RoofCheck user guide

Getting the most out of RoofCheck

RoofCheck is a free online pre-assessment tool from Allbase that helps facilities managers, building owners and property professionals get a clearer picture of a flat or commercial roof's condition before committing to a full survey. In around five minutes you answer a series of guided questions about your building and roof, and RoofCheck generates a personalised risk score and a six-area assessment report, with a PDF copy emailed to you to share with your team. It then connects you with a qualified Allbase surveyor who will arrange a site visit.

This is a pre-assessment, not a survey. RoofCheck gives you a useful indication of risk and helps prioritise a surveyor's attention, but it does not replace a professional on-site inspection. Your written survey report comes after the site visit. Open RoofCheck to begin.

Getting started

RoofCheck works entirely in your browser. There is no account, no app download and no login. Your progress is saved as you go, so you can step away and pick up where you left off. It works on desktop, tablet and mobile, and it is completely free to use, with no charge for the pre-assessment or the report.

What you will need

• The property postcode. Required to start. It identifies the building, auto-fills the town or city and loads a satellite map so you can trace the approximate roof area.
• Basic knowledge of the roof. The surface type and rough age are enough. You do not need to be an expert, and most questions include a "Not sure" option.
• Photos (optional). Up to five images, 10 MB each, in JPG, PNG, HEIC or WebP. Ground-level shots, window views or existing photos from past works all help the surveyor prepare.

No roof access is needed. Every RoofCheck question is designed to be answered from inside the building, from ground level, or from building records. Never access a roof without the correct safety equipment and authorisation.

The form, step by step

RoofCheck is a short series of focused questions, most taking under thirty seconds, plus an optional emergency route and an optional photo step at the end. Here is what each step asks and why.

1. Your property. Enter the postcode of the property you want assessed, then confirm or adjust the full address. A satellite map loads so you can optionally trace the approximate roof area. The postcode helps us assign the most relevant local surveyor, and the area estimate helps us scope the visit. Tracing the roof is optional; if you skip it the rest of your assessment is still generated.
2. Your details. Your name, email address and the property address. We save your progress and send a copy of your pre-assessment to your email.
3. Roof outline. Draw a rough outline of the roof on the satellite view. It does not need to be precise. You can enter the size manually instead, or skip and confirm the size later.
4. Building type. The type of building the roof belongs to, for example industrial, commercial, public and civic, or leisure and sport. Different building types carry different structural, planning and compliance considerations, which helps us assign a surveyor with the right sector experience.
5. About the building. Whether the roof has a green or living roof system and whether solar PV is installed. Both affect access planning and the scope of the survey.
6. Surface type. The primary roofing membrane or surface, for example felt or bitumen, single ply, metal, liquid applied, GRP, asphalt or asbestos. Surface type is one of the strongest indicators of risk. If your roof contains asbestos, select it: our surveyor will follow the required health and safety protocol and confirm the asbestos register before attending site. Do not disturb asbestos-containing materials.
7. Roof details. The approximate roof age, when it was last professionally inspected or maintained, and any previous survey or maintenance records. Roof age and inspection history are two of the biggest contributors to your risk score, so this is a good moment to check a building log or asset register.
8. The situation. A plain description of why you are looking at the roof now, from a routine check-up to known issues, and how urgently you need attention. Selecting an emergency, or telling us about an active leak, moves you to a fast-track route (see the emergency route below).
9. Inside the building. Two sets of observations: things you may have noticed inside the building, such as water stains, damp, mould or light coming through, and things visible from ground level, such as blocked gutters, sagging or water pooling after rain. No roof access is required. Visible sagging is flagged as a structural priority in your report.
10. Access, drainage and survey type. How easy the roof is to reach, how it drains and whether there are any known drainage issues, and which type of survey you would prefer if you have one in mind. If there is no safe access we will recommend a drone survey, which uses high-resolution aerial imagery to assess the roof without physical access.

Finally, an optional step lets you add up to five photos. You can add them or skip straight to your assessment; the report is generated either way.

The emergency route

If you select an emergency, or tell us you have an active leak, RoofCheck offers a fast-track callback instead of the full form. You provide your name, phone number and a brief description, and we aim to call back within the hour during business hours. You can still choose to complete the full assessment for your records. In a genuine emergency with a risk to life or property, call us directly rather than waiting for a callback.

Your assessment report

Understanding your risk score

RoofCheck calculates a risk score between 0 and 100 from your answers and shows it on a dial alongside a risk level. The score is a guide based on the information you provide, not a definitive structural assessment; the survey may reveal findings that differ.

If you answered "Not sure" or "Unknown" to most questions, RoofCheck shows a question mark instead of a score and suggests booking a survey, because the tool cannot generate a meaningful assessment without sufficient information. That is not a problem; the surveyor makes the assessment on site.

The six inspection areas

Your report breaks the roof into six areas, each given a status from your answers, so you and the surveyor get a quick read on where attention is most needed.

• Roof coverings. The primary membrane or surface, driven by age, surface type and any high-risk materials.
• Internal condition. Based on internal signs reported, such as water staining, damp, mould and light penetration.
• Drainage systems. Known drainage issues, ponding and blocked gutters all contribute here.
• Flashing and seals. Age-related risk for joints and upstands; an active leak raises this to At risk.
• Structural integrity. Driven by visible sagging from ground level and roof age.
• Safety systems. Always marked To be assessed, because fall protection and edge restraint cannot be evaluated without site access.

Each area carries one of four statuses: At risk (a priority focus for the surveyor), Needs attention (worth investigating on the survey), No concerns reported (still checked on site) and To be assessed (needs a physical visit).

Booking your consultation

From the report page you can book a consultation directly, without re-entering your details. A surveyor will contact you within one working day to confirm requirements and arrange a visit date. Your reference number is generated when your report is created, before you book, so you can quote it if you call us. The survey itself is a chargeable service, with pricing discussed on the call based on roof size, type and access. To learn more about what a survey involves, see our surveys service. Where RoofCheck raises questions about the roof's build-up, the natural next step is on-site core sampling, which gives a physical record of every layer rather than an estimate.

Your PDF copy

A formatted PDF of your pre-assessment is included in the confirmation email we send you: your property details, risk score and band, the verdict and recommended timeframe, the six-area assessment with statuses and findings, and a disclaimer. It is designed to be shared with colleagues, building owners or contractors to help justify or scope the upcoming survey.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to access the roof to complete RoofCheck?

No. All questions are designed to be answered from inside the building, from ground level, or from building records. Never access a roof without the correct safety equipment and authorisation.

What if I do not know the answers to some questions?

That is fine. Most steps include a "Not sure" or "Unknown" option. If you answer the majority as unknown, the tool will tell you it cannot generate a reliable score and will suggest booking a survey instead, which is still a valid outcome.

Is there a cost for the pre-assessment?

RoofCheck is completely free. There is no charge for the pre-assessment or the report. The survey itself is chargeable, with pricing discussed when the surveyor contacts you.

How accurate is the risk score?

The score is a useful guide based on the information you provide, not a definitive structural assessment. It is calibrated to prioritise known high-risk factors such as age, substrate type, internal water ingress and visible deformation. The actual survey may reveal findings that differ, which is why the tool is clearly labelled as a pre-assessment.

My roof has asbestos. Can you still survey it?

Yes. Select Asbestos as the surface type. Our surveyors are trained to work alongside asbestos-containing materials and will follow the required health and safety protocols, confirming the asbestos register is in place before attending site. Do not disturb, drill or cut any asbestos-containing roof sheets.

I have an active leak right now. What should I do?

Select the emergency option in the situation step, which routes you to an urgent callback, and we aim to respond within the hour during business hours. Do not attempt to access the roof yourself during an active leak.

Still have questions?

Our team is available Monday to Friday, 8am to 5:30pm on 0113 868 0097, or by email at surveys@allbase.co.uk. RoofCheck is a service of Allbase Group Ltd, Company No. 09611962.