Greater London · London and the South East
Drone Roof Survey in Aldgate
Get a clear view of the roof at a property in Aldgate from an independent roof surveyor. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Cracked slates and tiles out of sight from below
- Slates or tiles shifted by high winds
- Flat roofs on upper floors that hold water
Aldgate questions
Is drone flying allowed in Aldgate?
It depends on the exact address and the weather on the day. Aldgate is about 1 mile from the restricted area over the City of London, where drone flights need permission from NATS. If a roof falls inside it, we apply for permission before flying, and the flight only goes ahead if it is granted. Across London there are restriction zones around Heathrow, London City and London Heliport, plus restricted areas over Hyde Park, the City of London and the Isle of Dogs. Each address is checked against all of them before the drone goes up. A small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or a downpour.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Aldgate?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is frequently shared, so the building owner or managing agent needs to agree access. We inspect only the parts we’re allowed to reach.
Will you photograph what you find?
Yes. Photos are part of every report.
How soon will I get the report?
It depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day. The report is emailed to you.
How long is the visit?
That depends on the size and shape of the roof, but most surveys take about one to two hours at a house, including the airspace and weather checks before take-off. The report is sent afterwards by email.
About our drone roof survey in Aldgate
Our drone weighs under 250g, and we hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID. We keep it in sight throughout, and within the 120-metre limit that applies to all drones in the open category. Each flight is planned with the site and its surroundings in mind. Airspace and weather are checked before every flight. We never fly where it is not safe. If you’ve noticed storm damage on steep or tall roofs and loose ridge and hip tiles, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
London roofs sit shoulder to shoulder in terraces and blocks, which makes care around neighbours part of the job. Images are taken to show the roof we are surveying, with care for neighbours’ privacy. Let us know about the building and access as you book. The extra view helps most on steep slopes, tall stacks and rear additions.
What you get is a clear record of the roof on the day we saw it. It’s useful right away, and a good reference for later, for instance when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Where
- Aldgate (E1, EC2A, SE1)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Why get it checked now?
Leaving a high roof unchecked means relying on what you can see from below. Close-up photos show what’s really there, slope by slope. Seeing the problem makes it easier to decide what to do. Many older London roofs have only old felt under the slates, or no underlay at all, so once the slates or flashings let water past, little stops it reaching ceilings. Left unchecked, water soaks into timber and plaster and the damage spreads.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how it can be reached and seen safely. Our price is from £400, including VAT.
What you get with us
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Every finding written up with photos
- Prices that include VAT
- An independent view of the roof
When you need someone else
It is useful to know what a survey won’t do before booking:
- Anything inside the loft or under the coverings
- Photos in conditions too poor to fly
- Neighbouring roofs the owner hasn’t asked us to survey
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll tell you. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Aldgate
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Fragile roofs
- Chimney stacks
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Tall and steep roofs
- Large and complex roofs
How the survey works
We don’t take risks to get a closer look. Everything that can be seen safely is inspected, and if part of the roof cannot be seen, the report says so. The survey usually takes an hour or two at a house, including the airspace and weather checks before take-off. For a visit in Aldgate, parking and access are the things to plan: let us know about parking, the floor the property is on, any shared entrance and loft access. We then look at everything that’s safely in view from ground level, windows, the loft and, where it is safe, the roof itself.
- We start by checking the airspace and any restrictions at your address.
- We arrange any permission that is needed before we fly.
- On the day, we check the weather and the site before flying.
- The sub-250g drone takes close-up photos of the roof, kept in sight throughout.
- Your report arrives by email, with close-up photos and recommendations.
Before the survey
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
Booking a survey
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
Different roofs, different checks
Valleys and parapet gutters
When a parapet outlet blocks, water can come inside. Outlets and any debris around them are photographed.
Chimney stacks
Our drone check of a chimney is visual, and it is not a flue or gas safety check. We’ll say if a specialist is needed.
What a drone roof survey looks like in Aldgate
The restricted area over the City of London, where drone flights need permission from NATS, is about 1 mile from Aldgate. If a roof falls inside it, we apply for permission before flying, and the flight only goes ahead if it’s granted. Welsh slate on Victorian and Edwardian terraces is a familiar sight across inner London. From the street you may see only a parapet, with a butterfly roof and a valley gutter behind it draining to the back. Lead flashings, party-wall upstands and shared chimney stacks are typical of these houses, if yours is one of them. Where a roof is steep, tall or hard to see from the ground, drone photos and thermal images add detail.
With Mansion House about 0.5 miles west, the area around Aldgate has a long history. For older roofs nearby, a look by drone or thermal camera is a hands-off way to check condition. For site and facilities teams at buildings like The Aldgate School, big roofs are where close-up aerial shots and thermal images show the most at once. The streets around a church such as St James Duke's Place are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, older roofs can be steep and hard to see from the street, which is where aerial photos and thermal images help.
Aldgate is about 1 mile north-east of London, in Greater London. Bookings from Aldgate are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Across Greater London, we cover Aldgate.
Drone roof surveys in E1, EC2A and SE1 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. You’ll find streets such as Bush Lane, Swan Lane and Mark Lane, all of which we cover. You’ll find Aldgate on the A3 and A10, so it’s easy for us to get to. Neighbouring places we cover for drone roof surveys include Spitalfields (1 mile north-east), Bishopsgate (1 mile north-west), Tower Hill (1 mile south), Whitechapel (1 mile north-east) and City of London (1 mile west). Further out, we also cover City of Westminster (3 miles west), Marylebone (3 miles west), Kensington (5 miles west), Walthamstow (6 miles north-east), Hampstead (5 miles north-west) and Ruislip (15 miles west).
Landmarks near Aldgate
In Aldgate, that means homes and buildings near Bishopsgate Institute Special Collections and Archives, Fund Academy and East India Arms. Also close by are London Enterprise Academy (0.6 miles east), St Mary-at-Hill (less than half a mile south-west) and Finsbury Circus (0.5 miles north-west). There is a railway station in Aldgate itself: London Fenchurch Street station. Well-known places in the area include Gabriel's Wharf (1.4 miles west) and Tower of London (within half a mile south). Open spaces near Aldgate include St. James's Park Lake and Lavender Pond.
Towns and villages near Aldgate
What else we do in Aldgate
Practical tips
Getting the most from a drone roof survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Some tips:
- Move stored items away from the hatch
- Allow time for permission if you’re in a flight restriction zone
- Clear a spot on the drive or lawn
- Keep dogs indoors during the visit
The Premium Survey report comes the same day. Drone photographs are included where we could fly, alongside the other checks in the package.
Keep gutters, valleys and outlets clear, particularly in autumn. On high roofs, leave clearing to a professional. Many leaks start with a blocked outlet.
How we price drone roof surveys
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Which survey package you book
- The shape of the roof and its details
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
Prices start from £400, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, inc. VAT, and we will tell you which fits.
Booking your survey
The more you tell us, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, tell us:
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- What’s prompted the survey
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- What kind of property and roof it is
For a price for drone roof surveys in Aldgate, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. The address, the type of property and what you want to find out help us price the survey accurately.