The short answer
Read exactly what the surveyor wrote, then have a roofer inspect the roof and report with photographs before you exchange contracts. Their findings tell you whether the issue is a small repair, a patch of ageing fixings or a full re-cover. With a priced figure in hand you can ask the seller to lower the price, fund the work, or you can step away.
Start with the exact wording
Homebuyer reports use short phrases, and each one carries a different weight. A line saying the covering is ageing is very different from one saying water is getting in. Before you do anything else, read the roof section twice and underline what the surveyor actually observed, as opposed to what they suspect.
Look for four things. First, which roof is meant: the main pitched slopes, a rear extension, a flat section over a bay or garage, or the chimney. Second, what was seen, such as slipped tiles, patched lead, sagging, moss, or stains in the loft. Third, how the surveyor viewed it. Most work from the pavement, the garden or the loft hatch, so a comment like could not be inspected closely means a gap in knowledge, not a fault. Fourth, what they recommend, which is nearly always a specialist look before you commit.
Write down any questions and ring the surveyor. They usually know which comments are routine caution and which are genuine concern, and a five-minute conversation can save you an expensive misreading.
Why you want a roofer's own report
The surveyor looked at the whole house in a few hours, and the roof was one line of the checklist. A roofer looks at nothing else. Up on the slopes, with proper access, they can lift a slate to see the nail underneath, press on a patch of flat roof to feel whether the deck has gone soft, and check the lead where a stack meets the slope.
You are after a written report with dated photographs of each fault, a short description of the cause, and a ranking of urgency. The ranking is the useful bit. It separates faults to fix now from those that will wait several years, which is the information that lets you plan and negotiate. Our page on the roof condition report explains what a good one contains.
Ask the seller for access. Most will agree, because a sale that stalls on an unknown is worse for them than a survey visit. If the property is empty or the seller is selling through an agent, the agent can usually arrange a time. Expect the roofer to need the loft hatch cleared and a ladder placed at the front or rear.
Our own survey costs you nothing and brings back photographs of the roof you are thinking of buying.
Three outcomes, and what each means for you
Roof problems found at this stage fall into three groups, and the group decides your next move.
- Minor repairs. A few slipped tiles, a cracked ridge piece, a gutter joint that leaks. These are modest jobs, often within the typical repair ranges reported by MyBuilder in 2026 of £100 to £300 for small leaks and a few tiles, up to £500 to £1,000 for moderate work. Any firm figure for repairs comes after the survey.
- A roof reaching the end of its life. Rusted nails on slate, tired battens, brittle underlay or failing flat roof felt. Nothing is leaking yet, but replacement is a matter of when, not if.
- Active damage. Rot in the timbers, water staining below a valley, sagging that points to structural movement. This needs a specialist opinion and may need a structural engineer.
Typical UK roof replacement is reported by MyBuilder at £5,000 to £12,000, depending on roof size, covering, pitch and access. That range is a national guide and not a quote. What matters is a figure for your roof, measured and priced, which is why the report comes first.
Using the findings in your negotiation
Once you hold a priced report, you have three realistic routes. You can ask the seller to reduce the price by the cost of the work, which works best when the faults are clear and the quotes are in writing. You can ask them to carry out the repairs before completion, which is sensible for small jobs but riskier for large ones, since you do not control the standard of work. Or you can accept the roof as it stands and budget for it, which is a fair choice if the faults are mild and the price already reflects them.
Do not rely on a vague promise that the roof will be sorted. If repairs are agreed, put them in writing through your conveyancer, and ask for the roofer's guarantee paperwork to be handed over at completion. Ask as well for the photographs or report from the roofer's visit, so your own surveyor can confirm the repair matches what was promised.
Mortgage lenders can add their own twist. If the valuer was unhappy with the roof, the lender may keep some of the money back until the repair is finished, an arrangement called a retention. Talk to your broker early so that a roofer's report can be put in front of the lender at the right time.
Special cases in and around Bath
Older property in Bath raises extra questions. Many Georgian terraces drain into a parapet gutter, a lead-lined trough sitting behind the front wall, and nobody on the pavement can see its condition. Mansards hide valleys and flat sections behind their steep lower slope, so the pavement view tells you little.
If the house is listed, significant roof work needs consent from B&NES, as listed building consent, and the seller should be able to tell you what permissions exist. About half of the city sits within the conservation area, so ask B&NES planning what applies to the address you are buying. Do not assume a covering can simply be swapped for a cheaper one.
Finally, think about timing. A roof report arranged after the offer is accepted keeps pressure off both sides, and findings that come in before exchange can still change the deal. For a fuller view on the choice between types of survey, see roof survey or building survey. To plan the years after you move in, read how often a roof should be inspected, and for the range of visits on offer, see our roof inspections and surveys hub.
