West Sussex · London and the South East
Drone Roof Survey in Atherington
Find out the condition of the roof at your property in Atherington from an independent roof surveyor. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Blocked valleys and parapet gutters
- Damage after a storm that cannot be seen from below
- Loose ridge and hip tiles
Useful tips for Atherington property owners
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Keep dogs indoors during the visit
- Expect us to rearrange if it is too windy or wet
- Share the postcode so we can check for restrictions
- Clear a spot on the drive or lawn
The report gives any roofer you ask to quote a clear brief. The photos show the location and extent of every problem, so their quotes cover the same ground.
Have leaves and moss cleared from gutters, valleys and outlets, ideally once the leaves have fallen. On tall buildings, use a professional with the right access equipment. Many leaks start with a blocked outlet.
Drone roof surveys for homes and businesses in Atherington
Drones need reasonable weather. High wind or heavy rain rules out a flight, because control and safety come first. If the weather turns, we will agree another day. The forecast is checked ahead of the visit and again on the day. Calm, dry conditions give the sharpest close-up photos. A short delay is better than a rushed flight. If you are worried about slipped or missing slates on a high roof and wind damage high on the roof, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Some older homes in villages like Atherington are 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, before anyone decides what work it needs. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, so check with the council first.
After the visit, you get a photo-illustrated written report, emailed to you. It explains the condition of the roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Place
- Atherington (BN17)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we do, step by step
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. Most visits take between one and two hours at a typical home, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Older rural homes like those around Atherington can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- You give us the address so we can check the airspace.
- If permission is needed, we ask for it before the visit.
- Before the flight, we check the conditions and the take-off spot.
- The sub-250g drone takes close-up photos of the roof, kept in sight throughout.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we are coming
Booking a survey
You can call us seven days a week. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
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FAQs for Atherington
Will you come out to Atherington?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. Our area covers London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when booking.
Is my home in Atherington listed or in a conservation area?
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.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing are not part of what we do. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings, and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
What insurance do you have?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
What do I do with the report?
The report arrives by email. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation, so you can talk the findings through.
How much is a survey?
Our price is from £400, including VAT. You will know the exact price before booking, and it depends on the roof’s size, access and the package you choose. For a price, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
Do drone rules differ in central London?
Some areas need permission from NATS before any flight. Where we can’t fly, we use other safe vantage points.
Checking the roof from the ground
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry and it will help the survey.
Flying and imaging in Atherington
Atherington lies within about 1 mile of the sea, where wind off the sea can be strong. The weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead, as a small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or a downpour. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. Older coverings on steep or tall roofs are hard to judge from below, so close-up photos from the air and thermal images help.
Anyone responsible for a site like St Mary's CofE Primary School will know that a drone or thermal camera can show a large roof in a single visit. If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Bailiffscourt Chapel, steep roofs, tall chimneys and hidden valleys can be hard to see from ground level, and that’s where a view by drone or thermal camera helps.
Atherington is about 2 miles west of Littlehampton, in West Sussex. If you are in Atherington, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Our area takes in places right across West Sussex. Our Brighton page covers surveys nearby.
Postcode districts we cover here for drone roof surveys: BN17. If you’re just outside Atherington, we cover Climping (1 mile north), Horsemere Green (1 mile north-west), Ford (2 miles north), Wick (2 miles north-east) and Littlehampton (2 miles east). Larger places within reach include Worthing (8 miles east), Bognor Regis (5 miles west), Chichester (9 miles west), Selsey (10 miles south-west), Shoreham-by-Sea (14 miles east) and Lancing (11 miles east).
Around Atherington
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Littlehampton Academy and The Black Horse Public House and the streets around them. Atherington’s nearest station is Littlehampton station, about 1.5 miles east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Lyminster Siege Castle (3.8 miles north-east) and Rustington Museum (3.3 miles east). Not far away are WWT Arundel.
Places near Atherington
Other services in Atherington
What happens if roof problems are left?
Planning roof work without seeing the roof is a gamble. You get photographs of every part we can see. That helps you put the work in order. Older and listed buildings around Atherington may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so leaving a defect until it is urgent leaves less time to plan.
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all inc. VAT. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Why book with us
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Visits on any day of the week
- A report with photographs
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
What this survey cannot tell you
It is a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- The underside of the roof (that needs an inside check)
- Neighbouring roofs the owner hasn’t asked us to survey
- A flight where airspace permission is refused
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What our survey covers.
What we check
- Chimney stacks
- Large and complex roofs
- Fragile roofs
- Tall and steep roofs
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Valleys and parapet gutters
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To discuss a number of properties, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Atherington and across West Sussex can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.