East Sussex · London and the South East
Drone Roof Survey in Friston
Know where you stand with the roof before you spend money on it. Drone roof surveys in Friston.
- Slates or tiles shifted by high winds
- Coverings that have slipped high up on the roof
- Flashings that have come away
About our drone roof survey in Friston
Our price is from £400, including VAT. The Premium Survey includes a drone inspection where it applies, along with structural analysis, a same-day report and an in-person consultation. There is a 12-month follow-up as well. If a drone won’t help on your roof, we will say so. You get a written report with the close-up photos from the flight. We survey fragile roofs, tall and steep roofs and valleys and parapet gutters, and people most often book us about standing water on a flat roof and moss building up on slopes and in gutters.
Around Friston, 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.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets, each with a short note and a photograph. You will see the good as well as the bad.
- Place
- Friston (BN20)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Prices
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. Most visits take between one and two hours at a house, including the airspace and weather checks before take-off. In a smaller place like Friston, parking is seldom the issue; lanes, gates and long drives are worth mentioning. On bungalows and lower roofs, much can be seen from the ground, with the loft showing the underside, while taller roofs may need other vantage points or the drone where applicable.
- First, we check whether a drone is the right tool.
- A date is fixed, with a fallback in case the weather turns.
- The roof is photographed from the air, with the camera kept on your property.
- If the loft can be reached safely, it is checked too.
- Everything is written up, with the aerial photos and our advice.
How to prepare
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Getting a price
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
Drone roof surveys in Friston: local notes
Friston is within about 1 mile of the coast, and wind near the sea can be strong. A small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, so the weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first, including zones around airports and prisons.
If you live in an older home near The Parish Church of St Simon and St Jude, tall stacks and steep slopes are easier to judge with close-up aerial photos than from the pavement.
Friston is about 4 miles south-west of Eastbourne, in East Sussex. We survey roofs in Friston across London and South East England. Friston is one of the towns and villages in East Sussex we cover for drone roof surveys. Our Brighton page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in BN20 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Whether your property is on Dene Side, Dene Close and Michel Close or anywhere close by, we can help. If you’re just outside Friston, we cover East Dean (1 mile south-west), Birling Gap (1 mile south), Jevington (2 miles north), Old Town (3 miles east) and Meads (3 miles east). Further out, we also cover Eastbourne (4 miles north-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (13 miles north-east), Seaford (4 miles west), Lewes (12 miles north-west), Hailsham (7 miles north) and Uckfield (15 miles north).
Around Friston
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Tiger Inn. For rail, the closest station is Eastbourne station, about 3.2 miles east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Eastbourne District General Hospital (3 miles north-east) and Filching Manor And Motor Museum (3 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Combe Hill.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Friston
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Friston and across East Sussex can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Signs you need a drone roof survey in Friston
Strong winds can lift slates, tiles and ridge pieces. It’s hard to tell from below what has shifted. Close-up photos make it clear what has been disturbed.
Typical things we’re asked to look at include:
- Lead work pulling away at abutments
- Coverings that have slipped high up on the roof
- Flat roofs on upper floors that hold water
- Damage after a storm that can’t be seen from below
With Alfriston Clergy House about 3.7 miles north-west, the area around Friston has a long history. Older roofs nearby can be steep and hard to see from the ground, and a survey by drone or thermal camera does not touch the roof itself.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What exactly goes into their report
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- Their report turnaround times
Places near Friston
What else we do in Friston
What this survey cannot tell you
It helps to know what a survey won’t do before you book:
- Photos in conditions too poor to fly
- A flight where airspace permission is refused
- Whether the roof structure meets design loads
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or email us and we will tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Friston
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Fragile roofs
- Large and complex roofs
- Tall and steep roofs
- Chimney stacks
- Flat roofs on upper floors
FAQs for Friston
Is drone flying allowed in Friston?
That depends on where the roof is and on the weather. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. High wind or heavy rain also stops a small drone flying.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Friston?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Tell us about it when you book and we’ll explain what’s needed.
When does the report arrive?
The Premium Survey report comes the same day, the Standard within 24–48 hours and the Basic within 48 hours. All of them come by email, ready to forward.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. We’re experienced roof surveyors, and our survey covers the roof rather than the whole building. If you need a full building survey, you will need a RICS survey as well.
Will you go up on the roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. We inspect what can be seen safely: from the ground, from windows and vantage points, from the loft space, from the roof itself where safe and by drone where it applies. Anything we cannot see is noted in the report.
How experienced are you?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
Roof by roof
Valleys and parapet gutters
When a parapet outlet blocks, water can come inside. We check outlets and photograph any build-up.
Ridges and hips
Ridges may be bedded in mortar or mechanically fixed. We record what we see of their condition.
Useful tips for Friston property owners
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. Our suggestions:
- Move stored items away from the hatch
- Keep pets indoors during the flight
- Allow for a change of day in poor weather
- Give us the full address so we can check the airspace
Premium also includes a 12-month follow-up. It helps you see how the roof has changed over the year, and whether work has done its job.
Keep the roof space ventilated. Poor airflow lets condensation build up. Make sure insulation does not block the airflow.