Portsmouth · London and the South East
Hilsea Thermal Roof Survey
Find out the condition of the roof at your property in Hilsea. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Missing or slipped insulation
- Wet insulation beneath the membrane
- Stains that keep coming back
How a thermal roof survey works in Hilsea
Thermal imaging is a useful tool, but it has limits. It shows surface temperature, and things like sun, shade, reflections and wind all affect the readings. That’s why we check findings with moisture readings and a close visual inspection. The report is clear about what the images show and what they don’t. Where something cannot be confirmed, we say what would help next. Typical surveys look at gaps in loft insulation and damp that repairs haven’t cured, on loft conversions, pitched roof slopes and commercial roofs.
Around Hilsea, plenty of roofs are low enough to see partly from the garden or the street. Chimney tops, valleys and rear slopes are where close-up or thermal images help most. The forecast decides the day. Even so, a close-up image often shows wear on ridges and flashings that a view from the ground misses.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent.
- Location
- Hilsea (PO2, PO3, PO6)
- Region
- Portsmouth
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What you can safely check yourself
It helps to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Don’t go up yourself.
Do you need a thermal roof survey in Hilsea?
Cold rooms under a roof, or high heating bills, lead some people to ask about heat loss. Gaps in loft insulation and poorly insulated roof areas can show up on the camera, especially when it is warm inside and cold outside.
Look out for signs like these:
- Areas of a flat roof that may hold water
- Moisture around outlets and upstands
- Thin or uneven insulation in the roof
- Ceilings that feel colder in places
Shop and office owners around Tricorn Centre may find that a commercial roof can be photographed from above without anyone walking on it.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- What follow-up you get after the report
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
What happens on the day
Where it’s relevant and can be reached safely, the roof space is checked as well as the outside. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement. All in, the survey normally takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. In a smaller place like Hilsea, parking is seldom the issue; lanes, gates and long drives are worth mentioning. Low roofs on bungalows can often be seen well from ground level, and the loft shows the rest, while taller roofs may need other vantage points or the drone where applicable.
- We start with the roof, its history and any signs of damp or heat loss.
- We check the conditions and note how they may affect the images.
- A full inspection and thermal imaging are carried out together.
- We back up the thermal patterns with moisture readings.
- You get the report the same day, with an in-person consultation to follow.
How to prepare
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Keep pets in another room
Arrange a survey
If you are buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form when you’re ready.
Advice
What happens if roof problems are left?
Heat lost through a roof costs money every winter. Thermal images can show where insulation is missing or has slipped, so improvements can go where they’re needed. With lower homes, common in places like Hilsea, there is little between a roof defect and the ceiling, so water can show inside quickly once it gets past the covering. Catching the cause first saves redecorating as well.
One thing that affects the price is the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all including VAT. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Hilsea
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- Every finding written up with photos
Take a look at our cost guide or what we found on two real jobs.
What else we do in Hilsea
Hilsea: your questions answered
Will you come out to Hilsea?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
How do I find out if my home in Hilsea is listed?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Will you go up on the roof?
Only when it’s safe. Safety comes first, and fragile or steep roofs can’t always be walked on. We use safe viewpoints, the roof space and a drone where applicable, and the report records anything we couldn’t see.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
We carry out surveys on weekdays and at weekends. To find a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We are experienced roof surveyors, and visible signs like sagging are noted, but we don’t provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. If one is needed, the report says so.
What do I do with the report?
You will receive the report by email, and what you do next is up to you: raise it with a seller, send it to an insurer, brief a roofer or share it with a managing agent.
Tips that help
A little preparation and a few simple habits help, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Some pointers:
- Keep a record of when stains appear
- Do not switch the heating off before the visit
- Don’t climb onto the roof to look for leaks yourself
- Photograph damp patches with the date
Many people send the report to roofers, who can then quote for the areas shown. Because the images are paired with photos, it’s easy to find each area on the roof.
Consider a repeat survey after major work on the roof, when the conditions are suitable.
What this survey cannot tell you
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- An energy rating for the building
- Readings unaffected by sun, shade or reflections
- Whether the deck or roof structure is strong enough
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Pitched roof slopes
- Insulated roof spaces
- Ceilings below the roof
- Loft conversions
- Commercial roofs
- Flat roofs
Thermal roof surveys around Hilsea
The coast is about 1 mile or less from Hilsea, and coastal wind can be strong. Thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof surface and little wind, so the date is chosen with the forecast in mind. Warblington Castle, about 4.7 miles east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Hilsea. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs.
For an older house near a landmark such as St Francis' Church, steep roofs, tall chimneys and hidden valleys can be hard to see from the ground, and that is where a view from above or with a thermal imager helps. If you look after a building such as Gatcombe Park Primary School, big roofs are where close-up aerial shots and thermal images show the most at once.
Hilsea is about 2 miles north of Portsmouth, in Portsmouth. We survey roofs in Hilsea and the surrounding area across London and South East England. Hilsea is one of the places in Portsmouth we cover for thermal roof surveys.
Thermal roof surveys in PO2, PO3 and PO6 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Streets in the area include Vita Road, Conan Road and Arras Road, all of which we cover. We also cover Cosham (1 mile north), North End (1 mile south-west), Tipner (1 mile south-west), Wymering (1 mile north) and Rudmore (1 mile south-west). Further out, we also cover Southsea (3 miles south), Portsea (3 miles south-west) and Portsmouth Point (3 miles south-west).
Around Hilsea
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Alexandra Park, Trafalgar School and Coach and Horses pub and the streets around them. The closest station to Hilsea is Hilsea station, about 0.5 miles east. Nearby you will also find World War I Remembrance Centre (0.8 miles east) and Tricorn Centre (2.1 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Milton Locks and Portsdown Hill.