Kent · London and the South East
Drone roof survey in Brattle, Kent
Drone roof surveys around Brattle, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Ridge and hip pieces working loose
- Cracked slates and tiles out of sight from below
- Moss building up on slopes and in gutters
Drone roof survey in Brattle
Before any flight, we check the airspace. Near protected airports like Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton, flight restriction zones mean permission is needed first. Parts of central London have restricted areas too, where NATS permission is needed. If permission is not given, we inspect by other means and explain why. Prisons have their own drone restriction zones too. Typical surveys look at lead work pulling away at abutments and cracked slates and tiles out of sight from below, across flat roofs on upper floors, fragile roofs and large and complex roofs.
Some older homes in villages like Brattle are listed or in a conservation area. Neither a drone survey nor a thermal survey involves any work on the roof, so it is a gentle way to see the condition of an old roof. Check with the council before planning any work on a listed building or one in a conservation area.
Most points in the report come with a picture, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Place
- Brattle (TN26)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Landlord and commercial surveys in Brattle
Shared roofs need a little more planning: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Let us know about it as you book and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
Airspace, weather and Brattle roofs
Many older homes in Kent have handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles held by pegs through two holes, and tile-hanging on their upper walls. Oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of the county’s older buildings too. Steep or complicated roofs are often hard to see from ground level, which is where aerial photos and thermal images help. We fly a sub-250g drone and are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). Flights in the open category stay under 120 m (400 ft), with the drone kept in sight.
For an older house near a landmark such as Parish Church of All Saints, thin or patchy insulation under an old roof often shows up clearly on a thermal image. Anyone responsible for a site like Woodchurch Church of England Primary School will know that a drone or thermal camera can show a large roof in a single visit.
Brattle is about 6 miles south-west of Ashford, in Kent. Wherever you are in Brattle, we can come and survey your property. Our area takes in places right across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Maidstone is in our area too.
We survey roofs across the TN26 postcode area for drone roof surveys and the streets around it. Local streets include Front Road, Lower Road and Appledore Road, all of which we cover. If you are just outside Brattle, we cover Woodchurch (1 mile north), Brook Street (1 mile west), Shirkoak (1 mile north), Appledore Heath (2 miles south) and Reading Street (3 miles south-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Ashford (6 miles north-east), Hythe (13 miles east), Tenterden (4 miles west), Park Wood (15 miles north-west), Kennington (8 miles north-east) and New Romney (9 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Brattle
In Brattle, that means homes and buildings near Stonebridge Inn. For rail, the closest station is Appledore (Kent) station, about 3.1 miles south-east. Well-known places in the area include Woodchurch Village Life Museum (1 mile north-west). Not far away are Orlestone Forest.
Why it is worth a survey now in Brattle
Planning roof work without seeing the roof is a gamble. You get photos of every part we can see, with recommendations prioritised by urgency where relevant. You can tackle the urgent items first. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Brattle, driving rain gets into any weakness, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
We offer three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Why book with us
- An independent look at the roof
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Visits on any day of the week
Nearby places to Brattle
What else we do in Brattle
How the survey works
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. Most visits take roughly 1–2 hours at most homes, or half a day or so for a commercial building. Cottages and farmhouses around Brattle often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- We confirm whether a drone suits your roof.
- We agree a date, including weekends, subject to the weather.
- We fly over the roof, keeping the camera on the property we’re surveying.
- Where there’s safe access, we check the loft as well.
- Everything is written up, with the aerial photos and our advice.
Getting ready for the survey
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Let us know where we can park nearby
Booking a survey
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We’ll confirm the price before you book.
Related advice
Different roofs, different checks
Steep slate and tile slopes
Old slates and clay tiles can crack underfoot. A drone avoids that, so the survey doesn’t add damage.
Large commercial roofs
Many commercial roofs have fragile sheets or roof lights. With a drone, nobody has to go near them.
Questions from Brattle
Will you come out to Brattle?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Brattle?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Can you fly a drone near an airport?
Near airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick, London City and Stansted, flight restriction zones apply. We check the airspace for your address and seek permission where it’s needed. If it isn’t given, we inspect by other means.
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.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys.
What does the report include?
It sets out what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, backed by photographs. Anything we couldn’t see safely is noted too.
Are you insured?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Before and after the survey
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Keep a clear space in the garden or drive for take-off
- Keep pets indoors during the flight
- Let us know about any leaks or concerns
- Book early if you’re near an airport
Premium also includes a 12-month follow-up. 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, ideally once the leaves have fallen. On high roofs, leave clearing to a professional. Blocked hidden gutters cause many leaks.
What we’re asked to look at in Brattle
Parapet gutters, box gutters and central valleys sit out of sight. Debris collects where nobody looks, until water overflows inside. A drone shows them clearly from above.
It is worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Slipped or missing slates on a high roof
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Plant growth and moss on the roof
- Hidden gutters full of leaves
Smallhythe Place, about 4.1 miles south-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Brattle. For older roofs nearby, a look by drone or thermal camera is a hands-off way to check condition.
What to check before booking
- Their track record with similar roofs
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Their report turnaround times