VAT. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Why book with us
- Surveys seven days a week
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- An independent look at the roof
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or two real surveys.
Swan Bottom homes and their roofs
Thatch survives on some older buildings in Buckinghamshire’s villages. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Whatever the covering, it’s often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. Historic houses like Cholesbury Manor House, about 2.1 miles north-east, show how far back building in the area around Swan Bottom goes. If your home is one of the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Landlords with a home close to Great Missenden station may find that the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at. For site and facilities teams at buildings like Lee Common Church of England School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale. For an older house near a landmark like Parish Church of St John the Baptist, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
Swan Bottom is about 4 miles north-west of Chesham, in Buckinghamshire. Swan Bottom gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Our area takes in places right across Buckinghamshire. For surveys nearby, see our Milton Keynes page.
Surveys in HP16 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. If you are just outside Swan Bottom, we cover Lee Common (1 mile south-east), St Leonards (1 mile north-east), Ballinger Common (1 mile south-east), Buckland Common (2 miles north-east) and Cholesbury (2 miles north-east). Further out, we also cover Aylesbury (7 miles north-west), High Wycombe (8 miles south), Chesham (4 miles south-east), Marlow (12 miles south), Amersham (6 miles south-east) and Beaconsfield (9 miles south).
What’s near Swan Bottom
Around Swan Bottom, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Old Swan pub and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Great Missenden station, about 2.5 miles south. Well-known places in the area include Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre (2.6 miles south) and Chiltern Hospital (3.4 miles south). For a walk, there’s Dancersend Nature Reserve and Haddington Hill.