The short answer
A free roof inspection is normally a quote visit: a roofer looks at the problem, photographs it and prices the work. It is not an independent report. A paid inspection or condition report is a written record that a buyer, lender, landlord or insurer can rely on. Choose by who needs the answer and what it will be used for.
What a free inspection usually is
When a roofer offers a free inspection, they usually mean a visit to look at what you want done and to price it. It is a sales visit in the plain sense of the words: the roofer is assessing the job so they can quote for it. That is useful and entirely reasonable, provided you know what it is.
It is generally limited to the problem you describe. If you ask about a leaking valley, the roofer looks at the valley and the area around it. The visit will not usually cover every part of the roof, and the notes are for the quote, not for anyone else to rely on. It will not normally include a report with a stated opinion on the whole roof's condition. Ask in advance what the visit includes, how long it takes and whether photographs are part of it. Our answer on whether you need a roof survey helps you decide which route suits you.
What a paid inspection or report adds
A paid inspection is built to be a record. It covers the whole roof, or a clearly stated part, and it records what was found, what was not seen and what is recommended. It normally includes dated photographs and a written opinion on the urgency of each item. The point is that someone other than you can rely on it.
MyBuilder's roof inspection guide, updated in August 2026, gives a typical UK range of £150 to £500, with thermal and drone surveys at the upper end. Those are national figures and not prices for any particular firm. A report is worth paying for when a buyer, lender, landlord or insurer needs one, when you want an opinion that is not tied to a particular job, or when you are going to negotiate on the strength of it. Our guide to roof condition reports explains who uses them.
How to tell what you are being offered
Ask three plain questions. What will you look at? What will I receive afterwards? And who can rely on it? A visit that ends with a verbal opinion and a quote is a quote visit. A visit that ends with a written report, photographs and a statement of what could not be seen is an inspection.
Be careful with offers that promise a free inspection but hurry you to a decision on the day. A good survey leaves you time to think and compare. If the roofer says the roof must be replaced and cannot show you photographs of the evidence, ask for them. Photographs of your own roof should be a normal part of any visit, and the written quote should follow, without pressure. With any quote you receive, find out if the total covers VAT and the scaffold, since either can shift the figure a long way.
When a quote visit is all you need
If the work is clear, a quote visit is the right tool. A leak at a chimney, a dozen slipped tiles after a storm, a blocked valley or a failing gutter joint can be seen, fixed and priced without a separate report. You are the only person who needs the answer, and the roofer's photographs and written quote give you what you need to decide.
It is also the right route when you are comparing roofers for planned work. Look for a clear scope, a stated method and a total price in writing. Our page on how a roof is measured for a quote explains why different firms can come up with different areas for the same roof.
If you suspect damp but cannot see a hole, the loft is the next place to check, and our page on loft damp inspection shows what an inspector examines.
When you should pay for a report
Pay for a formal report when the result has to stand up outside your own home. Selling a house, answering a buyer's survey, supporting a landlord's duty to maintain a property or showing a lender the condition of a roof are all examples. So is a dispute with a neighbour or a contractor, where an independent record can matter.
It is also worth having when the roof is a big unknown: an older building, a mixed covering, a roof you cannot see well from the ground, or a property you are about to buy. In those cases, the report will tell you what is wrong and what you can safely leave. We explain what to check in the loft in our loft inspection page, which is a good first step before you commission anything. If you are weighing a report against a quote, the question is who will rely on it.
How we handle it at Skyline
Our habit is to look first and discuss the job afterwards. A visit from us ends with photographs of the roof you actually own, and a written quote follows. Where a repair is enough, that is the job we propose. Workmanship carries a guarantee lasting 10 years, set out in writing, and rubbish leaves the site with us. Nothing in that depends on you agreeing to anything on the doorstep, and you can take the time to compare.
Need something more formal, such as a report for a sale or a lender? Mention it at the first enquiry and the requirements can be talked through together. See the full roof inspections and surveys service, then phone 01793 626096, or write to us through the website with a line on what you can see and who needs the answer.