The short answer
Check the ridge and hip tiles for gaps and fixings, the verges for neat, secure edges, the flashings round chimneys, walls and roof windows, the tiles for chips or slipped rows, and the gutters for falls and joints. In the loft, look for daylight, damp, blocked eaves ventilation and untidy insulation. Photograph each fault with a date and send the builder a written list.
Why new roofs still have faults
A new roof is built fast, by several trades, and often in poor weather. The tilers finish and the scaffolders strike, then the plumber, electrician and aerial installer walk the roof, and each visit risks a cracked tile or a disturbed flashing. Mistakes made in the first week can show up as damp patches in the first winter, and by then the builder's attention has moved to the next plot.
Gutters and downpipes belong to the same check. Look for joints that drip, brackets that are missing, sections that fall the wrong way so that water stands in them, and outlets that were never connected to the drain. Builders often install them last, in a rush, and they are easy to inspect from the garden with a camera phone.
When to ask for a professional look
A homeowner can catch the obvious faults, but some need a trained eye and a closer view: lead dressed badly behind a chimney, a ridge system that does not match the manufacturer's instructions, or a valley that looks tidy but has the wrong lining. If you are unsure, an independent roofer can look and photograph what is there, which gives you evidence to put to the developer.
Do this before the defects period closes, since the developer's obligations are tied to dates in your paperwork. Ask your solicitor or warranty provider what those dates are.
The customer's best protection is a careful look early, while the home is under the builder's warranty period and any defect is easy to link to the build. Most developers have a snagging process with a fixed window for reporting faults, so check your reservation paperwork for the dates and for how to submit a list.
Snagging does not replace the builder's own inspections or warranty provider checks. It adds a record of the things you can see, in your own words and photographs.
Ridges, hips and verges
On a pitched roof the ridge runs along the apex and the hips are the angled ridges running from it to the eaves on a hipped end. Both are finished with special tiles that have to be fixed securely. Under BS 5534:2014 ridge and hip tiles need mechanical fixings in addition to any mortar bed, because mortar by itself no longer counts. Look for tiles that sit unevenly, gaps showing daylight, mortar that has cracked or fallen, and dry-fix clips that look loose or missing. Systems that clip the tiles on without mortar are tested to BS 8612:2018, so ask the developer which system was used.
Verges are the sloping edges at the gable ends. Check they are straight, that the end tiles are firmly held, and that the undercloak and the bedding look neat and complete. Gaps at a verge let wind drive rain in and give birds and wasps a way into the roof.
Binoculars from the road are usually enough to spot a wavy ridge or a loose verge tile. Record anything that looks wrong.
Check the tiles themselves too. Chips, cracks, rows that run out of line, and tiles of a slightly different colour from their neighbours all suggest breakage or a mixed batch. A gap at the eaves where the first course meets the gutter lets wind and birds underneath, so look there as well.
Flashings, valleys and penetrations
Flashings are the strips, usually of lead, that seal the roof where it meets a wall, chimney or roof window. Look for lead that has been dressed tight, with clean folds and no lifting. Gaps, a coating of sealant standing in for proper lead work, or flashing that has slipped away from the wall are signs of rushed work. A flashing is an obvious weak spot because one small gap can pass water for months before a stain shows.
Valleys, the inside corners where two slopes meet, carry a lot of water. Check that the lining is neat and the tiles on each side are cut cleanly. Pipes, vents, flues and solar fixings are further openings that depend on neat collars and seals.
If you find something that worries you, our page on roof inspection photos explains the pictures a roofer takes, and a close look by a roofer can confirm what is wrong.
In the loft: daylight, felt and ventilation
Inside the loft, turn off the light and look for daylight at the tile line, around pipes and under the ridge. Check the underlay for tears, loose laps or sagging, and make sure it dresses properly into the gutter at the eaves. Look at the timbers for water marks left by rain during construction.
Insulation should be even and should not be pushed into the eaves. Marley's guidance, which cites BS 5250, describes continuous ventilation along the eaves for a cold roof, so make sure the gaps are clear. Bathroom extractors should discharge outside, not into the loft.
Our guide to what to check in your loft gives a fuller checklist. Take photographs from the hatch and, if safe, from the boards, and never step between joists.
Reporting faults and getting them fixed
Make a list with a photograph, a location and a short description for each item. Email it to the developer's customer care team, keep a copy, and note the date it went. Our overview of roof inspections and surveys explains how an independent look fits alongside the builder's own checks. A request in writing is easier to follow up than a conversation on site, and it shows when the builder was told.
Ask for repairs to be completed by a named date, and ask the builder what warranty or guarantee cover applies to the roof. Do not let someone else work on the roof before the builder has seen the fault, since that can complicate a claim. If the builder does not respond, take advice on the next step from your warranty provider or a solicitor.
We can inspect a new roof, take photographs and write down what we find, and a written quote follows if a repair is needed. Our thermal roof surveys and roof measure survey pages cover related checks. Ring 01793 626096 to discuss.