Surrey · London and the South East
Dorking Drone Roof Survey
Independent drone roof surveys in Dorking. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Blistered or cracked flat roof coverings
- Damage after a storm that can’t be seen from below
- Ridge pieces that have lifted
About our drone roof survey in Dorking
Neighbours’ privacy matters on every flight. The camera stays on your roof, not on neighbouring homes and gardens. 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. Common reasons to book are moss and weeds taking hold up top and standing water on a flat roof, across valleys and parapet gutters, chimney stacks and tall and steep roofs.
In older houses around Dorking, loft insulation can be thin, patchy or missing in places. Thermal imaging can show where heat escapes, and it can also point to damp patches. What it shows is surface temperature, not water itself, so findings are checked with moisture readings, while drone photos show the outside of the same roof. Results depend on conditions, so the timing of the visit matters.
We write the report in plain English, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Photographs show what each point refers to, with the urgent items made clear.
- Where
- Dorking (RH4, RH5)
- Region
- Surrey
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from Dorking
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Dorking?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Dorking?
Yes. We survey roofs across London and South East England, and Dorking is part of that. Just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know about the property.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Someone needs to let us in if we are looking inside or in the loft. We will talk about access as you book.
Will you go up on the roof?
Not unless it is safe. Most of what we need can be seen from safe viewpoints, the loft and, where applicable, a drone.
Can you fly a drone near an airport?
Flight restriction zones around protected airports need permission from the airport or air traffic control before any flight. We check the airspace for your address and seek permission where it is needed. If we cannot fly, we use other safe vantage points.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We note visible signs such as sagging or deflection, but we don’t carry out calculations or give an engineer’s opinion. If we think you need an engineer, the report says so.
Does the weather affect a drone survey?
Bad weather means no flight. Wind and heavy rain are the two things that ground a small drone, so a new date is agreed with you.
What you can safely check yourself
You can learn a lot from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
How it works
We work from the outside in: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the roof space where it can be reached. All told, expect about 1–2 hours for most homes, with the pre-flight checks included, and longer for big commercial roofs. A visit in Dorking runs most smoothly with the loft hatch clear, side gates open and a parking spot in mind. Someone needs to let us in, so let us know who that will be.
- First, we check the address for flight restrictions.
- Where a flight restriction zone or restricted area applies, we seek permission first.
- On the day, we check the weather and the site before flying.
- We fly the drone close to the roof to photograph it in detail, always in sight.
- We email a written report with the photographs and our recommendations.
Before we arrive
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Find any records of previous roof work
How to book
Once you know what you need, phone 07833 053749 or email us. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.
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Towns and villages near Dorking
Also in Dorking
For landlords and managing agents
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, putting the urgent items at the top.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work.
Signs you need a drone roof survey in Dorking
Height and steep pitches make close inspection risky. Tall townhouses, blocks of flats and offices are typical. We fly from the ground and bring the camera close to the roof.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Ponding and splits on a high flat roof
- Cracked flaunching or loose chimney pots
- Slates or tiles shifted by high winds
- Plant growth and moss on the roof
The streets around a church such as Church of St Paul are often among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, older roofs can be steep and hard to see from the street, which is where close-up aerial shots and thermal images help.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- Whether the price includes VAT
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
Flying and imaging in Dorking
In Surrey, older roofs are often handmade clay tile, with tile-hanging on many upper walls. Some old buildings in Surrey and Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs. Many roofs like these cannot be judged properly from the pavement, and that is where a view from above or a thermal image earns its place. Historic houses such as Polesden Lacey, about 2.7 miles north-west, show how far back building in the area around Dorking goes. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
For site and facilities teams at buildings like St Paul's CofE (Aided) Primary School, a view from above covers a wide roof far faster than walking it. Hotels and guest houses near Dorking can’t easily close rooms for a leak, so it’s worth knowing the roof’s condition.
Dorking is about 10 miles north-west of Crawley, in Surrey. Dorking gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Dorking is one of the towns and villages in Surrey where we work for drone roof surveys. We also survey roofs in Crawley.
Postcode districts we cover here for drone roof surveys: RH4 and RH5. Local streets include High Street, Station Road and London Road. With the A24 and A25 close by, Dorking is simple for us to get to for drone roof surveys. If you’re just outside Dorking, we cover Pixham (1 mile north-east), North Holmwood (1 mile south), Westhumble (2 miles north), Westcott (2 miles west) and Blackbrook (2 miles south-east). We also work in nearby towns like Guildford (11 miles west), Woking (12 miles north-west), Epsom (8 miles north), Horley (8 miles south-east), Redhill (7 miles east) and Ewell (9 miles north).
Near you in Dorking
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Wheatsheaf Public House, The Ashcombe School and Deepdene Terrace, among other places. Other local landmarks include The Ashcombe School (0.6 miles north) and Pippbrook House (0.5 miles north). The nearest railway station is Dorking Deepdene station, roughly 0.6 miles north of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Mesolithic Museum (3.9 miles south-west) and Headley Court (4.8 miles north-east). For a walk, there is Reigate Heath and Box Hill.
Different roofs, different checks
Steep slate and tile slopes
Steep slopes are hard to inspect safely on foot. A drone photographs them closely from a safe position, showing slipped, cracked and missing pieces.
Ridges and hips
Some ridges are fixed with mortar, others with dry-fix systems. We record what we see of their condition.
Useful tips for Dorking property owners
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Keep dogs indoors during the visit
- Book early if you are near an airport
- Make sure there’s room outside for the drone to take off
- Expect us to rearrange if it’s too windy or wet
Your report arrives by email, including the close-up photos taken by the drone. Each finding is explained in plain words, and recommendations are ranked by urgency where that helps.
Check the loft now and then, with care and a good torch. A drone sees the outside, but the loft shows leaks and condensation from below. Take photos of any changes.