Spray foam and lenders
Foam has been sprayed only between the rafters at the eaves, and the ridge is still visible. Has the roof been inspected?
Only in part. The bare ridge and upper rafters could be seen, but the eaves timbers under the foam could not, so this is not a full inspection of the roof structure. RICS explains that foam hides what it covers. Lenders can still ask their own question about the foam that is there, and not every lender refuses.
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?
It is easy to treat a visible ridge as a clean roof. The parts that fail first are often the feet of the rafters, which is exactly where this foam has been placed. The surveyor should describe the limit: seen at the ridge, concealed at the eaves. That is more useful than a single adjective for the whole slope. An undetected leak can rot timber that nobody can now see, which is the concern RICS sets out. You do not need a lecture on ventilation to understand that the hidden feet were not assessed.
When you write to a lender, do not say the roof was clear because you could see the ridge from the hatch. Say where the foam is. Ask the seller whether the eaves foam was a deliberate detail or the start of a job that stopped. Their answer is background. The survey is the visual limit. If someone later suggests cutting the foam out, RICS notes that removal can damage the covering. The home survey has not told anyone to cut it out, and it has not confirmed the product. The ridge boards you could see remain the only timber this visit actually inspected on that slope.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- How far up the slope does the foam stop, and what timber did you see above it?
- Were the rafter feet inspected, or hidden?
- Are you describing a limit, rather than passing the whole roof?
What are the typical next steps?
- Describe the roof to the lender as partly concealed at the eaves, not as fully inspected.
- Ask the seller for any product record for the eaves foam.
- Do not let a clear ridge photograph stand as the eaves.
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
Does visible timber at the ridge mean the eaves foam is fine?
No. It means the ridge was visible. The eaves were not. They are not the same timber.
Will every lender refuse because the eaves are foamed?
No. RICS does not say that. Ask the lender. The survey’s job is the limit, not their policy.