How long does a roof inspection take?

There is no fixed length for a roof inspection, because roofs are not standard. A small terrace with a single covering and easy access is quick. A large detached house with several slopes, a hipped end, a porch roof and a flat dormer is not. Each additional plane, valley or chimney is another place to stop, look closely and take a picture.

The covering matters too. Concrete tiles are fairly quick to read. A roof of Cotswold stone slates or old natural slate takes longer, because each course has to be read for slipped, cracked or delaminating pieces, and the fixings behind them matter. Our guide on what a roof survey costs covers how the same factors move the price.

Stroud's hillside streets and steep lanes can make access the slowest part of a job. If a ladder cannot stand safely, or the house sits behind others on a terraced slope, the inspection may need a different approach, such as a drone or a view from a neighbouring vantage point. Valley-side planning is part of how we work, so access is dealt with before we arrive, not discovered on the day.

Fragile surfaces, such as roof lights, old asbestos cement sheets or a worn flat roof deck, are not walked on. Those areas are inspected from edges, ladders or photographs instead, which is slower and more careful. Nobody takes a risk on a roof, or on you, to save a few minutes.

A survey follows a sequence. We start outside, walking round the house and reading the roof from the ground. Next we go up, looking at each slope, the ridge and hips (the top and sloping edges where planes meet), the verges (the gable edges), the valleys, the flashings at chimneys and abutments, and the gutters. Finally we go into the loft to look at the underside: the underlay, battens, timbers, insulation and any daylight or damp.

Each stage produces pictures. The loft check is easy to skip and should not be, because it shows defects that the outside cannot. If you are buying, our answer on whether you need a roof survey when buying explains why that matters.

Chimneys slow things down. Each stack has flashing, pointing, a lead tray and flaunching, the mortar bed around the pots, and every part needs its own close look. If your house has two or three stacks, allow for that.

The written report comes after the visit, because the images have to be sorted and described and the findings put in order of urgency. For a straightforward roof that is a short job. A large or complicated roof, or one with plenty of defects to log, takes longer. We would sooner send an accurate report a little later than a rushed one.

If you are working to a deadline, such as an exchange date or a lender's request, tell us when you book and we will plan around it. Dates are agreed at booking, not guessed. For lender requests specifically, see whether a lender will ask for a roof report.

Drone and thermal work add a stage, because the footage has to be reviewed once it has been captured, and MyBuilder's 2026 guide prices them at £200 to £400 and £300 to £500 respectively.

A quick inspection can be a perfectly good one. A newer roof in sound condition may have little to find, and a roofer who knows the type reads it fast. What counts is what lands in your inbox: a set of pictures of your own roof, a clear list of findings and a plain view on which items are urgent and which can wait.

It is the other way round that should raise an eyebrow. A very short visit with no loft check and no pictures gives you little to act on. MyBuilder's 2026 inspection guide puts surveys at £150 to £500, and the price reflects the depth of the work as well as the hours.

Weather plays a part. Rain or high wind can stop us going up at all, and then the visit is rescheduled for safety. Frost and ice on slate or stone are slippery, and an early start does not change that. If the forecast is poor, expect us to suggest another day rather than push on with a half-done look.

You do not usually need to be at home throughout, but it helps if someone can let us into the loft and show us the way. Clear the loft hatch of boxes beforehand, make sure there is light, and tell us about any leaks, stains or noises you have noticed, and where. Those clues save time because we can go straight to the likely cause.

Tell us as well if a neighbour's access, a shared drive or a steep drop affects where a ladder can stand. When the survey is finished, the quote that follows covers the whole job and says what is included. Anything we repair is covered by a 10-year workmanship guarantee in writing. Start with our roof inspections and surveys page if you are unsure what to book.