Roof Inspection Checklist for Guildford Homeowners

You don't need to go on the roof to carry out a useful inspection of its condition. A thorough ground-level and loft inspection, done twice a year in October and March, will catch the majority of developing problems before they become expensive failures. Here is a systematic checklist for Guildford properties.

Ground Level — Exterior Inspection

Take a walk around the full perimeter of your property. Use binoculars if you have them — they make a significant difference to what you can see from the pavement.

Tile and Slate Covering

• Are tile courses running in straight, even horizontal lines? Displaced tiles create a step or irregularity in the course line.
• Can you see any tiles that have slipped downslope — resting on the tile below rather than interlocking correctly?
• Are there any visible cracks, splits or broken tile faces on the main slopes?
• Is the tile surface even, or are there areas where moss has built up to a mound profile?

Ridge and Hip Lines

• Is the ridge line straight? Sagging indicates structural movement.
• Can you see any gaps or cracks in the mortar bed along the ridge?
• Are any ridge tiles visibly shifted or sitting at an angle?
• Are hip tiles (on the angled corners of the roof) intact and sitting flush?

Chimney Stacks

• Are all chimney pots upright and intact?
• Is the stack vertical — not leaning or showing visible cracking?
• Can you see lead flashing stepping up the tile face of the chimney? Does it appear intact or are there any lifted or missing sections?
• Is there visible mortar on the ground below any chimney — indicating falling repointing fragments?

Gutters and Downpipes

• Are gutter sections running level or with the correct slight fall to the downpipe? Any sagging sections indicate failed brackets.
• Are there plant growths or weeds in the gutter — indicating soil and debris accumulation?
• Are any downpipes displaced from the wall, cracked or visibly blocked?
• Is there staining on the wall below any gutter section — indicating overflow?

Fascia and Soffits

• Is the fascia board intact and painted, or showing rot, cracks or staining?
• Are soffit boards intact or sagging, crumbling or showing holes?
• Are there bird or wasp entry points into the soffit area?

Loft Interior Inspection

Access your loft with a torch. Allow your eyes to adjust and look for the following:

• Daylight: Any daylight visible through the roof covering (not through intentional ventilation tile slots) indicates tile displacement.
• Damp patches: Look for wet patches or water staining on the underside of the felt or on rafters and battens. Fresh staining will look darker and may still be wet.
• Mould or rot: Black mould on timber indicates persistent moisture. Check rafter ends at the eaves and any timber in contact with the masonry.
• Debris: Broken tile fragments, mortar lumps or felt dust in the loft indicate active tile movement or felt deterioration above.

When to Call a Professional

• Any daylight through the tile covering — call the same day
• Active water dripping — call immediately
• Sagging ridge line or visible structural movement — call this week
• Multiple displaced tiles — call within the week
• Fresh damp patches in the loft — call within a fortnight
• Blocked gutters causing overflow — address before the next rainfall event

When to Call a Professional vs Self-Inspect

A ground-level visual inspection and a loft inspection are within the capability of any homeowner. Ridge-level inspection requires safe ladder or scaffold access and should only be attempted by those with appropriate experience and equipment. The distinction matters: most significant roofing defects are visible either from the ground with binoculars or from the loft — you do not need to go on the roof to identify 90% of what a professional survey would find.

The cases where a professional survey is worth commissioning specifically: before purchasing a property (a professional inspection identifies defects that a homebuyer's survey frequently misses due to time constraints); when insurance requires documented evidence of roof condition; when you have seen water ingress from the loft but cannot identify the entry point; and when a property is approaching the typical end-of-life age for its material type and you need a professional assessment of remaining life and repair vs replacement economics.

Frequently Asked Questions — Roof Inspections Guildford