Brighton and Hove · London and the South East
East Saltdean Drone Roof Survey
We carry out drone roof surveys in East Saltdean and the rest of Brighton and Hove. We survey on weekdays and at weekends.
- Cracked slates and tiles out of sight from below
- Storm damage on steep or tall roofs
- Ridge and hip pieces working loose
What happens if roof problems are left?
Photographing a roof from the air doesn’t touch it. Fragile slates and tiles stay as they are, so the survey does not create new problems. Blocked gutters on homes around East Saltdean overflow and soak walls, particularly where trees overhang. It’s easy to sort the cause early and slow to dry a damp wall.
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where applicable) come with the Premium Survey, from £400 inc. VAT. We’ll tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Why book with us
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- Packages from £150, with VAT included
- An independent view of the roof
Read our cost guide and what we found on two real jobs.
Drone roof surveys for homes and businesses in East Saltdean
A drone can see more than your roof, so we take care. The camera stays on your roof, not on gardens or windows next door. If your roof is joined to a neighbour’s, it’s worth letting them know about the visit. We inspect only what the owner has asked us to. Flights are kept as short as the job allows and focused on the roof in question. Typical surveys look at ridge and hip pieces working loose and slipped or missing slates on a high roof, across fragile roofs, flat roofs on upper floors and large and complex roofs.
Around East Saltdean, older homes can have thin loft insulation and later additions with roofs of their own. A thermal image can show where heat is escaping or where moisture may be trapped, and drone photos show the roof surfaces themselves. Anything that looks like moisture is checked with a meter. Calm, dry weather suits both methods, so the date is set with the forecast in mind.
After the visit, you get a report with photographs, emailed to you. It explains the condition of the roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Place
- East Saltdean (BN2)
- Region
- Brighton and Hove
- Prices
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Airspace, weather and East Saltdean roofs
East Saltdean is within about 1 mile of the coast, and wind near the sea can be strong. The weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead, as a small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain. The wider area around East Saltdean has a long history of building, with Monk's House about 3.2 miles north-east. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
For site and facilities teams at buildings like Saltdean Primary School, big roofs are where photos from the air and thermal images show the most at once. For an older house near a landmark such as St Nicholas, older roofs can be steep and hard to see from the street, which is where close-up aerial shots and thermal images help.
East Saltdean is about 4 miles west of Newhaven, in Brighton and Hove. In East Saltdean, as across Brighton and Hove, every roof gets the same careful survey. East Saltdean is one of the towns and villages in Brighton and Hove where we work for drone roof surveys.
Drone roof surveys in BN2 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Streets in the area include Wicklands Avenue, Oaklands Avenue and Brambletyne Avenue, all of which we cover. Neighbouring places we cover for drone roof surveys include Saltdean (1 mile west), Telscombe (1 mile east), Rottingdean (2 miles north-west), Ovingdean (2 miles north-west) and Rodmell (3 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Brighton (5 miles north-west), Brighton and Hove (7 miles west), Hove (7 miles west), Carlton Hill (5 miles west), Hanover (5 miles north-west) and West Hill (5 miles west).
Near you in East Saltdean
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Beacon Hill, Smugglers Rest pub and Peacehaven Community School and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Southease station, roughly 3.3 miles north-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include French Convalescent Home (3.5 miles west) and Planet Earth Museum (3.7 miles east). The countryside around East Saltdean includes Newmarket Hill and Beacon Hill Local Nature Reserve.
Towns and villages near East Saltdean
What else we do in East Saltdean
What happens on the day
Once we’ve finished looking, we write up our findings as a written report with photos. As for time on site, most surveys take between one and two hours on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. A visit to a smaller place like East Saltdean is no different on the day: outside, inside and from any safe vantage point, in that order. Point out any stains, cracks or loose pieces you’ve spotted.
- You give us the address so we can check the airspace.
- If permission is needed, we ask for it before the visit.
- We assess the wind, the weather and the surroundings before take-off.
- The drone captures close-up photos of the coverings, chimneys, valleys and gutters.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations.
How to prepare
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Book a survey
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from the ground or a window, and please do not climb up for a closer look. To get started, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Related advice
What affects the cost of drone roof surveys
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. That comes down to:
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- Building height and the viewpoints available
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so they’re priced to match. The price is confirmed before booking.
Booking your survey
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It’s useful to include:
- Anything about access we should know
- What made you get in touch
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply call 07833 053749 or use the contact form whenever suits you.
For landlords and managing agents
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out with the most urgent first where relevant, which helps when budgeting.
Practical tips
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Some pointers:
- Keep dogs indoors during the visit
- Mention anything you’ve noticed on the roof
- Share the postcode so we can check for restrictions
- Expect a little longer if permission is needed
The Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation to talk through the photos and findings. It is a chance to ask about anything in the report.
Have high or hard-to-reach roofs surveyed every few years. Regular photos make changes easy to spot, so small faults are dealt with early.
FAQs for East Saltdean
Will you come out to East Saltdean?
Yes, we do. Our area covers London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned ahead of time.
Is drone flying allowed in East Saltdean?
The answer turns on the exact location and the conditions on the day. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first, including zones around airports and prisons. High wind or heavy rain also stops a small drone flying.
What does the report include?
Written findings with photographs, explaining the condition of the roof, any defects and our recommendations. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check, and the Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies and structural analysis.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We point out what can be seen, like sagging or deflection, but we do not carry out calculations or give an engineer’s opinion. Where an engineer is needed, we say so in the report.
How do I arrange a drone roof survey in East Saltdean?
The quickest way is to call 07833 053749 or send us an email. Give us the address and a few details about the roof, and we’ll recommend the right survey. Surveys run on any day of the week.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime, which suits people who work during the week. Let us know your preferred days when you book.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney stacks
Our drone check of a chimney is visual, and it isn’t a flue or gas safety check. If the flue needs a specialist, we will tell you.
Large commercial roofs
Many commercial roofs have fragile sheets or roof lights. A drone keeps everyone off them.