What your homebuyer survey will and will not tell you
A homebuyer survey is a generalist inspection of the whole property. Spray foam is one line item in a long document.
Expect it to record that foam is present, note that the roof timbers and covering could not be inspected because of it, and recommend specialist investigation.
Do not expect foam type identification, calibrated timber moisture readings at multiple locations, psychrometer readings of the void air, an assessment of whether eaves ventilation survived, or any view on the membrane behind the foam.
That is not a criticism of surveyors. It is outside the scope they were instructed on, and they say so.
Questions worth putting to the seller and the agent
Ask in writing, through your conveyancer
- Who installed the foam, and in what year?
- Which product and system was used — is there a data sheet or certificate for it?
- Was it open cell or closed cell?
- Was any grant or funding scheme involved in the installation?
- Was the roof covering or membrane renewed before the foam went on, or sprayed over as found?
- Has any survey, report or removal quote already been obtained on this loft?
- Has the loft ever had a damp, condensation or leak issue?
A seller who has already commissioned a report and is willing to share it is a good sign. Vagueness is worth noting, though it is more often genuine ignorance than concealment.
Why the seller's paperwork may not be enough
Installer documentation records an intention, not an outcome. It describes what was meant to be applied, and it was produced by the company being paid to apply it.
It also has a date on it. Ventilation, membrane condition and timber moisture in a roof are current matters, and a document from 2014 says nothing about them today.
A removal quote the seller obtained is not an assessment either. It is a price from a company that earns money from removal. That distinction is set out in should I remove spray foam insulation.
What an inspection before exchange changes
Before exchange you still have the ability to walk. That is the strongest position you will ever hold in the transaction, and it is worth spending a little to use it well.
With documented findings, the conversation stops being about whether spray foam is generally bad and becomes about this roof. Specific findings are far harder to dismiss than general anxiety.
- Findings are sound: you proceed with confidence rather than a nagging doubt.
- Findings show defined work needed: you have a basis to renegotiate on cost, or ask for it to be dealt with before completion.
- Findings are serious, or access is refused: you decline and keep looking.
To be clear about what this is not: an inspection is a record of the roof's condition. It is not instructed by a lender, does not satisfy a lender's requirements on their behalf, and no report can determine a lending or valuation decision. It informs your decision as the buyer.
Walking away is a legitimate outcome
Buyers often feel that having paid for a survey and a solicitor, they are committed. You are not committed until exchange.
The cost of establishing the facts is small against the cost of inheriting a roof that needs stripping and recovering. Sometimes the right answer is no, and there is nothing wasteful about reaching it.
If you are not certain what is actually up there, start with identifying spray foam insulation. If you are also selling a property with foam in it, the other side of this is covered in can you sell a house with spray foam insulation.
Before you exchange
Inspections carried out in line with PCA guidance. Reports within 48–72 hours as standard, with a 48-hour turnaround available for an additional £50 where a deadline is tight.
Buyer's starting point
Loft Condition Report
£175 — a documented snapshot of the loft: insulation, ventilation, timber and moisture observations.
Loft Condition Report — £175Foam flagged by the surveyor
Spray Foam Inspection
£295 fixed — foam type, adhesion, timber condition and calibrated moisture readings.
Spray Foam Inspection — £295