Essex · London and the South East
Gilston Drone Roof Survey
Close-up drone photographs of roofs that are hard to reach across Gilston, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Get in touch for a price.
- Vegetation in valleys and gutters
- Standing water on a flat roof
- Cracked mortar along the ridge
What we do, step by step
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. Then the inspection itself takes an hour or two at a house, including the airspace and weather checks before take-off. In a small place like Gilston, access is usually the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- We start by making sure a drone flight makes sense for the roof.
- A visit is booked for a weekday, Saturday or Sunday, weather permitting.
- The roof is photographed from the air, with the camera kept on your property.
- We also look inside the roof space where it is safe.
- The report sets out what we found, with photos and recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
Getting a price
You can call us seven days a week. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
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How a drone roof survey works in Gilston
A drone shows the outside of a roof very well, but it cannot see under the coverings or into the loft. Where there’s safe access, we look in the roof space too, 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. Where the loft can’t be reached safely, we note it. If you’ve noticed cracked mortar along the ridge and gaps where slates or tiles have gone, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Older buildings in small places like Gilston may be listed or in a conservation area. A look from above or with a thermal imager doesn’t touch the roof, which suits a building where any change needs care, before anyone decides what work it needs. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, so check with the council first.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, sent by email. It sets out the condition of the roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Where
- Gilston (CM20)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Places near Gilston
What else we do in Gilston
Drone roof surveys around Gilston
Historic houses such as Much Hadham Palace, about 4.8 miles north, show how far back building in the area around Gilston goes. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. In Essex, older buildings are often clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, alongside a good many post-war and newer estates. Steep or complicated roofs are often hard to see from the ground, which is where aerial photos and thermal images help.
The streets around a church like Parish Church of St Mary are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, steep roofs, tall chimneys and hidden valleys can be hard to see from the ground, and that is where a view from above or with a thermal imager helps.
Gilston is about 2 miles north-west of Harlow, in Essex. Surveys in Gilston work the same way as everywhere we cover: a proper look at what can be seen safely, photos and a clear written report. Across Essex, we cover Gilston. There is also a page for Chelmsford.
Every address in CM20 is covered for drone roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Local streets include Pye Corner and Eastwick Road, and we cover them all. We also cover the places around Gilston: Eastwick (1 mile south-west), Little Parndon (1 mile south-west), Great Parndon (2 miles south), Staple Tye (3 miles south) and Roydon (3 miles south-west). Further out, we also cover Brentwood (14 miles south-east), Loughton (10 miles south), Waltham Abbey (8 miles south-west), Great Dunmow (13 miles north-east), Epping (6 miles south) and Stansted Mountfitchet (9 miles north-east).
Local landmarks in Gilston
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Plume Of Feathers pub, Burnt Mill Academy and Harlow Marsh. The closest station to Gilston is Harlow Town station, about 0.6 miles south of the centre. A little further out are Mark Hall Cycle Museum (1.3 miles south-east) and Harlow Mill (1.2 miles east). Open spaces near Gilston include Hunsdon Mead.
What a drone roof survey doesn’t cover
To be straight with you, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Anything inside the loft or under the coverings
- A flight where airspace permission is refused
- Roofs and gardens beyond the one we’re surveying
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Chimney stacks
- Large and complex roofs
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Fragile roofs
- Tall and steep roofs
Tips from our surveys
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Mention anything you’ve noticed on the roof
- Move stored items away from the hatch
- Give us the full address so we can check the airspace
- Keep a clear space in the garden or drive for take-off
The Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation to go through what the drone showed. It is a chance to ask about anything in the report.
Look at the roof from the ground after strong winds. Pieces of slate or tile on the ground mean something has moved. A drone can show exactly what has moved.
Your questions about drone roof surveys in Gilston
Will you come out to Gilston?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
How do I find out if my home in Gilston is listed?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Are you structural engineers?
No. Visible signs like deflection or sagging are recorded, but we don’t provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. The report will say if you need an engineer.
Are you registered with the CAA?
Yes. We are a CAA-registered drone operator, with a Flyer ID and an Operator ID. Our drone weighs under 250g and follow the drone code.
What does the report include?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos, finishing with recommendations. The most urgent items are made clear.
Does someone need to be in?
It depends on what we need to see. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in.
What do I do with the report?
You will get the report by email, with photographs and clear recommendations. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation, so you can talk the findings through.
DIY checks: what’s safe
You can learn a lot from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: 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.
What we’re asked to look at in Gilston
Hidden gutters and valleys are easy to overlook. Debris collects where nobody looks, until water overflows inside. From above, they’re easy to see.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Coverings that have slipped high up on the roof
- Ridge and hip pieces working loose
- Lead work pulling away at abutments
- Wind damage high on the roof
Anyone responsible for a site like St Alban's Catholic Academy will know that big roofs are where close-up aerial shots and thermal images show the most at once.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Their insurance cover
- How long the report takes to arrive
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
What a survey costs
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- How big the roof is
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all including VAT. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
What to tell us when you contact us
A little information up front helps. Please include:
- What’s prompted the survey
- Dates you are working to, such as exchange
- Access details, like a loft hatch or a shared roof
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
We survey roofs on any day of the week. To find a date that works for you, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.