Ten checks, all from the ground or the loft: gutters, the ridge line for sag, ridge and hip mortar, slipped or cracked tiles, verges, chimney and flashings, valleys, moss, the loft for daylight and staining, and loft ventilation. None requires going onto the roof, and together they catch almost everything while it is still cheap.
- None of these needs you on the roof. Binoculars and a torch do the whole list.
- Do it twice a year and after any serious storm.
- Photograph what you find. Year-on-year comparison is more useful than one look.
- Clearing gutters is the only item on the list most people can safely act on themselves.
The ten checks
1. Gutters and downpipes
Clear them, or have them cleared, after leaf fall. Then watch them in heavy rain: water over the front edge, running down behind, dripping at joints, or pooling without reaching the outlet each mean something different. This is the one item on the list you can usually act on yourself, and it prevents more damage than the other nine combined.
2. The ridge line
Stand well back and sight along it. It should be straight and parallel with the eaves. A dip between the gables or a bowed slope suggests a structural issue — often a roof re-covered at some point in a heavier material than the timbers were sized for. This is the one finding that changes the whole conversation.
3. Ridge and hip mortar
Binoculars along the ridge and hips. Look for missing mortar, visible gaps, and tiles sitting out of line. Perished ridge bedding is the most common failure on an older roof and the only one that is a danger to people below. If a ridge tile looks out of place, treat it as this week's job.
4. Slipped, cracked or missing tiles
Scan the slopes and note how many and where. The pattern matters more than the count: a few in one area suggests a local cause, while a scatter across the whole roof usually means nail fatigue, and patching that will keep you busy.
5. Verges and bargeboards
The gable edges take the wind first. Look for loose or missing pointing along the verge, exposed batten ends, and bargeboards that look soft or have flaking paint.
6. Chimney and flashings
Pots upright and intact, flaunching not visibly cracked, pointing sound, and the lead flashing lying flat against the brickwork rather than lifted or split. Mastic smeared along a flashing line means it has already failed once and been patched.
7. Valleys
Where two roof slopes meet, valleys carry more water than anywhere else. Check for debris, moss build-up and anything restricting the flow. A blocked valley backs water up under the tiles, which is a leak with no visible hole.
8. Moss and organic growth
Note how much and where. Moss holds water against the tiles, which matters in frost, and it breaks off to block valleys and gutters. Heavy growth also marks the shaded, slowest-drying part of the roof, which is useful to know.
9. The loft, with the light off
Look up for daylight. Pinpricks around a vent may be fine; a visible gap or a line of light is not. Then with a torch: fresh dark staining on rafters, tide marks on the underside of the underlay, damp or compacted insulation. Half the useful evidence about a roof lives in here.
10. Loft ventilation
While you are up there, check there is airflow. Look for vents at the eaves, and check insulation has not been pushed into the eaves blocking them. A loft with no ventilation and good insulation is where condensation problems come from, and they are routinely misdiagnosed as leaks.
When to do it
| When | What | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Late autumn | Full list, gutters cleared | Before winter does the damage |
| Spring | Full list again | Check what winter did |
| After any serious storm | Quick visual, plus loft | Catch displaced tiles early |
| Before buying a property | Full list, or a professional inspection | A standard survey does not test the roof |
| Before any scaffold comes down | Walk the job with the contractor | Cheapest moment to correct anything |
Photograph what you find each time. A single look tells you the current state; two looks a year apart tell you whether something is moving, which is far more useful.
What you can safely do yourself
- Clear the gutters on a single-storey roof, with the ladder footed and never leaning sideways. Ground-based telescopic systems avoid the ladder entirely.
- Clear debris from a flat roof outlet if it is safely accessible.
- Cut back overhanging branches that are dropping onto the roof or scraping the tiles.
- Make a note and photograph everything on the list.
- Check inside the loft.
What not to do: go onto the roof. Tiles are designed to shed water, not carry weight, and walking on them cracks them — we regularly trace leaks to a line of footprint cracks. Add the fall risk and it is never worth it.
Which findings are urgent
Deal with now: a displaced or rocking ridge tile, daylight visible through the roof, a sagging roof line, and water actively entering.
Deal with within weeks: slipped or missing tiles, failed or mastic-patched flashings, green staining down a wall from an overflowing gutter, a blocked valley.
Deal with at the next opportunity: heavy moss, verge pointing, loft ventilation, and anything cosmetic.
The general principle: anything letting water into the building goes first, because the damage continues while you wait and it spreads into timber and plaster. Anything that could fall on someone goes equally fast, for obvious reasons.
What repairs cost
These are the roofing figures published across this site:
| Job | Typical Coventry guide price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Minor roof repair | from £150–£400 | Slipped or broken tiles, usually one day |
| Chimney repointing / flashing | £300–£900 | Access dependent |
| Full re-roof (typical semi) | £5,000–£9,000 | Strip, membrane, batten, re-tile |
| Larger / detached re-roof | £9,000–£12,000+ | Scaffolding included |
The point of the checklist is keeping work in the top row rather than the bottom two. Nearly every expensive roof job we attend began as something on this list that nobody looked for.
Call and describe it. We will tell you honestly whether it needs us this week or can wait for a planned visit.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a roof be inspected?
Twice a year — late autumn and spring — plus a look after any serious storm. Ten minutes with binoculars from the ground and a torch in the loft covers almost everything on this list while it is still cheap to put right.
Do I need to go on the roof to check it?
No, and you should not. Every check on this list is done from the ground with binoculars or from inside the loft. Tiles carry water, not people — walking on them cracks them, and we regularly trace leaks to a line of footprint cracks. The fall risk makes it worse again.
What is the most important thing to check?
The gutters, and then the ridge. Clearing gutters prevents more damage than anything else on the list, and a loose ridge tile is the only finding that is a physical danger to people below as well as a water risk. Those two cover most of the value in ten minutes.
Should I get a professional roof inspection?
Worth it before buying a property, after major storm damage, or if your own checks turn up something you cannot interpret. A standard homebuyer survey notes the roof's apparent age and recommends further investigation rather than assessing it properly, so it does not substitute.
How do I know if moss needs removing?
Light growth is cosmetic. Heavy growth holds water against the tiles, which matters in frost, and it breaks off to block valleys and gutters. Have it removed by scraping and brushing, never with a pressure washer — that strips the surface from concrete tiles and drives water under the laps.
What does a sagging roof line mean?
Usually a structural issue, most often a roof re-covered at some point in a heavier material than the timbers were designed for — typically slate replaced with concrete tiles. It needs assessing before any covering work, because a new roof over a failing structure does not address the cause.
Ten minutes, twice a year
Nearly every expensive roof we are called to started as something on this list. If you have found something, call and describe it — we will tell you how urgent it is.