Inspections & Surveys
A written answer to 'what condition is this roof actually in?'
Homebuyer reports say 'further investigation by a roofing specialist is recommended'. This is that investigation — a documented assessment of covering, structure, drainage and detailing, with remaining service life and costs you can plan against.
- 24/7 emergency line
- Free written quotations
- Fully insured work
24/7
Emergency roofing response across Cumbria and the Borders, answered day and night.
Roof Surveys & Condition Reports: the short answer
A roof survey is a documented assessment of a roof's condition, remaining service life and defects, delivered as a written report with photographs and prioritised recommendations. It is used for property purchases, planned maintenance budgeting, insurance, dilapidations and settling disagreements about whether a roof needs replacing.
Who this is for
- Buyers whose survey has flagged the roof and who need to know the real cost
- Sellers who want to settle a price negotiation with evidence
- Landlords and housing providers budgeting planned maintenance
- Trustees, church wardens and committees who must justify spending decisions
- Commercial tenants and landlords dealing with dilapidations
- Anyone who has had contradictory advice from two roofers
What we check on site
- External survey of every roof slope, by drone where height or safety makes it appropriate
- Covering condition, fixing condition and evidence of previous repairs
- Ridge, hip, verge, valley, abutment and penetration detailing
- Chimney stacks, flashings and lead condition
- Gutters, downpipes, outlets and drainage capacity
- Internal loft inspection: underlay, battens, rafters, purlins, insulation, ventilation and evidence of past or present ingress
- Flat roof areas, falls, upstands and terminations
Helpful roofing advice
Independent guidance from our advice centre — what the symptoms may mean and what your options are, before you commit to any work.
How it works
Our process, step by step
Define the scope
Purchase decision, dilapidation, planned maintenance or dispute — the purpose shapes the report.
Site survey
External, aerial and internal inspection, fully photographed.
Analysis
Defects assessed for cause, consequence and urgency rather than simply listed.
Written report
Findings, annotated photographs, remaining service life and prioritised recommendations.
Costed schedule
Indicative costs for immediate, short-term and longer-term work so you can budget.
Discussion
We talk you through the report, because a report you do not understand is not much use.
Why it matters
What you get from doing it properly
Independent of the repair
You can commission the survey without committing to us for the work.
Priced by urgency
Now, within two years, within five — so you can plan rather than react.
Negotiating evidence
A costed schedule is far more effective in a price negotiation than a general concern.
A baseline
Something concrete to compare against at the next inspection.
Common questions
Related
Work that often goes with this
Drone Roof Inspections
A drone roof inspection uses a camera-equipped unmanned aircraft to photograph and film every part of a roof at close range without scaffolding, ladders or anyone working at height. It produces high-resolution evidence of the actual condition of ridges, valleys, chimneys, flashings and coverings, delivered as a documented report you can keep, share and compare against future inspections.
Roof Leak Detection
Roof leak detection traces water back from where it appears inside to where it actually enters the roof. Water frequently travels along battens, rafters and purlins before it drops, so the ceiling stain is often several metres from the defect. Detection combines internal tracing, external inspection, drone imagery and, where needed, controlled water testing.
New Roofs & Re-Roofing
A new roof means stripping the existing covering back to the rafters and rebuilding with new underlay, battens, covering, flashings and roofline details. It is the right decision when fixings have failed across the whole roof, when the covering has reached the end of its service life, or when repairs are recurring faster than they can be justified.
Preventative Roof Maintenance
Preventative roof maintenance is a scheduled programme of inspection, drainage clearance and minor repair that catches defects while they are still cheap. It is the difference between a fifty-pound repair and a five-thousand-pound one, and it is the single best-value service on this list.
Coverage
Roof Surveys across our patch
Carlisle and north Cumbria are our core area. We work regularly across the rest of Cumbria and southern Scotland, and take planned projects further afield.
Not sure what your roof needs?
Tell us what you are seeing and we will tell you honestly whether it is a repair, a maintenance job or something that needs replacing. Consultations and written quotations are free.