Spray foam was sold hard across Norfolk as a loft insulation upgrade, often door to door, often to older properties with high heating bills. A lot of those owners only find out what it did to their house when they try to sell it.
What lenders object to
Two separate things, and it helps to know which one applies to you.
The surveyor cannot see the timbers
A surveyor is asked to report on the condition of the roof structure. Foam sprayed over the rafters makes that impossible, so the roof gets reported as uninspectable. That alone is enough for many lenders to decline or to require removal first.
Closed cell foam can trap moisture
Open cell foam breathes to a degree. Closed cell foam sprayed straight onto the underside of the covering does not, and it can hold moisture against the rafters. That is a real risk to the timber rather than a paperwork problem, and it is why the objection is not simply bureaucratic.
What removal actually involves
It is slow, physical work, and there is no method that is both quick and leaves the roof in good order. Anyone offering one is not removing it properly.
- Survey. Identify open or closed cell, the thickness, and whether it went onto the felt or straight onto the timbers. That decides the method and the price.
- Quote in writing, covering both the removal and whatever the roof needs afterwards, so there is no second bill nobody mentioned.
- Removal. Cut and scraped back, with the loft sheeted and the debris bagged as we go rather than piled in the hall.
- Inspection. With the foam off, the rafters can finally be seen and photographed.
- A written report with those photographs, in the form a lender or surveyor will accept.
Will the roof need replacing afterwards?
Often not. Plenty of roofs need nothing more than a new breathable membrane once the foam is gone. Some need timber repairs. A few were already failing and the foam was hiding it, which is worth knowing either way. Nobody can tell you which you have until it is off, and you should be wary of a quote that assumes the biggest job before anyone has looked.
If you are not selling
The case is weaker but not nothing. If it is closed cell foam directly on the timbers, there is a genuine moisture argument for taking it out regardless. If it is open cell on a well ventilated roof and you are staying put, it is less urgent. Ask for a straight view rather than a sales pitch.