West Sussex · London and the South East
Drone Roof Survey in Coates
Get a clear view of the roof at a property in Coates. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Tired mortar and pots at the top of a stack
- Moss and weeds taking hold up top
- Coverings that have slipped high up on the roof
FAQs for Coates
Is my home in Coates listed or in a conservation area?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Is drone flying allowed in Coates?
Normally it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions. Strong wind or heavy rain also stops a small drone flying.
Are you structural engineers?
No. Our survey is not a structural engineer’s report, and it does not include calculations. We’ll recommend an engineer if we see signs that call for one.
What do I do with the report?
We email you the written report with photos and recommendations. It is yours to share with a seller, insurer, roofer or managing agent, whichever applies.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Only when it is safe. Safety comes first, and fragile or steep roofs cannot always be walked on. Safe viewpoints, the loft and a drone where it applies let us see the rest.
Does someone need to be in?
Not always. If we only need the outside, we can agree that ahead of time, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
About our drone roof survey in Coates
Drones need reasonable weather. High wind or heavy rain rules out a flight, because control and safety come first. If the day turns out unsuitable, we’ll talk about another date. We check the forecast ahead of the visit and again on site. Calm, dry conditions give the sharpest close-up photos. A short delay is better than a rushed flight. We survey tall and steep roofs, valleys and parapet gutters and fragile roofs, and common reasons people get in touch are eroded pointing on a chimney stack and ponding and splits on a high flat roof.
Somewhere as small as Coates, older roofs are frequently steep and partly hidden by trees or outbuildings. A drone and a thermal camera each give a view you can’t get from ground level. Both the forecast and the airspace are checked first. Steep slopes and tall chimney stacks are where a close-up view adds the most.
It isn’t only a list of defects. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend.
- Place
- Coates (RH20)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Prices
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney stacks
Chimney tops are hard to see from the ground. Close-up photos show the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
Ridges and hips
Ridges and hips are the most exposed parts of a pitched roof. A drone shows cracked mortar and loose ridge tiles.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Coates
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, with the most urgent items set out first.
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, including offices, shops and units. Larger roofs take longer, so they’re priced to suit.
Tips that help
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Let neighbours know about the flight if your roof is shared
- Share the postcode so we can check for restrictions
- Book early if you’re near an airport
- Clear a spot on the drive or lawn
File the report and photos with your home documents. They’re a useful baseline for future surveys, and they help if you sell.
Look at the roof from the ground after strong winds. Debris in the garden is a sign to act on. A drone survey can show what has shifted.
How it works
Photographs are taken throughout the visit, so you can see in the report what we found and where. We take close-ups from wherever is safe. A typical visit takes between one and two hours for most homes, with the pre-flight checks included, and longer for big commercial roofs. Older roofs in small places like Coates can have low, tight loft spaces, so it is useful to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- First, we check the address for flight restrictions.
- If permission is needed, we ask for it ahead of the visit.
- On the day, we check the weather and the site before flying.
- The sub-250g drone takes close-up photographs of the roof, kept in sight throughout.
- Your report arrives by email, with close-up photos and recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Leave side gates unlocked
Book a survey
We survey roofs seven days a week. To arrange a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Related advice
Drone roof surveys in Coates: local notes
The drone we use is under 250g, flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID. Open category rules keep flights below 120 m (400 ft) and the drone within sight at all times. Bignor Roman Villa, about 2.1 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Coates. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
Take an older house close to Church of St Agatha: thin or patchy insulation under an old roof frequently shows up clearly on a thermal image.
Coates is about 10 miles north of Littlehampton, in West Sussex. From houses to flats and shops in Coates, we can survey the roof. We cover towns and villages across West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. For surveys nearby, see our Crawley page.
Here we cover the RH20 postcode area for drone roof surveys. We also cover Lower Horncroft (1 mile east), Fittleworth (1 mile north-east), Bedham (1 mile north-east), Watersfield (2 miles south-east) and Coldwaltham (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Horsham (14 miles north-east), Worthing (12 miles south-east), Bognor Regis (12 miles south-west), Chichester (12 miles south-west), Littlehampton (10 miles south) and Lancing (14 miles south-east).
Around Coates
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Swan Hotel. For rail, the closest station is Pulborough station, about 2.7 miles east. Nearby you will also find Coates Castle (0.5 miles south-west) and Coultershaw Heritage Site (2 miles north-west). Open spaces near Coates include Bignor Hill and Amberley Wild Brooks.
Nearby places to Coates
More services for Coates
What a survey costs
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- The shape of the roof and its details
Our price is from £400, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and which survey you book.
Getting in touch
A little information up front helps. It helps to include:
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Anything about access we should know
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
When to book a survey in Coates
From the pavement, most of a tall roof is out of sight. Rear slopes, valleys and the tops of chimneys are hidden. Problems in those places often go unseen until they leak.
Common reasons to book include:
- Ridge and hip pieces working loose
- Standing water on a flat roof
- Eroded pointing on a chimney stack
- Damage after a storm that cannot be seen from below
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Fittleworth CofE Village School, a drone or thermal camera can show a large roof in a single visit.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- When you will get the report
- What happens after the report arrives