What Paperwork Should You Have for Spray Foam?

Why the paperwork matters

Spray foam hides what is behind it. A buyer's surveyor cannot see the rafters, so they ask for documents, and a lender's valuer may do the same. Reports in the conveyancing press, following a BBC investigation, said that some lenders had refused to lend on homes with spray foam, and the lenders mainly wanted proof of correct installation and someone accountable for it. A surveyor inspection protocol was developed by the Property Care Association, as reported in December 2023. Positions vary and change, so we say only that some lenders ask. A tidy file answers most of their questions at the start.

It also helps you. If the roof develops a fault in future, dated paperwork shows what was fitted, where and when, and who gave a guarantee. Without it, anyone investigating has to guess. Our page on selling a house with spray foam explains how it plays out at sale.

The core documents

Start with the contract, quote and final invoice, which show who did the work, what was agreed and what was paid. Add the specification or job sheet: the foam type (open or closed cell), the product name, the thickness applied and the areas of the roof treated. The manufacturer's data sheet sets out the product's properties, its fire classification and its recommended use. The safety data sheet lists handling and re-entry information.

Then the guarantee, with the company name and number, the length of cover, the exclusions and any third party behind it. Keep the cover letter or email that came with it, because it may name the scheme. Add proof of payment and a note of who attended. If the installer gave a certificate, whatever its title, keep it, and keep the original, not just a photograph.

Building control and technical evidence

Insulating a roof can fall under the Building Regulations, particularly where it forms part of a bigger project such as a loft conversion or re-roof. Planning Portal guidance explains when re-roofing needs approval, and your building control body can say whether your job was notifiable. If an application was made, keep the completion certificate. If it was not and should have been, speak to the council or a private approver about regularisation before a sale rather than during it. Our page on spray foam and building regulations covers this.

Technical evidence includes records of the roof's condition before foaming, such as photographs of the timbers and the covering, and any moisture readings the installer took. A survey report from after the work, or from a recent inspection, shows the current state. Our page on spray foam roof surveys explains what a good one contains.

If documents are missing

Many owners find the file is thin: a one-page invoice and nothing else. Start by contacting the installer for copies, in writing, and check whether the company still exists on the public register. Ask the manufacturer for a data sheet if you know the product name. Write down everything you remember about the work, with dates, and gather any emails and texts. A missing guarantee cannot be created afterwards, so accept that gap and build the evidence in other ways.

An independent survey fills the biggest hole. We inspect the roof from outside and from the loft, photograph the covering, flashings and foam, and take readings on any accessible timber, then give you a written report you can show a buyer or a lender. We cannot create certificates that do not exist, and we do not pretend to speak for a lender, but dated evidence of a dry, sound roof is the strongest thing you can add. If it shows damp, we explain what removal and repair involve.

Dates and names matter more than fine detail. A note saying who visited, when the foam went on, which rooms or slopes were done and what the weather was like at the time can help an expert judge whether the conditions were right. If you took any photographs during the work, keep the originals with their date stamps. Even a phone snap of the installer's van or the product drums can help identify the product if the paperwork is missing.

Keep the file together

Put everything in one folder, paper and digital, and store a copy with your solicitor or deeds. If you sell, offer it up front. Our overall service is on the spray foam page, and a claim route is explained on claiming on a spray foam guarantee.