East Sussex · London and the South East
Drone Roof Survey in Butcher's Cross
Close-up drone photographs of roofs that are hard to reach in Butcher's Cross, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- Vegetation in valleys and gutters
- Cracked flaunching or loose chimney pots
- Standing water on a flat roof
What a drone roof survey doesn’t cover
A survey is a proper look at the roof, but it cannot do everything. Its limits include:
- Flying in a flight restriction zone without the airport’s permission
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- Close-up photos of next door’s property
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney stacks
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Large and complex roofs
- Fragile roofs
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Tall and steep roofs
Drone roof survey in Butcher's Cross: what you get
Some roofs are hard or unsafe to reach. A drone takes close-up photographs of those roofs from the air. You see slates, ridges, chimneys, valleys and gutters in detail, including slopes that can’t be seen from the street. The photos go into a written report. It’s also a good option where walking on the roof could break slates or tiles. If we cannot fly, we tell you why. Common reasons to book are plant growth and moss on the roof and blocked valleys and parapet gutters, on chimney stacks, large and complex roofs and flat roofs on upper floors.
In a small place like Butcher's Cross, open ground can mean strong wind. A small drone cannot fly safely in high wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best with little wind. We plan the journey, access and timing around the weather. A change in the forecast can mean moving the visit to another day.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent, whichever applies.
- Where
- Butcher's Cross (TN20)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips that help
Getting the most from a drone roof survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Some tips:
- Expect a little longer if permission is needed
- Shut pets inside while we fly
- Allow for a change of day in poor weather
- Tell next door if the drone will be near their property
If you need work done, roofers can work from the photos. The photos show the location and extent of every problem, so their quotes cover the same ground.
After a storm, check from the garden and the street. Pieces of slate or tile on the ground mean something has moved. A drone can show exactly what has moved.
Different roofs, different checks
Chimney stacks
From the air, a lean or a loose pot is easy to see. Each defect is photographed for the report.
Flat roofs on tall buildings
Flat roof coverings wear out at different rates. We record the signs of age we can see.
Checking the roof from ground level
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
A lot can be seen from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Never climb onto the roof to look.
What happens on the day
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof; as a rough guide, the survey takes about 1–2 hours at a typical home, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. If you have questions on the day, just ask. Older roofs in small places like Butcher's Cross can have low, tight loft spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- We start by making sure a drone flight makes sense for the roof.
- A date is fixed, with a fallback in case the weather turns.
- We fly over the roof, keeping the camera on the property we are surveying.
- We also look inside the loft space where it’s safe.
- You get photos, findings and clear recommendations.
Before we arrive
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with whoever owns or manages the building
How to book
Unsure which package suits your roof? It is easiest to ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Read more
When to book a survey in Butcher's Cross
Parapet gutters, box gutters and central valleys sit out of sight. Leaves, silt and plant growth build up unseen, until it causes a leak inside. A drone shows them clearly from above.
Typical things we are asked to look at include:
- Coverings that have slipped high up on the roof
- Debris building up in hidden gutters
- Flashings that have come away
- Loose ridge and hip tiles
Take an older house close to Church of the Good Shepherd: tall stacks and steep slopes are easier to judge with close-up aerial photos than from the pavement.
What to check before booking
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Will the report include photos?
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
Nearby places to Butcher's Cross
Also in Butcher's Cross
Butcher's Cross questions
Is drone flying allowed in Butcher's Cross?
It depends on the exact address and the weather on the day. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. Strong wind or heavy rain also stops a small drone flying.
How do I find out if my home in Butcher's Cross is listed?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime, which suits people who work during the week. Let us know your preferred days as you book.
Can you survey in bad weather?
It can, depending on the survey. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. If the conditions are not right, we’ll talk to you about another date.
Do you need to get into the loft?
If the survey needs it and the roof space can be reached safely, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps, and if the loft cannot be reached safely, the report says so.
How soon will I get the report?
That depends on the survey you book: the Basic Survey report arrives within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey the same day. Reports are sent by email.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Airspace, weather and Butcher's Cross roofs
Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. 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.
If you look after a building like Skippers Hill Manor School, a drone or thermal camera can show a large roof in a single visit.
Butcher's Cross is about 4 miles south-east of Crowborough, in East Sussex. We provide drone roof surveys for householders, landlords and businesses in Butcher's Cross and the surrounding area. Our East Sussex coverage includes Butcher's Cross. There’s also a page for Crawley.
Surveys in TN20 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Neighbouring places we cover for drone roof surveys include Skippers Hill (1 mile south-west), Five Ashes (1 mile south), Woolbridge (1 mile north-east), Wellbrook (1 mile east) and Mayfield (2 miles north-east). Further out, we also cover Bexhill-on-Sea (15 miles south-east), Lewes (13 miles south-west), Hailsham (10 miles south), Crowborough (4 miles north-west), Uckfield (6 miles south-west) and Polegate (13 miles south).
Around Butcher's Cross
Around Butcher's Cross, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Five Ashes CofE Primary School and The Five Ashes Inn and the streets around them. Butcher's Cross’s nearest station is Crowborough station, about 3 miles north-west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Tickerage Castle (4.1 miles south-west) and Crowborough War Memorial Hospital (4.1 miles north-west). Not far away are Selwyns Wood.