West Sussex · London and the South East
Drone Roof Survey in Birchgrove
Close-up drone photographs of roofs that are hard to reach for Birchgrove, from an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- Slates or tiles shifted by high winds
- Slipped or missing slates on a high roof
- Outlets choked with leaves and silt
Why it’s worth a survey now in Birchgrove
Leaving a slipped slate or a blocked valley can turn a small fault into a leak. Finding them now means less to put right. For an older or listed building in a place like Birchgrove, repairs may need matching materials and consent, so a defect found early gives time to plan the work properly.
To find out what your survey will cost, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Why book with us
- Visits on any day of the week
- Prices that include VAT
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Plain-English reports with photos
Read our cost guide or two real surveys.
About our drone roof survey in Birchgrove
They suit tall buildings, steep or large roofs and roofs that are hard to see from the ground. They also suit fragile roofs that nobody should walk on, such as old slate, clay tiles or cement sheets. You get close-up views without anyone setting foot on the roof. We check the airspace for your address before the visit. We will tell you if another approach would work better. If you’ve noticed moss and weeds taking hold up top and loose ridge and hip tiles, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Somewhere as small as Birchgrove, older roofs are often steep and partly hidden by trees or outbuildings. Close-up drone photos and thermal images help show what cannot be reached safely. Weather and airspace are checked ahead of the visit, and the journey is planned beforehand. Older roofs with steep slopes and tall chimneys are where the extra view helps most.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent, whichever applies.
- Place
- Birchgrove (RH17)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Drone roof surveys in Birchgrove: local notes
Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions. The drone we use is under 250g, flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID. In the open category, flights stay below 120 m (400 ft) and within sight.
Historic houses such as Priest House, about 2.9 miles north-west, show how far back building around Birchgrove goes. A drone or thermal survey doesn’t involve any work on the roof, which suits older buildings.
Birchgrove is about 5 miles south of East Grinstead, in West Sussex. We carry out drone roof surveys for homes and businesses in Birchgrove and nearby. Birchgrove is one of the towns and villages in West Sussex we cover for drone roof surveys. There is also a page for Crawley.
Postcode districts we cover here for drone roof surveys: RH17. If you’re just outside Birchgrove, we cover Chelwood Gate (1 mile east), Chelwood Common (1 mile south-east), Danehill (1 mile south), Horsted Keynes (2 miles south-west) and Wych Cross (2 miles north-east). Further out, we also cover Crawley (9 miles north-west), Horsham (14 miles west), Haywards Heath (5 miles south-west), Burgess Hill (8 miles south-west), East Grinstead (5 miles north) and Broadfield (9 miles west).
Around Birchgrove
Nearby you’ll also find Heaven Farm Museum (2.3 miles south) and Waterbury Castle (1.7 miles south-west). The countryside around Birchgrove includes Brickfield Meadow.
Common questions in Birchgrove
Is my home in Birchgrove listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Is Birchgrove within the area you cover?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
What do I do with the report?
We email you the written report with photographs and recommendations. It’s yours to share with a seller, insurer, roofer or managing agent, whichever applies.
Does the report include photographs?
Yes. The report includes photos of what we found, so you can see exactly what each finding refers to.
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 you photograph next door’s garden?
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.
What if it is windy or raining on the day?
We do not fly in strong wind or heavy rain. The weather on the day decides whether the drone goes up. If it is unsuitable, we will agree another date.
Common roof problems in Birchgrove
Many roofs are never seen properly from ground level. Rear slopes, valleys and the tops of chimneys are hidden. Problems in those places frequently go unseen until they leak, which is why owners turn to a drone.
We’re frequently asked to look at:
- Lead work pulling away at abutments
- Ponding and splits on a high flat roof
- Plant growth and moss on the roof
- Damage after a storm that can’t be seen from below
The streets around a church such as Chelwood Gate Church are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, steep roofs, tall chimneys and hidden valleys can be hard to see from ground level, and that’s where a view from above or with a thermal imager helps.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- What the survey will not cover
- Are they insured for the work?
How the survey changes by roof type
Steep slate and tile slopes
Steep roofs are risky to walk on. From the air, every course of slates or tiles can be seen, showing slipped, cracked and missing pieces.
Ridges and hips
Loose ridge pieces can be lifted in a storm. Finding them early keeps them from coming down.
What you can safely check yourself
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground.
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
What we do, step by step
We don’t take risks to get a closer look. We inspect everything that’s safely in view, and anything we can’t see is noted in the report. The survey typically takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Older roofs in small places like Birchgrove can have low, tight loft spaces, so it helps to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it’s safe.
- We start by making sure a drone flight makes sense for the roof.
- A visit is booked for a weekday, Saturday or Sunday, weather permitting.
- We fly over the roof, keeping the camera on the property we’re surveying.
- Where there is safe access, we check the loft as well.
- You get photos, findings and clear recommendations.
Before we arrive
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with whoever owns or manages the building
Getting a price
Not sure which survey you need? It is easiest to phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will explain the options and the price.
Advice
Landlords, agents and block managers in Birchgrove
We survey roofs for letting agents and landlords as well as householders. A report with photos gives you a clear record of the roof.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, and the report can go to both. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.