*What a proper survey covers, what it costs, and why Atlantic-facing homes need one before October*
A pre-winter roof inspection in Clare is a ladder-and-eyes survey of the slates, ridge, valleys, flashings and gutters carried out before the first Atlantic storms — typically September through early November. Expect a written condition report the same day, with photos. Standalone survey fees on a two-storey Ennis or Shannon home usually run €150–€250; the survey is free when quoted alongside repair or cleaning work.
Summary
- Book between September and mid-November — Clare's exposed western coast takes the brunt of named storms from late October, and access gets dangerous once wind speeds pass 50 km/h.
- A proper survey covers seven things: slates, ridge and hip bedding, valleys, lead flashings around chimneys and abutments, gutters and downpipes, fascia and soffit timbers, and the roof deck viewed from the loft.
- Indicative standalone survey cost in Clare is €150–€250 for a standard two-storey; free when bundled with a quoted repair or clean — confirm the exact rate after we've seen the property.
- Gutter cleaning attached to the survey starts around €398 for roughly 15 metres — one real quote from our books, not a headline figure.
- Cliff-walk, Lahinch and Kilkee properties need bracket-tightness checks specifically: sustained sea winds loosen fixings that hold fine in Ennis or Tulla.
- Every survey produces a written condition note, even when no work is recommended — that's the paper trail an insurer wants if a storm claim follows.
Why Clare roofs need a pre-winter survey specifically
Clare's housing stock spans exposed coastal cottages on the Loop Head peninsula, natural-slate farmhouses inland around Tulla and Feakle, 1980s–2000s uPVC-fascia estates in Ennis and Shannon, and elevated cliff-walk properties near Lahinch and Doolin. Each fails differently, and each fails first at the western elevation.
The pattern we see year after year: slates that were fine in July have moved by December because a single missing copper nail let a run creep down under repeated wind lift. Ridge mortar that looked sound in summer is powder by January after freeze-thaw. Valley gutters — the internal ones between two pitches — silt up with moss and pine needles from August onward, then overflow into the loft at the first sideways rain. None of it is visible from the ground.
A pre-winter survey catches these before they become an emergency call-out at 11pm in a Force 8. For the wider repair picture across the county, our Clare roof repairs page sets out what we actually fix and when replacement makes more sense.
What a proper Clare roof inspection covers
A survey worth paying for is not a walk around the garden with binoculars. Ours takes 45–90 minutes on a standard semi and produces a written condition note with timestamped photographs — the same documentation format an insurer expects if you claim later.
1. Slate audit
Every slope inspected from ladder or roof-ladder. We count slipped, cracked, delaminating and missing slates, and we look for nail sickness — the failure mode where iron nails corrode in place after 60–80 years and slates start moving in ones and twos. On a natural-slate roof of 100+ years, nail sickness is the single most common finding in Clare and it doesn't fix itself.
2. Ridge, hip and verge
Bedding mortar tested for adhesion. Loose ridge tiles are the first thing a westerly lifts. Verges checked for pointing failure where the slates meet the gable.
3. Valleys
Lead or GRP valleys cleared visually and probed for pinholing. Internal valleys on M-shaped roofs (common on Ennis 1970s bungalows) are the worst offenders — hidden, hard to access, and the source of most "mystery" leaks over kitchens and utility rooms.
4. Flashings and abutments
Chimney soakers, step flashings, back gutters and any lead around dormers or velux openings. Code 4 lead installed in the 1980s has often reached end of life; we note where code 5 or 6 replacement is due.
5. Gutters and downpipes
Falls checked, brackets tested for grip, joints inspected for leaks. A pre-winter gutter cleaning is often the single cheapest thing that prevents a winter of overflow damage.
6. Fascia, soffit and roofline
Timber probed for rot, particularly behind the gutter line where it stays wet. If the fascia and soffit boards have gone, the gutter behind them will follow within a season or two.
7. Loft deck view
Rafters, felt or membrane, and the underside of the slate battens inspected for damp staining, daylight, or torn sarking. This is where you see the damage the outside inspection missed.
How much does a roof inspection cost in Clare?
Indicative ranges for guidance — we confirm exact rates after seeing the property.
| Survey type | Indicative cost | |---|---| | Standalone pre-winter survey, standard two-storey | €150 – €250 | | Standalone survey, larger detached or period property | €250 – €400 | | Survey bundled with quoted repair or cleaning work | Free | | Insurance inspection report with timestamped photos | Quoted per job after site visit |
What moves it: property size, height, roof complexity (valleys and dormers add time), access, and whether a written insurance-format report is needed. A survey done alongside a quoted clean or repair carries no separate fee — the survey is part of how we price the work.
Related pricing: a typical Clare pre-winter gutter clean with condition note is in line with the €398 figure quoted for 15 metres on our books. Repair work found during the survey is priced separately and only after you've seen the written quote.
Coastal Clare — what's different
Standard fixings don't survive salt. On exposed coastal jobs from Kilkee up to Doolin and around the Loop Head peninsula, we specifically check:
- Bracket tightness on the western gutter run — sea winds work fixings loose over a single winter.
- Galvanic corrosion where dissimilar metals meet (aluminium gutter on iron brackets, for example).
- Slate hook fixings rather than nail replacement where nail sickness is advanced — hooks resist wind lift where re-nailing into weathered battens will not.
- Marine-grade aluminium specification if a replacement is coming.
Inland properties around Ennis, Sixmilebridge, Newmarket-on-Fergus and Killaloe have a milder brief: leaves, moss and mortar failure dominate over salt and wind. The survey checklist is the same; the emphasis shifts.
For homes in and around Ennistymon specifically, our guttering services in Ennistymon page covers the local pattern in more detail.
When to book, and how the visit runs
Book from early September. By late October, the practical window narrows fast — high winds close down safe ladder work, and once storms start naming themselves, we prioritise emergency call-outs over scheduled surveys.
The visit itself:
- Enquiry by phone or web form. Call 061 535761 for Clare bookings.
- Free survey slot booked within the week during the September–November window.
- On-site inspection, 45–90 minutes. You don't need to be home — access to the garden or driveway is usually enough.
- Written condition note with photographs, emailed same day or next.
- Quote for any work found, itemised, no obligation.
Repair work carried out afterwards carries our written workmanship guarantee — a minimum of 3 years, up to 10 years on major repair work. A full re-roof (where the survey shows the roof has reached end of life across the board) carries our lifetime leak guarantee on the completed replacement, in writing, and manufacturer warranties apply on top.
If you'd like a pre-winter survey booked in before the storms start, get a free quote for Clare roof and gutter work — we cover Ennis, Shannon, Ennistymon, Kilrush, Killaloe, Tulla and the wider county.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a Clare roof be inspected?
Every 2–3 years for a modern concrete-tile roof in good order; annually for a natural-slate roof over 60 years old, any coastal property, and any home that has had a leak in the past five years. Pre-winter is the correct timing either way.
Do I need to be home for the survey?
No. We need safe access to the perimeter of the property — driveway, side passage, back garden. If a loft inspection is included, we arrange a time when someone can let us in; otherwise the external survey stands on its own.
What if the survey finds nothing?
You get the written condition note anyway, on record, dated and photographed. That's what an insurer wants to see if you claim for storm damage three months later — evidence of the roof's condition immediately before the event.
Is the survey the same as an insurance inspection report?
Related but not identical. A standard pre-winter survey is a condition check for the owner. An insurance inspection report is formatted specifically for insurer or loss-adjuster review, includes cost estimates in the format insurers require, and supports the claim itself. We do both — say which you need when booking.
Can you fix problems found during the survey the same day?
Small items — a slipped slate, a loose bracket, a blocked outlet — often yes, if the weather allows and we're set up for it. Larger work is quoted properly, in writing, after the survey, with no obligation to proceed.
What guarantee applies to work done after the survey?
Repair work carries our written workmanship guarantee of at least 3 years, rising to 10 years on major repair work. A full replacement — a complete new roof, or a full gutter and roofline replacement — carries our lifetime leak guarantee. Both are automatic, both are in writing, and manufacturer warranties on materials apply on top.
Do you work across all of Clare?
Yes — Ennis, Shannon, Sixmilebridge, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Ennistymon, Kilrush, Killaloe, Tulla, Clarecastle and the surrounding rural areas, including the exposed coastal strip from Kilkee up to Doolin.