Independent roof surveys across Southampton — visual, drone and pre-purchase, with a written costed report. The inspection fee is credited against any repair work you book. Covering all Hampshire.
A roof inspection in Southampton assesses the covering, flashings, chimney, valleys and loft, producing a written costed report. Visual surveys cost £120 to £250, drone surveys £150 to £350, pre-purchase £200 to £450. The fee is credited against any repairs booked. Call 0238 184 9628.
A professional roof inspection in Southampton assesses the full condition of your roof and produces a written report with prioritised, costed recommendations. It covers the roof covering, the ridge and hips, all flashings, the guttering and rainwater goods, the chimney stack, the valleys, and — crucially — the roof void from inside the loft, where many problems first become visible. A good inspection tells you not just what is wrong but what is urgent, what can wait, and what it will cost.
We offer several levels of inspection. A visual survey with a written report suits homeowners who want peace of mind or a specific concern checked. A drone survey reaches steep or dangerous roofs safely and photographs detail impossible to see from the ground. A pre-purchase survey gives buyers an independent assessment before exchange. And a full condition survey suits large, complex or listed properties needing a detailed specification. Whatever level you choose, the inspection fee is credited against any repair work you subsequently book with us.
We charge for inspections because a proper survey takes time and expertise, and because a paid, independent report is more honest than a free "survey" whose only purpose is to sell you work. But if the inspection identifies repairs and you book them with us, we credit the inspection fee against that work. You get a genuinely impartial assessment, and if you proceed, it effectively costs you nothing.
What matters most in a roof inspection depends entirely on the age and type of the property, and Southampton's stock spans every era. On the Victorian terraces of Portswood, St Denys, Bevois Valley and Freemantle, the inspection focuses on nail sickness — checking how far the corrosion of the original iron fixings has progressed, because this single factor determines whether the roof needs spot repairs or a full re-slate. We also check the lead valleys between the main roof and rear back-additions, and the condition of the chimney stacks, which on these 120-year-old properties are often original and unrepointed.
On the interwar semis of Bitterne, Shirley and Sholing, the focus shifts to the 1930s felt underlay — now at the very end of its life and a common source of leaks even where the tiles look sound — along with ridge mortar condition and clay tile delamination. On the post-war estates of Thornhill, Lordshill, Weston and Millbrook, the inspection concentrates on concrete tile nib failure, ridge tile security in the wind exposure off Southampton Water, and the age of the original 1960s felt on garages and extensions.
If you are buying a property in Southampton, a specialist roof inspection before exchange is one of the best investments you can make. A standard homebuyer survey rarely assesses the roof in detail, yet the roof is one of the most expensive elements to put right. On a Victorian terrace in Portswood, the difference between a sound roof and one needing a full re-slate is £8,000 or more — a figure that can and should inform your offer. We provide pre-purchase reports set up specifically to support price negotiation, with clear costings you can put in front of a seller.
Many of Southampton's Victorian and Edwardian properties have steep, high roofs that are dangerous and expensive to access by scaffold purely for inspection. A drone survey photographs every slope, valley and chimney in high resolution without anyone leaving the ground, and reaches the tall three-storey terraces around Highfield and the Polygon safely. It is faster, cheaper and safer than scaffold access for an inspection, and the photographs give you a clear visual record of the roof's condition.
| Inspection Type | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Visual survey + written report | £120–£250 |
| Drone survey | £150–£350 |
| Pre-purchase survey | £200–£450 |
| Full condition survey (large/listed) | £300–£600 |
The inspection fee is credited against any repair work you book with us. All figures include labour at the southern-England baseline. Call 0238 184 9628 to arrange an inspection.
RICS guidance notes that a standard homebuyer survey does not constitute a detailed roof inspection — a specialist roof survey is recommended where roof condition materially affects value, as it frequently does on older stock.
Source: RICS Home Survey standards
If the inspection finds problems, we can quote to put them right — from minor roof repairs to a full re-roof, with your inspection fee credited against the work. For a costed comparison of repair versus replacement, see our new roof cost guide.
No call-out fee. No obligation. Honest advice from a local roofer. Call 0238 184 9628.
Call 0238 184 9628"Pre-purchase drone survey on a Victorian terrace we were buying in Portswood. The report flagged widespread nail sickness we'd never have spotted — we negotiated £7,000 off the price. Best £300 we ever spent."
"Had the loft and roof properly inspected on our 1930s Sholing semi after a small leak. Turned out the felt was gone but the tiles were fine — honest report, sensible plan, fee credited against the repair."
"Full condition survey on our large Highfield detached. Detailed, photographed, prioritised, costed. Exactly what we needed to plan the work over two years rather than panic about all of it at once."
A visual survey with written report costs £120 to £250, a drone survey £150 to £350, a pre-purchase survey £200 to £450, and a full condition survey £300 to £600. The fee is credited against any repair work you book with us.
Yes. If our inspection identifies work and you book it with us, we credit the inspection fee against that work. You get a genuinely independent report, and if you proceed it effectively costs nothing.
Strongly recommended, especially for Victorian and Edwardian properties in Portswood, St Denys and Highfield. A standard homebuyer survey rarely assesses the roof in detail, yet the difference between a sound roof and one needing a re-slate can be £8,000 or more — which should inform your offer.
A drone photographs every slope, valley and chimney in high resolution without anyone leaving the ground. It safely reaches Southampton's steep, tall Victorian roofs that would otherwise need scaffold just to inspect, and gives you a clear visual record of the roof's condition.
The covering, ridge and hips, flashings, guttering, chimney, valleys and the roof void from inside the loft. What matters most depends on the property era — nail sickness on Victorian terraces, felt failure on 1930s semis, concrete tile nib failure on post-war estates.
A standard residential inspection takes one to two hours including the loft. A drone survey is quicker. The written report follows within 24 to 48 hours.
Yes. Full condition surveys on large or listed properties produce a detailed specification suitable for planning and Listed Building Consent applications. We understand the material and consent requirements for Southampton's period and conservation-area stock.
Covering Southampton, Eastleigh, Totton, Chandler's Ford, Romsey, Winchester and all Hampshire.
0238 184 9628