West Berkshire · London and the South East
Fair Cross Drone Roof Survey
A careful look at the roof at your property in Fair Cross, with photographs and a written report.
- Tired mortar and pots at the top of a stack
- Ridge and hip pieces working loose
- Debris building up in hidden gutters
FAQs for Fair Cross
How do I find out if my home in Fair Cross is listed?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Is Fair Cross within the area you cover?
Yes, Fair Cross is covered. We survey roofs across London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Does someone need to be in?
Someone needs to let us in if we’re looking inside or in the loft. We’ll talk about access when you book.
What does the report include?
A written report with photos, explaining the condition of the roof, any defects and our recommendations, with the most urgent first where relevant. Standard adds moisture detection and a structural check; Premium adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable and structural analysis.
How much is a survey?
Our price is from £400, including VAT. The final figure depends on the roof and the package you choose.
Will the drone show what’s under the tiles?
No. It shows what’s on the outside. The underside tells us things the drone can’t, so we check the loft too where we can.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. We check everything that can be seen safely: from ground level, from windows, from inside the roof space, from the roof where it’s safe and by drone where it applies. The report says if anything couldn’t be seen.
How a drone roof survey works in Fair Cross
A drone shows the outside of a roof very well, but it can’t see under the coverings or into the loft. We check the loft from inside where it is safe, because the underside tells its own story. Inside and out together tell you far more. The report sets out what the drone showed and what we found inside. If there’s no safe loft access, the report says so. We survey fragile roofs, chimney stacks and valleys and parapet gutters, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are chimney tops in poor condition and gaps where slates or tiles have gone.
Villages like Fair Cross often stand in open country, where wind can be strong. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or a downpour, and thermal imaging works best with little wind. We plan the journey, access and timing around the weather. A change in the forecast can mean moving the visit to another day.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Location
- Fair Cross (RG7)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Also near Fair Cross
Other services in Fair Cross
Useful tips for Fair Cross property owners
Nothing here needs a ladder. A few suggestions:
- Keep dogs indoors during the visit
- Expect a little longer if permission is needed
- Tell us about any leaks or concerns
- A word with neighbours beforehand helps
We email the report to you, with close-up photographs from the flight. Each finding is explained in plain words, and recommendations are ranked by urgency where that helps.
Look at the roof from the ground after strong winds. Debris in the garden is a sign to act on. A drone survey can show what has shifted.
The survey, step by step
The aim of the visit is simple: to look at the roof as closely as is safe and record what we find. Notes and photos go into the written report. The visit normally takes about one to two hours at a house, including the airspace and weather checks before take-off. In a hamlet or village like Fair Cross, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We start by making sure a drone flight makes sense for the roof.
- We agree a date, including weekends, subject to the weather.
- We fly over the roof, keeping the camera on the property we are surveying.
- We also look inside the loft space where it’s safe.
- You get photos, findings and clear recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
Book a survey
A quick phone call is normally the easiest start: call 07833 053749 or drop us an email, and we’ll ask about the building and what you need. The price is agreed before a date is set.
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When you need someone else
Before booking, it is worth knowing what a survey will not do:
- Flights in high wind or heavy rain
- Flying in a flight restriction zone without the airport’s permission
- The underside of the roof (that needs an inside check)
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will suggest the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
Roof types and parts we check
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Chimney stacks
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Fragile roofs
- Tall and steep roofs
- Large and complex roofs
Signs you need a drone roof survey in Fair Cross
Big commercial and industrial roofs cover a lot of ground. A drone can photograph a large roof methodically. That gives a clearer picture of the roof as a whole.
Look out for signs like these:
- Cracked slates and tiles out of sight from below
- Eroded pointing on a chimney stack
- Plant growth and moss on the roof
- Blocked valleys and parapet gutters
With Stratfield Saye House about 0.7 miles south, the area around Fair Cross has a long history. Older roofs nearby can be steep and hard to see from the ground, and a survey from above or with a thermal imager doesn’t touch the roof itself.
Before booking anyone
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
- What they will not be able to tell you
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- How soon the report will arrive
Drone roof surveys around Fair Cross
The drone we use is under 250g, flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID. In the open category, flights stay below 120 m (400 ft) and within sight. Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions.
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Church of St. Mary the Virgin, tall stacks and steep slopes are easier to judge with close-up aerial photos than from the pavement.
Fair Cross is about 6 miles east of Tadley, in West Berkshire. Fair Cross is part of the area we cover and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and South East England. We cover towns and villages across West Berkshire, large and small. There is also a page for Reading.
We work across the RG7 postcode area for drone roof surveys. If you are just outside Fair Cross, we cover Stratfield Saye (1 mile south-west), West End Green (2 miles west), Stratfield Mortimer (2 miles north-west), Spanish Green (2 miles south) and Wokefield (3 miles north-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Newbury (14 miles west), Thatcham (11 miles west), Burghfield Common (4 miles north-west), Speenhamland (14 miles west), Spencers Wood (3 miles north-east) and Calcot (6 miles north).
Around Fair Cross
Fair Cross’s nearest station is Mortimer station, roughly 1.7 miles north-west of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Beaumys Castle (1.5 miles north-east). Not far away are Longwater and The Marshes Local Nature Reserve.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry and it will help the survey.
Different roofs, different checks
Ridges and hips
Ridges and hips are the most exposed parts of a pitched roof. A drone shows cracked mortar and loose ridge tiles.
Flat roofs on tall buildings
Outlets, edges and roof plant are common problem areas. We photograph them closely, as far as the flight allows.