Greater London · London and the South East
Downe Drone Roof Survey
Find out what’s going on with the roof before you decide what to do next. Drone roof surveys in Downe.
- Plant growth and moss on the roof
- Worn lead at chimneys and walls
- Blistered or cracked flat roof coverings
About our drone roof survey in Downe
A drone can see more than your roof, so we take care. The camera stays on your roof, not on neighbouring homes and gardens. If your roof is shared, a word with next door beforehand helps. We survey the roof you’ve asked us to look at. Each flight is kept short and stays focused on the roof we’re there to survey. We are often asked to look into blocked valleys and parapet gutters and damage after a storm that can’t be seen from below, across tall and steep roofs, fragile roofs and chimney stacks.
Many London roofs are hidden from the pavement: valley gutters behind parapets, dormers and flat-roofed rear additions. Drone photos and thermal images can show parts of a roof that are hard to reach safely. The weather decides the day: both drones and thermal cameras need the right conditions. What a thermal image shows is temperature, so anything that looks like moisture is checked with a meter.
The report doesn’t just list problems. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend.
- Where
- Downe (BR6)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
Where it’s relevant and can be reached safely, the roof space is checked as well as the outside. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement, as far as the space allows. The whole visit usually takes between one and two hours for most homes, with the pre-flight checks included, and longer for big commercial roofs. In Downe, visits are available on weekdays and at weekends. It helps if you can point us to a visitor permit or a nearby bay, and to clear a path to the loft hatch. Upstairs rooms at the back are useful too, as they often give the best view of a rear addition.
- You give us the address and let us know about the roof.
- Airspace restrictions are checked and permission sought where needed.
- We assess the conditions and the take-off spot first.
- We fly the sub-250g drone close to the roof and photograph each area.
- You receive a written report with the photos and our recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Find any records of previous roof work
Book a survey
You can call us seven days a week. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
Questions from Downe
Will parking be an issue for a roof survey in Downe?
It depends on the street. Where there are permit zones, a visitor permit or nearby pay-and-display bay works well.
How do I find out if my home in Downe is listed?
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.
Does the report include photographs?
Yes. Photos are taken throughout the survey, and they go into the written report.
What’s in the report?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos, and ends with what we recommend. Points are put in order of urgency where relevant.
How long will you be at the property?
Typically, it takes an hour or two at most homes, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Pre-flight checks of the site and the weather are part of that.
Does the weather affect a drone survey?
The flight waits for better weather. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or a downpour, so we’d move the date with you, or look from other safe viewpoints if you’d rather.
Do drone rules differ in central London?
Some areas need permission from NATS before any flight. If permission is not possible, we inspect by other means and explain what we could see.
What this survey can’t tell you
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Anything inside the loft or under the coverings
- Photos in conditions too poor to fly
- Neighbouring roofs the owner hasn’t asked us to survey
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll point you to the right survey. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Downe
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Chimney stacks
- Large and complex roofs
- Fragile roofs
- Tall and steep roofs
Surveys for landlords and agents in Downe
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf, and the report can go to both. Access is agreed with the tenant ahead of time.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Drone roof surveys in Downe: local notes
Biggin Hill Airport is about 2 miles away, so we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before any flight. 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. Each address is checked against all of them before the drone goes up.
If you look after a building such as Downe Primary School, a view from above covers a wide roof far faster than walking it. Controlled parking zones are common in London, so mention any permit rules for Downe. With Down House about 0.6 miles south, the area around Downe has a long history. Photos from the air and thermal images let an old roof be checked without anyone disturbing it.
Downe is about 4 miles south-west of Orpington, in Greater London. Downe is part of the area we cover as part of our work across London and the South East. Downe is one of the towns and villages in Greater London where we work. You can also see our page for London.
Postcode districts we cover here for drone roof surveys: BR6. We cover properties on High Street, North End Lane and Belle Vue Road. Neighbouring places we cover for drone roof surveys include Farthing Street (1 mile north-west), Hazelwood (1 mile east), Luxted (1 mile south), Leaves Green (1 mile west) and Single Street (2 miles south). Larger places within reach include London (13 miles north-west), City of Westminster (15 miles north-west), Marylebone (15 miles north-west), St Pancras (15 miles north-west), Shoreditch (14 miles north-west) and Hoxton (15 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Downe
Around Downe, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Queens Head pub, Charles Darwin School and South Park and the streets around them. Downe’s nearest station is Chelsfield station, roughly 2.6 miles north-east of the centre. Nearby you will also find Crofton Roman Villa (2.7 miles north-east) and Princess Royal University Hospital (1.8 miles north). Open spaces near Downe include Downe Bank Nature Reserve and Betsom's Hill.
Nearby places to Downe
Other services in Downe
Can I check my roof myself?
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That is where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Different roofs, different checks
Steep slate and tile slopes
Widespread slipping on slate normally means nail fatigue. Close-up photos show how widespread it is.
Chimney stacks
From the air, a lean or a loose pot is easy to see. Each defect is photographed for the report.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Close-up photos make conversations with roofers clearer. They show the location and extent of each defect, which helps when you ask for quotes. A hidden valley or parapet gutter on a London house can hold water for weeks before anyone notices. By the time a ceiling stains, the timbers underneath may have been wet for a while.
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where applicable, which starts from £400, including VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you need to know.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Downe
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- 98% of customers satisfied
- Clear package prices, including VAT