Roofs and flat roofs
A lead valley was left in place. What of the boards beneath the lead is unseen?
The boards beneath the lead are unseen. The valley was left in place, so the survey did not turn the metal back and did not see the timber boards, any sarking, or the fixings under it. A lead valley can look continuous from above while the boards beneath are soft or damp. The visit recorded the lead as left down. It has not decided those boards are sound, and it has not decided they have decayed.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
Valleys collect water from two slopes, so the boards under the lead sit in a wetter line than much of the roof. The metal is the weathering. The timber is the deck it lies on. Leaving the lead down is the right limit for a home survey that has not been asked to disturb a watertight-looking covering. The cost of that limit is ignorance of the deck. Appearance of the lead is not a report on the boards.
Tell your solicitor the valley lead stayed down and the boards were not seen. A roofing firm can inspect the deck if there is a separate reason to open the valley, which this report has not created. Do not tell a lender the valley timbers were checked. Do not ask anyone to disturb the lead on the strength of this note alone. The finding is the unseen deck, not an instruction to lift the metal.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Was the lead valley left down for the whole visit?
- Are the boards and sarking under it recorded as unseen?
- Has the look of the lead been kept separate from the deck?
What are the typical next steps?
- Record the boards beneath the lead as unseen.
- Tell the solicitor the valley metal was not turned back.
- Do not describe the lead's appearance as a check of the timber.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Can the lead look neat and the boards still be wet?
Yes. Lead can remain a continuous sheet over damp or softened boards. The survey did not see those boards and so has not found damp under the valley, nor cleared it. Neat laps and a smooth surface describe the metal. They do not describe the deck it covers.
Were the valley gutters at the eaves the same unseen item?
No. A valley is the lined channel between slopes. Eaves gutters are a different fitting, and they are not the boards under this lead. If gutters were seen, that note stands alone. Do not import a gutter comment as a view of the timber beneath the valley.