Drone roof survey

How it works

1. You tell us the address and what you’d like us to look at.
2. We check the airspace for flight restriction zones and other restrictions, and ask for permission where it’s needed.
3. On the day, we check the wind and rain before flying.
4. We fly the drone over the roof and photograph each slope, chimney, valley and gutter close up.
5. Your report sets out what the photographs show, with recommendations.

Airports and central London

Flight restriction zones surround airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick, London City, Stansted, Luton and Southampton, and flying inside one needs permission from the airport. Central London has restricted areas over Hyde Park, the City of London and the Isle of Dogs. We check the Drone Safety Map before every flight.

Neighbours and privacy

We fly over the roof we’ve been asked to survey and take care not to photograph neighbouring gardens and windows. We can only inspect neighbouring roofs where their owner gives permission.

Why it’s worth doing now

The parts of a roof that fail most often, such as valleys, chimney tops, flashings and parapet gutters, are usually the hardest to see from the ground. On tall, steep or fragile roofs, a drone shows them close up without anyone having to climb onto the roof.

What our survey covers and doesn’t

We inspect what can be seen safely: from the ground, from windows and vantage points, from inside the roof space where there is safe access, from the roof where it is safe, and by drone where applicable. Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey, not a structural engineer’s report and not an asbestos survey, and we can’t see under coverings or inside walls without opening them up. Where a roof may contain asbestos, such as cement sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag it so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check before it is disturbed.

What our survey covers

What affects the price

• The size and height of the roof
• How many roofs there are, including extensions, dormers and garages
• How complex the roof is: valleys, parapets, chimneys and different levels
• Access to the roof space and the roof
• The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
• Whether drone inspection or thermal imaging is needed
• For commercial roofs and blocks, the size of the roof and the number of buildings

What to check before booking a roof surveyor

• What the report includes, and when you’ll get it
• Whether photographs are included
• How the roof will be inspected: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
• Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
• For drone work, a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
• What the survey doesn’t cover
• The price, including VAT

After the survey

Go through the photographs with the report, deal with urgent items first and share the images with roofers so they can price the work accurately. Keep them as a record of the roof’s condition on the day of the survey.