Essex · London and the South East
Drone roof survey in Arkesden, Essex
Drone roof surveys across Arkesden, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Moss and weeds taking hold up top
- Lead work pulling away at abutments
- Chimney tops in poor condition
About our drone roof survey in Arkesden
Drone surveys suit tall houses, blocks of flats, steep roofs and large commercial roofs. They’re useful where walking on the roof could damage it or is not safe, like old slate, clay tiles or cement sheets. The roof is photographed without being disturbed. Ahead of the visit, we check the address for any airspace restrictions that apply. We’ll tell you if another approach would work better. If you’re worried about wind damage high on the roof and debris building up in hidden gutters, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Older buildings in small places like Arkesden may be listed or in a conservation area. Neither a drone survey nor a thermal survey involves any work on the roof, which suits a building where any change needs care. Check with the council before planning any work on a listed building or one in a conservation area.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Place
- Arkesden (CB11)
- Region
- Essex
- Prices
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Drones, thermal imaging and Arkesden roofs
The drone we use is under 250g, flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID. Flights in the open category stay under 120 m (400 ft), with the drone kept in sight. In Essex, older buildings are often clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, and a good many post-war and modern estates besides. Older coverings on steep or tall roofs are hard to judge from below, so close-up photos from the air and thermal images help.
Audley End House lies about 3.5 miles north-east, so building around Arkesden goes back a long way. A drone or thermal survey does not involve any work on the roof, which suits older buildings. The streets around a church like Church of St Mary the Virgin are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, tall stacks and steep slopes are easier to judge with close-up aerial photos than from the pavement.
Arkesden is about 4 miles south-west of Saffron Walden, in Essex. In Arkesden, as across Essex, every roof gets the same careful survey. Our Essex coverage includes Arkesden. You can also see our page for Chelmsford.
All of CB11 is covered for drone roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Streets in the area include Clatterbury Lane, Wicken Road and Hampit Road, and we cover them all. Neighbouring places we cover for drone roof surveys include Hill Green (1 mile south), Wicken Bonhunt (1 mile south-east), Clavering (2 miles south-west), Starling's Green (2 miles south-west) and Langley (2 miles west). We also work in nearby towns such as Harlow (15 miles south), Saffron Walden (4 miles north-east), Great Dunmow (12 miles south-east), Stansted Mountfitchet (6 miles south), Newhall (15 miles south) and Elsenham (6 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in Arkesden
Typical jobs here are in homes near Axe And Compasses Inn, among other places. Arkesden’s nearest station is Audley End station, roughly 2.3 miles north-east of the centre. A little further out are Saffron Walden Community Hospital (4.9 miles north-east) and The Warren (4 miles west).
What you can safely check yourself
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date.
Common roof problems in Arkesden
Hidden gutters and valleys are easy to overlook. Leaves, silt and plant growth build up unseen, until it causes a leak inside. From above, they’re easy to see.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Ridge and hip pieces working loose
- Hidden gutters full of leaves
- Slates or tiles shifted by high winds
- Ponding and splits on a high flat roof
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Joyce Frankland Academy, big roofs are where aerial photos and thermal images show the most at once.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Which limits apply to the survey
What we do, step by step
We photograph the roof as we go, so you can see in the report what we found and where. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available. Most surveys take about 1–2 hours at a house, including the airspace and weather checks before take-off. In a hamlet or village like Arkesden, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- First comes the address, plus a note of what worries you about the roof.
- Airspace restrictions are checked and permission sought where needed.
- On the day, we check the wind, weather and site before flying.
- Close-up photos are taken of each slope, chimney, valley and gutter, with the drone always in view.
- We email the report with close-up photos and recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
Book a survey
When you’re ready to go ahead, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day, weekday or weekend.
Related advice
Common questions in Arkesden
Is Arkesden within the area you cover?
Yes, Arkesden is covered. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
Are there drone restrictions around Arkesden?
That depends on where the roof is and on the weather. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. Strong wind or a downpour also stops a small drone flying.
Does the report include photographs?
Yes. We photograph the roof as we go, and the report uses them to show each finding.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. It’s a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
We carry out surveys on any day of the week. To arrange a date, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
How do I book a survey in Arkesden?
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address, the type of property and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price and agree a day with you.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. We inspect everything that’s safely in view: from the ground, from windows and vantage points, from the loft space, from the roof itself where safe and by drone where it applies. Anything we cannot see is noted in the report.
Places near Arkesden
What else we do in Arkesden
Practical tips
There is plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Allow for a change of day in poor weather
- Expect a little longer if permission is needed
- Tell next door if the drone will be near their property
- Give us the full address so we can check the airspace
The report gives any roofer you ask to quote a clear brief. The photos show the location and extent of every problem.
Look at the roof from ground level after strong winds. Pieces of slate or tile on the ground mean something has moved. A drone survey can show what has shifted.
For landlords and managing agents
Landlords, agents and building managers in Arkesden and across Essex can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
With a portfolio of properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the addresses.
Roof by roof
Ridges and hips
Ridges and hips are the most exposed parts of a pitched roof. A drone shows cracked mortar and loose ridge tiles.
Valleys and parapet gutters
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter. It is almost impossible to see from the ground, but a drone shows it clearly.