RICS & surveys
Does a RICS Survey Check the Roof?
A RICS Home Survey does include the roof — but within limits. Understanding what it actually inspects, and what it can't, helps you decide whether a specialist roof survey is worth it before you commit.
The honest answer
Yes — a RICS Home Survey does check the roof, but only to the extent that the surveyor can safely access and see it. In practice, that usually means a visual inspection from ground level, from a vantage point, or with binoculars. It is not a close-up, hands-on inspection of every part of the roof.
This isn't a failing of the surveyor; it's a defined limit of the standard survey products. The surveyor assesses the whole property, and the roof is one part of that — inspected within safe-access constraints.
How roof inspection differs by survey level
- Level 1 (Condition Report) — basic, surface-level roof notes, often conditional
- Level 2 (HomeBuyer Report) — visual roof inspection, usually from ground level; often recommends a specialist if concerned
- Level 3 (Building Survey) — more thorough, may use ladder or pole camera where safe; still not a full close-up roof inspection
- All levels — limited by safe access and the survey's property-wide scope
What a RICS survey can't tell you about the roof
Because access is limited, a RICS survey typically can't confirm the condition of hidden or hard-to-reach elements: the underside of coverings, internal valley gutters, parapet internals, the loft structure in detail, or the exact state of flashings and leadwork up close.
That's why RICS surveys so often include the phrase "roof could not be fully inspected" and recommend a specialist investigation. It's an honest acknowledgment of the survey's limits — and it's exactly the gap a specialist roof survey fills.
When a specialist roof survey is worth it
A specialist roof survey makes most sense when your RICS survey flags the roof, when the property has an older or complex roof, when a mortgage valuer raises a concern, or when you simply want certainty on one of the most expensive parts of the home before you commit.
Our inspection uses drone imagery where appropriate and loft access where available, and we target a written, photographic report within 48 hours. We don't sell repairs, so the report is independent and unbiased.
Complementary, not a replacement
We do not provide RICS Home Surveys, and a specialist roof survey is not a substitute for one. A RICS survey gives you the broad property view; our survey gives you depth on the roof. Together they give you a far clearer picture than either alone.
If you need a RICS Home Survey, instruct a RICS-regulated surveyor. If they flag the roof, we're here for the specialist follow-up.
Independent by design
We don't sell repairs, so we have no reason to exaggerate. You get an honest report to inform your purchase — nothing more.
Book your survey
Get the roof checked before you commit
From £399, with a photographic report targeted within 48 hours. Tell us the property and your concern — we'll respond within one working day.
Step 1 of 3
Where is the property?
Questions
Frequently asked
Yes, but within safe-access limits — usually a visual inspection from ground level. It will flag obvious defects but won't give close-up detail, which is why it often recommends a specialist.
For a broad view, yes. For certainty on an older, complex, or flagged roof, a specialist roof survey goes much further — and is exactly what a RICS survey often recommends.
No. We provide specialist roof surveys only. We complement a RICS Home Survey; we don't replace one. Always instruct a RICS-regulated surveyor for the survey itself.
Know what you're buying. Before you buy it.
Independent specialist roof inspection from £399. Report targeted within 48 hours.