Greater London · London and the South East
Coulsdon Drone Roof Survey
Drone roof surveys across Coulsdon, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. You get a clear report with photographs.
- Worn lead at chimneys and walls
- Slipped or missing slates on a high roof
- Flat roofs on upper floors that hold water
Before and after the survey
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Keep a clear space in the garden or drive for take-off
- Move stored items away from the hatch
- Share the postcode so we can check for restrictions
- Let us know what you want to see
The Premium Survey report comes the same day. Drone photographs are included where we could fly.
Look at the roof from the ground after strong winds. Debris in the garden is a sign to act on. A drone can show exactly what has moved.
How a drone roof survey works in Coulsdon
Neighbours’ privacy matters on every flight. We keep the camera on the roof we’re surveying, not on gardens or windows next door. If your roof is joined to a neighbour’s, it is worth letting them know about the visit. We inspect only what the owner has asked us to. Each flight is kept short and stays focused on the roof we’re there to survey. We survey large and complex roofs, flat roofs on upper floors and chimney stacks, and people most often book us about ridge pieces that have lifted and vegetation in valleys and gutters.
Many London roofs are hidden from the pavement: butterfly roofs behind parapets, dormer tops and flat roofs over back additions. That’s where a view from the air or a thermal camera helps, by showing what cannot be reached safely. The weather decides the day: both drones and thermal cameras need the right conditions. Thermal images show surface temperature, not water itself, so findings are checked with moisture readings.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Where
- Coulsdon (CR5, CR8, CR3)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we are asked to look at in Coulsdon
Height and steep pitches make close inspection risky. Tall townhouses, blocks of flats and offices are typical. A drone gets close-up views from a safe position on the ground.
Problems we come across frequently include:
- Flashings that have come away
- Cracked mortar along the ridge
- Moss building up on slopes and in gutters
- Hidden gutters full of leaves
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Smitham Primary School, a drone or thermal camera can show a large roof in a single visit.
Before booking anyone
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Which limits apply to the survey
- What experience they bring
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
Towns and villages near Coulsdon
More services for Coulsdon
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To discuss a number of properties, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the addresses.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out by urgency where it matters.
FAQs for Coulsdon
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Coulsdon?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Coulsdon?
That depends on where the roof is and on the weather. Across London there are restriction zones around Heathrow, London City and London Heliport, plus restricted areas over Hyde Park, the City of London and the Isle of Dogs. Every London address is checked against them before a flight. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first, including zones around airports and prisons. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain.
What insurance do you have?
We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance, for every survey we carry out.
Does the weather affect the survey?
It can, depending on the survey. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. If the conditions are not right, we’ll talk to you about another date.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We’re experienced roof surveyors, and visible signs like sagging are noted, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. The report will say if you need an engineer.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, if whoever owns or manages the building agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we’re allowed to reach.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, and it isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
Can I check my roof myself?
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when you book, as it helps us focus the survey.
Drone roof surveys around Coulsdon
Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions. About 4.9 miles north-west lies Nonsuch Mansion, a reminder of how long the area around Coulsdon has been built on. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Coulsdon is in London, so parking needs planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day easier. The streets around a church such as St Andrew's Church are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, thin or patchy insulation under an old roof often shows up clearly on a thermal image.
Coulsdon is about 13 miles south of London, in Greater London. We provide drone roof surveys for householders, landlords and businesses in Coulsdon and the surrounding area. Coulsdon is one of the towns and villages in Greater London we cover. London is in our area too.
Every address in CR5, CR8 and CR3 is covered for drone roof surveys. Local streets include Hadleigh Grove, Farthing Way and Dobson Close, and we cover them all. Coulsdon sits on or near the B276 and B2030, which makes travel easy. Nearby, we also carry out drone roof surveys in Woodcote (1 mile north), Old Coulsdon (1 mile south-east), Woodmansterne (1 mile west), Chipstead (1 mile south-west) and Purley (2 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover London (13 miles north), City of Westminster (14 miles north), Marylebone (14 miles north), Kensington (13 miles north), St Pancras (15 miles north) and Shoreditch (15 miles north).
Local landmarks in Coulsdon
Around Coulsdon, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Dollypers Hill, Coulsdon Sixth Form College and The Pembroke pub and the streets around them. Coulsdon has its own railway station: Coulsdon South station. A little further out are Croydon Airport Visitor Centre (3 miles north) and Purley War Memorial Hospital (2 miles north-east). For a walk, there is Duppas Hill and Mercers Lake.
Honest limits
Every survey has limits, and it’s better to know them up front. Keep these in mind:
- Anything inside the loft or under the coverings
- Neighbouring roofs the owner hasn’t asked us to survey
- Flights in high wind or heavy rain
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
What we check
- Fragile roofs
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Tall and steep roofs
- Large and complex roofs
- Chimney stacks
What we do, step by step
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. It usually takes an hour or two at a house, including the airspace and weather checks before take-off. In Coulsdon, visits are available on weekdays and at weekends. London parking is often by permit or pay-and-display, so it is useful to know what’s near you. A back bedroom window can be the best vantage point for a rear addition, so we may ask to use one.
- 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 is safe access, we check the loft as well.
- The report sets out what we found, with photos and recommendations.
Before we arrive
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
Arrange a survey
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or drop 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.