West Berkshire · London and the South East
East Shefford Drone Roof Survey
Find out what’s going on with the roof before you spend money on it. Drone roof surveys in East Shefford.
- Cracked mortar along the ridge
- Lead work pulling away at abutments
- Tired mortar and pots at the top of a stack
How a drone roof survey works in East Shefford
Neighbours’ privacy matters on every flight. The camera stays on your roof, not on gardens or windows next door. If your roof is shared, a word with next door beforehand helps. 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. Typical surveys look at flat roofs on upper floors that hold water and ridge pieces that have lifted, on large and complex roofs, chimney stacks and valleys and parapet gutters.
Somewhere as small as East Shefford, older roofs are often steep and partly hidden by trees or outbuildings. A drone and a thermal camera each give a view you can’t get from the ground. Both the forecast and the airspace are checked first, and the journey is planned ahead of time. Older roofs with steep slopes and tall chimneys are where the extra view helps most.
You receive the findings by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Place
- East Shefford (RG17, RG20)
- Wider area
- West Berkshire
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Why act early in East Shefford
Leaving a slipped slate or a blocked valley can turn a small fault into a leak. Spotting them early keeps the work smaller, whatever height the roof is. Matching old materials, like handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package you pick makes a difference too. The price is always agreed first.
Why us?
- Photos and a written report every time
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
Signs you need a drone roof survey in East Shefford
Many roofs are never seen properly from the ground. Rear slopes, valleys and the tops of chimneys are hidden. Faults there can go unnoticed for years.
Typical things we’re asked to look at include:
- Storm damage on steep or tall roofs
- Flat roofs on upper floors that hold water
- Lead work pulling away at abutments
- Cracked flaunching or loose chimney pots
The streets around a church such as St Thomas' Church are often among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, thin or patchy insulation under an old roof often shows up clearly on a thermal image.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Will the report include photos?
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
Drones, thermal imaging and East Shefford roofs
In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. 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. If your home is older, it is worth knowing whether it’s listed or in a conservation area before planning roof work. Listed building consent covers changes to a listed building’s special interest, and an Article 4 direction can bring extra controls in a conservation area.
If you look after a building such as Shefford C.E. Primary School, thermal images can show where wet insulation sits under a big flat roof.
East Shefford is about 7 miles north-west of Newbury, in West Berkshire. We survey roofs in East Shefford and the rest of West Berkshire. Our area takes in places right across West Berkshire. For surveys nearby, see our Reading page.
Here we cover the RG17 and RG20 postcode area for drone roof surveys. We also cover the places around East Shefford: Great Shefford (1 mile north-west), Weston (1 mile south-east), Wickham (2 miles south), Shefford Woodlands (2 miles south-west) and East Garston (2 miles north-west). Larger places within reach include Newbury (7 miles south-east), Thatcham (9 miles south-east), Speenhamland (7 miles south-east), Hungerford (5 miles south-west), Lambourn (5 miles north-west) and Shaw (7 miles south-east).
What’s near East Shefford
East Shefford’s nearest station is Kintbury station, roughly 4.7 miles south. For a walk, there is Sole Common Pond.
East Shefford questions
Is my home in East Shefford listed or in a conservation area?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Will you come out to East Shefford?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Do you hold CAA registration for the drone?
Yes. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator, with a Flyer ID and an Operator ID. Our drone weighs under 250g and follow the drone code.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Just let us know the days that suit you.
What if it is windy or raining on the day?
Safety comes first, so the weather decides. Strong wind and heavy rain both rule out flying. We’ll talk through the options if the day turns bad.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. It’s a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
Will you go up on the roof?
Not unless it’s safe. Most of what we need can be seen from safe viewpoints, the loft and, where it applies, a drone, and anything out of sight is recorded in the report.
Checking the roof from ground level
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
What this survey can’t tell you
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Flights in strong wind or a downpour
- Neighbouring roofs the owner hasn’t asked us to survey
- The underside of the roof (that needs an inside check)
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
What we check
- Fragile roofs
- Large and complex roofs
- Tall and steep roofs
- Chimney stacks
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Valleys and parapet gutters
How it works
You do not need to do much on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we will get on with the inspection. A typical survey takes about one to two hours for most homes, with the pre-flight checks included, and longer for big commercial roofs. Rural addresses near East Shefford can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We start with the address and what you’d like checked.
- We check the airspace and seek any permission 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.
How to prepare
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
Booking a survey
Our phone lines are open seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
Related advice
What we look for on each type of roof
Ridges and hips
The ridge takes wind from both sides. From above, we can see loose ridges and missing mortar.
Large commercial roofs
Older cement sheet roofs may contain asbestos. We flag it in the report so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check.