East Sussex · London and the South East
Barcombe Mills Drone Roof Survey
Close-up drone photographs of roofs that are hard to reach in Barcombe Mills, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photos.
- Damage after a storm that cannot be seen from below
- Flat roofs on upper floors that hold water
- Eroded pointing on a chimney stack
Tips from our surveys
A little preparation and a few simple habits help, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Our tips:
- Expect us to rearrange if it is too windy or wet
- Mention anything you’ve noticed on the roof
- Allow time for permission if you are in a flight restriction zone
- Clear the loft hatch so we can check inside too
There is a follow-up after 12 months with the Premium Survey. It shows whether anything has moved or worn since the first visit, and whether work has done its job.
Have leaves and moss cleared from gutters, valleys and outlets, especially in autumn. 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 Barcombe Mills
We carry out drone roof surveys in Barcombe Mills and across London and South East England, where the airspace and the weather allow. We fly on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. We check the airspace for your address before booking a flight. The report includes the drone photos and our recommendations. To ask whether a drone survey suits your roof, phone 07833 053749 or email us. We survey large and complex roofs, valleys and parapet gutters and flat roofs on upper floors, and the problems we are asked to look at most are gaps where slates or tiles have gone and cracked mortar along the ridge.
In a small place like Barcombe Mills, open ground can mean strong wind. Strong wind or a downpour stops a small drone flying, and calm conditions also suit thermal imaging best. The visit is planned around the forecast, along with the journey and access. If the day turns windy or wet, the visit can be moved.
Nothing in the report is left vague: where something needs attention, it says so plainly, along with how urgent it is.
- Place
- Barcombe Mills (BN8)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Prices
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Leave it or get it looked at?
Leaving a slipped slate or a blocked valley can turn a small fault into a leak. Spotting them early keeps the work smaller. For an older or listed building in a place like Barcombe Mills, repairs may need matching materials and consent, so leaving a defect until it’s urgent leaves less time to plan.
One thing that affects the price is the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, inc. VAT. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Why book us in Barcombe Mills
- Clear package prices, including VAT
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- Surveys seven days a week
- Every finding written up with photos
Read our cost guide or our case studies.
How the survey changes by roof type
Large commercial roofs
Large commercial roofs cover a lot of ground. The drone covers the roof area by area, so nothing is skipped.
Steep slate and tile slopes
Old slates and clay tiles can crack underfoot. The drone sees them without touching them, so the survey doesn’t add damage.
Honest limits
A survey is a careful look at the roof, but it cannot do everything. Its limits include:
- Anything inside the loft or under the coverings
- A flight where airspace permission is refused
- Photos in conditions too poor to fly
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
What we check
- Tall and steep roofs
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Large and complex roofs
- Chimney stacks
- Fragile roofs
- Valleys and parapet gutters
Your questions about drone roof surveys in Barcombe Mills
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Barcombe Mills?
We cannot confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Barcombe Mills?
The answer turns on the exact location and the conditions on the day. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first, including zones around airports and prisons. A small drone can’t fly safely in high wind or heavy rain.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We note visible signs such as sagging or deflection, but we don’t carry out calculations or give an engineer’s opinion. If we think you need an engineer, the report says so.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. Our survey is a roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey of the whole building. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
When does the report arrive?
Report times are set by the package. Basic: within 48 hours. Standard: 24 to 48 hours. Premium: the same day. Mention any deadline when booking.
Will I get photos?
Yes, plenty. Pictures sit next to the findings they show, which makes the report easy to follow.
Is Barcombe Mills in your area?
Yes. Our area covers London and South East England, and that includes Barcombe Mills.
Drone roof surveys in Barcombe Mills: local notes
Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung upper walls are typical of older Sussex houses. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs, and the county’s older buildings include oast houses and Wealden hall houses. Steep or complicated roofs are frequently hard to see from ground level, which is where close-up aerial shots and thermal images help. 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.
Historic houses such as Glyndebourne, about 3 miles south-east, show how far back building around Barcombe Mills goes. A drone or thermal survey doesn’t involve any work on the roof, which suits older buildings. For an older house near a landmark such as The Parish Church of St Mary, tall stacks and steep slopes are easier to judge with close-up aerial photos than from the pavement. Take a building like Barcombe Church of England Primary School: a view from above covers a wide roof far faster than walking it.
Barcombe Mills is about 3 miles north-east of Lewes, in East Sussex. We survey roofs in Barcombe Mills and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and the South East. We cover towns and villages across East Sussex, large and small. There’s also a page for Brighton.
Here we cover the BN8 postcode area for drone roof surveys. We also cover Barcombe (1 mile west), Barcombe Cross (1 mile north-west), Upper Wellingham (1 mile south), Mount Pleasant (1 mile north) and Norlington (2 miles south-east). We also work in nearby towns like Eastbourne (14 miles south-east), Seaford (10 miles south), Lewes (3 miles south-west), Hailsham (10 miles east), Crowborough (11 miles north-east) and Uckfield (5 miles north-east).
Near you in Barcombe Mills
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Anglers Rest pub and Ringmer Community College and Sixth Form and the streets around them. Barcombe Mills’s nearest station is Cooksbridge station, about 2 miles south-west. Nearby you will also find Lewes Castle (3.2 miles south) and Museum of Agricultural Bygones (2.9 miles south-east). Not far away are Cliffe Hill and Malling Down.
What we do, step by step
After the inspection, everything we found is written up in a report with photos. As for time on site, most surveys take about one to two hours on an ordinary house; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. Older rural homes like those around Barcombe Mills can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen.
- We confirm whether a drone suits your roof.
- A date is fixed, with a fallback in case the weather turns.
- Aerial photos are taken of your roof only, not the neighbours’.
- We also look inside the roof space where it’s safe.
- The report sets out what we found, with photos and recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Booking a survey
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
Advice
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Do not go up yourself.
You can learn a lot from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.