Buying a stone-roofed house near Stroud: what to check

Take binoculars on a dry day and walk the whole plot, outbuildings included. You are reading the pattern of the roof, not judging single stones. Stone slates run in diminishing courses, biggest low down and smallest high up, so the lines should be even and the tail edges regular.

Warning signs include slates sitting out of line, a course with gaps, sag between rafters, a wavy ridge, and bright patches where a slate has slipped and exposed the one below. Stone fragments in the gutters or on the ground show slates are breaking. Thick moss and lichen matter as well, and heavy growth hints at neglect, because the council reckons yearly scraping can double a roof's life.

Check the ridge, the verges (where the roof finishes at the gable ends) and the joints round chimneys. Cracked or missing mortar is a common early sign. Our answer on verges on Cotswold stone roofs shows what a sound edge looks like.

Ask to go up, and take a torch. On a stone roof the underside of the slates is visible, often with lime torching between courses. Daylight between slates means gaps have opened. Dark staining on rafters and battens points to water getting in, and soft or crumbling timber is a worry. Look for rotted pegs and slates hanging loose.

Look hard at the timbers carrying the weight. The council gives about 1,000 kg for every 10 m² of stone slate, so rafters that have sagged, split or been badly repaired deserve attention. Walls that lean or bulge under the eaves are worth mentioning to your surveyor.

Foam sprayed under the slates should be reported: tell your solicitor and lender. The RICS consumer guide from March 2023 links poor installation to dampness, and RICS considers it unlikely that a listed building would be granted consent for spray foam. By November 2024 some lenders had said they would decline homes with it, with others judging each case.

Written answers beat conversation. Ask:

• When was the roof last scraped, re-laid or repaired, and who did the work?
• Are there receipts, photographs or a guarantee for that work?
• Is the property listed, or inside a conservation area? Stroud District has 41 conservation areas.
• Was listed building consent or Building Regulations approval obtained for any roof work, dormer or loft conversion?
• Has any stone been stolen, replaced or patched in a different material?
• Is there stored stone on the property, and where did it come from?

Slates left lying about can mean repairs were planned and never done. Our answer on how long a Cotswold stone roof lasts explains why upkeep outweighs age. A roof with a record of regular care is worth more than a younger one with none.

If work was done without paperwork, tell your solicitor, who can advise on missing consents and completion certificates.

A specialist roof survey gives a firmer picture than a general viewing. MyBuilder's 2026 inspection guide prices a roof survey at £150 to £500, with standard inspections at £150 to £250, drone surveys at £200 to £400 and thermal surveys at £300 to £500. A building surveyor's report is separate, and your lender may ask for one.

For budgeting, Checkatrade's 2026 slate guide offers roughly £160 to £210 per m² for stone overall, varying with source, new or salvaged, and area, and the figure is not tied to the Cotswolds. The council note also reports that about half the stone has often given out when a roof is taken apart, so a full re-lay may need a lot of new stone.

Use these ranges only as context, because they cannot tell you what a particular house will cost. They help you judge whether an asking price leaves room for roof work. Your quote shows VAT, as roofing is normally standard-rated.

If you plan to extend, look at the position early. Our answer on extending a house with a stone roof covers matching, pitch and consent. Dormers are not permitted development in a conservation area or in the Cotswolds National Landscape, which covers just over half of Stroud District's land.

Once you have a firm interest, we can inspect the slopes and send you photographs with a written note of what we find. The quote that follows the survey is written for the whole job, from scaffold and stone to labour, waste and making good, and it comes with photographs of your own roof. On older roofs stone stays stone, and our workmanship is guaranteed for 10 years in writing.

Ring 01453 933613, or use WhatsApp or the enquiry form. For the wider subject, go back to Cotswold stone roofing.

Colour and texture tell a story. A roof of uniform tone and size across the whole slope may have been relaid in one go. Patches of a different shade suggest repairs, perhaps in another stone. Very large slates high on the roof, where small ones belong, mean courses have been mixed up during an earlier job.

None of this is fatal. It simply tells you where to look, and what to ask about. A good survey separates cosmetic oddities from faults that let water in.