Essex · London and the South East
Drone Roof Survey in Hadleigh
Close-up drone photographs of roofs that are hard to reach for Hadleigh, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Flashings that have come away
- Cracked mortar along the ridge
- Damage after a storm that can’t be seen from below
Drone roof survey in Hadleigh: what you get
Our price is from £400, including VAT. A drone inspection, where it applies, is also part of our Premium Survey, along with structural analysis, a same-day report and an in-person consultation. It also includes a follow-up after 12 months. If a drone won’t help on your roof, we’ll say so. You get a written report with the close-up photos from the flight. Typical surveys look at standing water on a flat roof and blocked valleys and parapet gutters, on large and complex roofs, fragile roofs and tall and steep roofs.
Around Hadleigh, 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.
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.
- Where
- Hadleigh (SS7)
- Region
- Essex
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Checking the roof from the ground
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Do not go up yourself.
Different roofs, different checks
Valleys and parapet gutters
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter. It’s almost impossible to see from ground level, but it is plain to see from the air.
Large commercial roofs
Many commercial roofs have fragile sheets or roof lights. With a drone, nobody has to go near them.
Hadleigh: your questions answered
Is my home in Hadleigh listed or in a conservation area?
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 there drone restrictions around Hadleigh?
That depends on where the roof is and on the weather. Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions, including zones around airports and prisons. A small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or a downpour.
How do I arrange a drone roof survey in Hadleigh?
To book, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us the address and what you want to find out. We’ll confirm the price and agree a day with you.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime, which suits people who work during the week. Just say which days work for you.
How experienced are you?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, across 20+ years of surveying roofs, and 98% of clients are satisfied.
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, from inside the roof space, from the roof where it’s safe and by drone where applicable. The report says if anything couldn’t be seen.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We point out what can be seen, such as sagging or deflection, but we are not structural engineers and don’t carry out calculations. If we think you need an engineer, the report says so.
Towns and villages near Hadleigh
More services for Hadleigh
How we price drone roof surveys
All our prices include VAT. What changes the price is:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- The size of the roof
A Basic Survey starts from £150, including VAT. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400. You will know the price for your roof before booking.
What to let us know when you contact us
A little information up front helps. Please include:
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- Whether there is a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You will know the price before anything is booked.
What we’re asked to look at in Hadleigh
Not every roof can take a person’s weight. Old slates and clay tiles crack underfoot, and some sheet roofs are fragile. A drone lets us see them closely without touching them.
Look out for signs like these:
- Standing water on a flat roof
- Hidden gutters full of leaves
- Slates or tiles shifted by high winds
- Flashings that have come away
If you live in an older home near Church of St James the Less, older roofs can be steep and hard to see from the street, which is where photos from the air and thermal images help.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- Is VAT included in the price?
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
How it works
Once we’ve finished looking, we write up our findings in a report with photographs. On timing, most surveys take about 1–2 hours for a house, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. In a smaller place like Hadleigh, parking is seldom the issue; lanes, gates and long drives are worth mentioning. Low roofs on bungalows can frequently be seen well from ground level, and the loft shows the rest, while taller roofs may need other vantage points or the drone where it applies.
- We start by checking the airspace and any restrictions at your address.
- If permission is needed, we ask for it before the visit.
- On the day, we check the weather and the site before flying.
- We fly the drone close to the roof to photograph it in detail, always in sight.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Find any records of previous roof work
How to book
Not sure which survey you need? It is easiest to ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Read more
Airspace, weather and Hadleigh roofs
Hadleigh lies within about 2 miles of the sea, and wind near the sea can be strong. A small drone can’t fly safely in high wind or heavy rain, so the weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead. Weatherboarded walls and clay tile roofs are typical of older Essex buildings, and lots of post-war and modern estates besides. A drone or thermal camera adds most on the steep, tall and hidden parts of roofs like these.
Anyone responsible for a site like Hadleigh Junior School will know that big roofs are where aerial photos and thermal images show the most at once.
Hadleigh is about 2 miles south-east of Thundersley, in Essex. We survey roofs in Hadleigh and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and South East England. Our area takes in places right across Essex, from the larger towns to small villages. There is also a page for Chelmsford.
Every address in SS7 is covered for drone roof surveys. That includes homes and businesses on London Road, High Street and Church Road and the roads around them. Neighbouring places we cover for drone roof surveys include Daws Heath (1 mile north), Leigh-on-Sea (2 miles east), Rayleigh (3 miles north), Eastwood (3 miles north-east) and Chalkwell (3 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Chelmsford (14 miles north-west), Basildon (7 miles west), Brentwood (14 miles west), Maldon (12 miles north), Billericay (9 miles north-west) and Wickford (5 miles north-west).
Around Hadleigh
Typical jobs here are in homes near Hadleigh Farm and The King John School and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Leigh-on-Sea station, about 1.6 miles south-east. Well-known places in the area include Hadleigh Castle (0.7 miles south) and Bay Museum (3 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Great Wood and Dodd's Grove.
Practical tips
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Keep dogs indoors during the visit
- Give us the full address so we can check the airspace
- Keep a clear space in the garden or drive for take-off
- Be ready to move the date if the weather turns
Keep the photos with your property records. They’re a useful baseline for future surveys, and they help if you sell.
Look at the roof from ground level after strong winds. Pieces of slate or tile on the ground mean something has moved. A drone can show exactly what has moved.