The short answer
Yes, a house with spray foam can be put on the market. What changes is the conversation. A buyer's surveyor may note the foam, and the buyer's mortgage provider may want to know about it before agreeing a loan. RICS advises owners to raise it with their mortgage provider first. Having the roof assessed before you list means you can answer questions with photographs instead of guesses.
Foam does not stop a sale, but it can slow one down. Facing the question early keeps you in control of the timing.
What a buyer's survey is likely to say
A surveyor looking at a house with foam under the roof sees a surface they cannot see through. The rafters, which are the angled beams under the tiles, and the waterproof underlay sheet are all out of sight. So the report usually records the foam and notes that the structure behind it could not be inspected.
Does the note mean something is wrong?
Not necessarily. A note like that tells you what the surveyor was unable to see. It may suggest further investigation by a roofer or specialist, or advise the buyer to speak to their mortgage provider. It does not tell the buyer the roof is damaged, but a nervous buyer can read it that way, and that is when sales wobble.
You may find out the foam is a problem only when the buyer's solicitor raises it. By then you are working to someone else's timetable. If you know you have foam, acting before you list gives you the chance to supply the answer in advance. Our guide on what to do when a surveyor flags spray foam describes the wording and what follows.
Lenders and the RICS advice
The buyer's mortgage provider has its own policy, and we do not know what it is for any particular lender. The RICS consumer guide points owners towards their own mortgage provider to learn what that lender accepts. That advice applies to a buyer and, in practice, to a seller who wants to understand what the buyer will face.
Who should I ask, and when?
If you are staying put and remortgaging, ask your own provider. If you are selling, the question will come from the buyer's lender through their solicitor, and you will not control the answer. What you can do is have the evidence ready: photographs of the roof timbers, a written statement of what was found, and details of any work.
Do not promise a buyer that a lender will accept the roof, because that decision is not yours or ours. Instead, offer facts. A mortgage provider reading a dated report with photographs of bare, sound timber has more to work with than one reading a surveyor's caution. Speak to your solicitor about what to disclose and when, since that part is a legal matter.
Preparing the roof before you list
There are three sensible routes for a seller, and the right one depends on what the roof shows.
What are my options before listing?
First, survey the roof. A roofer looks at the foam from the hatch and the covering from outside, then gives you photographs and a view of the timbers and the tiles. If the roof is dry and the foam sits well, you may want only that report to hand to a buyer.
Second, open a small patch. A section of foam is cut back, the wood behind it is photographed and the area made good. It is a modest step that gives a buyer something concrete, and our guide on spray foam and timber rot explains what the sample looks for.
Third, take the foam out and repair what is underneath. This is the larger job, and it gives the buyer a bare roof to inspect. It makes most sense where the survey finds trouble, or where a buyer or lender has said the foam must go. In every case the price comes as one written total after the survey is complete.
Timing the work around a sale
Work done before you list is easier to schedule than work squeezed into a sale chain. A buyer's solicitor may be waiting, a mortgage offer may carry an expiry date, and every week of delay puts pressure on the deal.
Can removal be done after an offer?
It can, though it needs coordination. The buyer, their surveyor and the lender may each ask to see the roof either before or after the foam comes out, so agree access with your solicitor. Photographs taken as the work proceeds give everyone the same record, and a final inspection of the bare timbers closes the question.
If you are a buyer who has found foam in a house you want, the same steps apply. Ask the seller for access so a roofer can look, and use the findings in your negotiation. Our page on spray foam insulation removal explains how we work, and we can survey a loft for a buyer as well as a seller.
No roofer can promise a lender's decision or a sale price. What we can do is document the roof clearly, with photographs, so that those making the decision have the facts.
More on selling with foam
Should I tell a buyer about the foam before they ask?
Ask your solicitor, because what you must disclose is a legal matter. In practical terms, buyers tend to react better to a seller who raises the foam early and supplies a roof report than to one who lets the surveyor find it. Surprises in the middle of a sale cause more trouble than facts offered at the start.
Will a roof survey be accepted by the buyer's lender?
We cannot say, because each provider sets its own rules. A dated report with photographs from a roofer gives the lender something concrete, though. Pass it to your solicitor so it reaches the buyer's side, and ask the mortgage provider concerned, as RICS suggests.
The full picture: Spray foam insulation removal in Taunton ยท More short answers