Greater London · London and the South East
Drone roof survey in Acton, Greater London
Drone roof surveys across Acton, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. You get a clear report with photographs.
- Eroded pointing on a chimney stack
- Lead work pulling away at abutments
- Cracked mortar along the ridge
Drone roof survey in Acton
A drone shows the outside of a roof very well, but it can’t see inside. Where there’s safe access, we look in the loft space too, because the underside tells its own story. Together, the two give a fuller picture. The report sets out what the drone showed and what we found inside. Where the loft cannot be reached safely, we note it. Common reasons to book are cracked flaunching or loose chimney pots and flashings that have come away, across large and complex roofs, valleys and parapet gutters and fragile roofs.
Many London roofs are hidden from the pavement: butterfly roofs behind parapets, dormer tops and flat roofs over back additions. Drone photos and thermal images can show parts of a roof that are hard to reach safely. The weather decides the day: both drones and thermal cameras need the right conditions. What a thermal image shows is temperature, so anything that looks like moisture is checked with a meter.
What you get is a clear record of the roof on the day we saw it. It is useful straight away, and a good reference for later, for example when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Place
- Acton (W3, W4, NW10, W12)
- Region
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Surveys for landlords and agents in Acton
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed in advance. Surveys run on any day of the week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Also in Acton
Practical tips
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out:
- Let neighbours know about the flight if your roof is shared
- Expect a little longer if permission is needed
- Let us know what you want to see
- Shut pets inside while we fly
Premium also includes a 12-month follow-up. It helps you see how the roof has changed over the year, and whether work has done its job.
Have leaves and moss cleared from gutters, valleys and outlets, especially in autumn. On high roofs, leave clearing to a professional. Blocked hidden gutters cause many leaks.
How we price drone roof surveys
All our prices include VAT. What changes the price is:
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- The size of the roof
- Which survey package you book
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package you pick makes a difference too. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
What we need to know
A little information up front helps. Please include:
- Dates you are working to, like exchange
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
Photos help, if you have them. Take them safely from the ground or a window; never climb up to get a better view. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or email us.
What happens on the day
When we arrive, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that is worrying you. After that, we look at everything we can see safely. The survey usually takes roughly 1–2 hours for most houses, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. Surveys in Acton can be booked for any day of the week. It helps if you can point us to a visitor permit or a nearby bay, and to clear a path to the loft hatch. Upstairs rooms at the back are useful too, as they frequently give the best view of a rear addition.
- First, we check the address for flight restrictions.
- If permission is needed, we ask for it before the visit.
- We assess the wind, the weather and the surroundings before take-off.
- The drone captures close-up photos of the coverings, chimneys, valleys and gutters.
- Your report arrives by email, with close-up photos and recommendations.
Before we arrive
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
Arrange a survey
To get a price for drone roof surveys in Acton, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email. The address, the type of property and what you’d like to know help us give you an accurate price.
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Your questions about drone roof surveys in Acton
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Acton?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Can parking be tricky for a visit in Acton?
London parking needs a little planning, so let us know about permits, bays or a driveway as you book. The visit is then planned around what’s available.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We are roof surveyors, not structural engineers, and it doesn’t include calculations. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we’ll recommend one.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Will the drone film my neighbours?
Privacy is taken seriously on every flight. The camera is pointed at your roof, not next door. It’s worth telling neighbours about the flight.
How many surveys have you done?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years.
Is a drone roof survey a thermal survey?
Not as part of the drone survey, which is about close-up photos. For thermal imaging, look at the Premium Survey or our thermal roof survey.
Honest limits
It is a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- Close-up photos of next door’s property
- Flying in a flight restriction zone without the airport’s permission
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Chimney stacks
- Tall and steep roofs
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Large and complex roofs
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Fragile roofs
What you can safely check yourself
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Airspace, weather and Acton roofs
The drone we use is under 250g, flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID. Open category rules keep flights below 120 m (400 ft) and the drone within sight at all times. Gunnersbury Park, about 1.4 miles south-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Acton. If your home is one of the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Acton is in London, so parking needs planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day easier, as a space near the door cannot be promised. For businesses in and around places like Westfield London, large commercial roofs are often easiest to see from the air or with a thermal camera. Take a building like Derwentwater Primary School: big roofs are where photos from the air and thermal images show the most at once.
Acton is about 3 miles west of Kensington, in Greater London. We survey roofs in Acton and the rest of Greater London, as part of our work across London and South East England. Our Greater London coverage includes Acton. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in W3, W4, NW10 and W12 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. That includes homes and businesses on High Street, Church Road and Woodhurst Road. Acton sits on or near the B490 and A4000. If you’re just outside Acton, we cover Acton Vale (1 mile east), Acton Green (1 mile south), Bedford Park (1 mile south), Hanger Hill (1 mile north-west) and South Acton (1 mile south-west). Larger places within reach include London (7 miles east), City of Westminster (5 miles east), Marylebone (5 miles east), Kensington (3 miles east), St Pancras (6 miles east) and Shoreditch (8 miles east).
Local landmarks in Acton
Around Acton, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Leap Service - the National Autistics Society, Library for Iranian Studies and Ark Soane Academy and the streets around them. Other local landmarks include The Windmill pub (within half a mile south) and Ealing Common (1.2 miles west). Acton has its own railway station: Acton Central station. Other landmarks nearby include Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital (1.3 miles east) and London Transport Museum Depot (0.8 miles south-west). For a walk, there is Castlebar Hill and Hanger Hill Wood.