How healthy is
your roof?

Question 1

Roughly how old is the roof covering?

The covering, not the house — many houses have been re-roofed at least once.

Question 2

Is water getting in?

Anything from a damp patch after heavy rain to an active drip.

Question 3

Any missing, slipped or cracked tiles or slates?

Look from the ground with binoculars, and check the gutters and the garden.

Question 4

How much moss or growth is on the roof?

North-facing pitches and shaded roofs collect the most.

Question 5

Any water stains on ceilings or upstairs walls?

Including old stains that have dried out.

Question 6

Does the roof line sag or dip anywhere?

Sight along the ridge and the eaves from the far side of the road.

Question 7

What condition are the gutters and fascia in?

Look during heavy rain if you can — that is when faults show.

Question 8

Any issues around the chimney?

Damp on the chimney breast, loose pots, crumbling mortar, lead lifting.

Question 9

What can you see in the roof space?

A torch and ten minutes in the attic tells you more than anything from the ground.

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This is an informational assessment, not a professional inspection. It is based only on what you can see from the ground and from inside. Underlay, fixings and timber condition cannot be judged this way, and they are usually what decides between repair and replacement.