Roof inspections

What we look at

From suitable access we inspect the covering, ridges, hips and verges, valleys, chimneys and flashings, abutments, roof windows, flat-roof decks and edges, and the gutter line. Where the loft is safely accessible we look at the underside: daylight through the covering, the state of the underlay, staining on rafters and any obvious structural movement we can see. An inspection is not a full structural engineer’s report, and we will not pretend it is.

A useful written note

The value of an inspection is a clear account: what is sound, what should be repaired soon, and what is a longer-term decision such as a re-roof. Photographs help. If you only need a brief look as part of quoting a repair you have already described, say so — not every visit needs a formal write-up.

Pre-purchase and “someone said it needs a new roof”

Surveyor comments on a roof can be cautious, especially from the ground. An inspection from a roofer who will also have to stand behind a quotation is often a better basis for deciding whether to renegotiate, repair or leave well alone. We still only report what we can see.

How to prepare

Tell us the postcode, any access issues (shared rear lanes, alarms, dogs, a locked side gate), and whether the loft hatch is clear. If the visit is about a leak, note when it appears and send any photographs you already have.