West Berkshire · London and the South East
Drone roof survey in Donnington, West Berkshire
Get a clear view of the roof at a property in Donnington from an independent roof surveyor. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Wind damage high on the roof
- Cracked mortar along the ridge
- Moss building up on slopes and in gutters
How the survey works
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. Then the inspection itself takes between one and two hours at a house, including the airspace and weather checks before take-off. Cottages and farmhouses around Donnington often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen.
- We start with the address and what you’d like checked.
- Airspace restrictions are checked and permission sought where needed.
- Before take-off, the wind, the weather and the launch spot are looked at.
- The drone photographs the roof closely, kept in sight throughout.
- We email the report with close-up photos and recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
Booking a survey
If you are buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form whenever suits you.
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Drone roof surveys for homes and businesses in Donnington
We fly a sub-250g drone, and we hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID. It stays within sight for the whole flight, and well below the 120-metre height limit. Every flight is planned around the roof, the site and the people nearby. Before every flight, we check the airspace and the weather. We never fly where it isn’t safe. Common reasons to book are lead work pulling away at abutments and cracked flaunching or loose chimney pots, on large and complex roofs, tall and steep roofs and fragile roofs.
Some older homes in villages like Donnington are listed or in a conservation area. A look from the air or with a thermal camera doesn’t touch the roof, which suits a building where any change needs care, before anyone decides what work it needs. Check with the council before planning any work on a listed building or one in a conservation area.
We write the report in plain English, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Photographs show what each point refers to, and recommendations are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
- Location
- Donnington (RG14)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- Prices
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
DIY checks: what’s safe
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
Prices for drone roof surveys in Donnington
We confirm the exact price before booking. This is what makes a difference:
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Height and safe access
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
- Basic, Standard or Premium
Every price we give includes VAT. Our price is from £400, including VAT. You will know the price for the job before booking.
Getting in touch
A little information up front helps. It’s useful to include:
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- When you need the report by
A quick phone call is normally the easiest start: ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. You will have a price before anything is arranged.
Donnington: your questions answered
How do I find out if my home in Donnington is listed?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Do you cover smaller places like Donnington?
Yes, Donnington is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
What will the report tell me?
It sets out what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, backed by photos. Anything we couldn’t see safely is noted too.
What if it is windy or raining on the day?
The flight waits for better weather. Wind and heavy rain are the two things that ground a small drone, so we’d move the date with you, or look from other safe viewpoints if you’d rather.
Is a drone roof survey a thermal survey?
Our drone takes close-up photographs of the roof. Thermal imaging is a separate check, included in our Premium Survey.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, if the building owner or managing agent agrees access. We look at the parts we’re given access to, and the report makes that clear.
Will the drone show what’s under the tiles?
No. It photographs the outside, not the inside. For the underside, we check the loft where it can be reached safely.
Flying and imaging in Donnington
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. Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions.
If you look after a building such as Shaw-cum-Donnington C.E. Primary School, big roofs are where close-up aerial shots and thermal images show the most at once. If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Parish Church of St Mary, 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.
Donnington is about 1 mile north of Newbury, in West Berkshire. We survey roofs in Donnington as part of our work across London and South East England. We cover towns and villages across West Berkshire. We also survey roofs in Reading.
Postcode districts we cover here for drone roof surveys: RG14. If you need a drone roof survey at a property on The Orchids, The Redcoats and Cannon Close or anywhere close by, we can help. Other places close to Donnington include Speenhamland (1 mile south), Shaw (1 mile south-east), Bagnor (1 mile south-west), Speen (1 mile south-west) and Stockcross (2 miles west). Larger places within reach include Thatcham (3 miles east), Burghfield Common (12 miles east), Hungerford (8 miles west), Calcot (12 miles east), Lambourn (11 miles north-west) and Burghfield Hill (12 miles east).
Near you in Donnington
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Trinity School, Victoria Park and The Castle pub, among other places. The nearest railway station is Newbury station, about 1.5 miles south of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Donnington Castle (within half a mile west) and West Berkshire Community Hospital (1.9 miles south-east). The countryside around Donnington includes Rack Marsh.
Leave it or get it looked at?
Faults on high roofs tend to be found late. By then, timbers, ceilings and insulation may be wet. Looking from above picks up the early signs. In a small place like Donnington, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
Every price we give includes VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Our price is from £400, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
Why us?
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- An independent view of the roof
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
Do you need a drone roof survey in Donnington?
Hidden gutters and valleys are easy to overlook. Leaves, silt and plant growth build up unseen, until it causes a leak inside. From above, they’re easy to see.
We’re often asked to look at:
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Slipped or missing slates on a high roof
- Eroded pointing on a chimney stack
- Debris building up in hidden gutters
If you run a hotel or guest house in or near Donnington, a roof problem can mean rooms out of use.
Questions to ask before you book
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- How soon the report will arrive
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
Also near Donnington
What else we do in Donnington
Roof by roof
Flat roofs on tall buildings
Leaks often start at outlets, edges and around plant. They’re all captured in close-up.
Steep slate and tile slopes
Walking on fragile coverings can break them. A drone avoids that, so the survey does not add damage.