Kent · London and the South East
Drone roof survey in Hawley, Kent
Drone roof surveys around Hawley, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Standing water on a flat roof
- Ridge and hip pieces working loose
- Storm damage on steep or tall roofs
How a drone roof survey works in Hawley
Drone roof survey starts from £400, including VAT. A drone inspection, where applicable, is also part of our Premium Survey, with a same-day report, structural analysis and an in-person consultation. It also includes a follow-up after 12 months. We will tell you if a drone is not the right tool for your roof. You get a written report with the close-up photos from the flight. If you are worried about damage after a storm that can’t be seen from below and gaps where slates or tiles have gone, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on large and complex roofs, fragile roofs and tall and steep roofs alike.
Older buildings in small places like Hawley may be listed or in a conservation area. Neither a drone survey nor a thermal survey involves any work on the roof, so it is a gentle way to see the condition of an old roof. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, so check with the council first.
Most points in the report come with a picture, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Where
- Hawley (DA2)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
For landlords and managing agents
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. Surveys run seven days a week, which can make access easier.
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with the building owner or managing agent. Mention it when you contact us and we will plan the survey around it.
Airspace, weather and Hawley roofs
Handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles hung on pegs through two holes, are typical of older Kent buildings. Oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of the county’s older buildings too. Where a roof is steep, tall or hard to see from ground level, drone photos and thermal images add detail. Our drone weighs under 250g, and we hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID. Open category rules keep flights below 120 m (400 ft) and the drone within sight at all times.
The streets around a church like Church of St John the Baptist are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, older roofs can be steep and hard to see from the street, which is where aerial photos and thermal images help. If you run a business near Bluewater, big, flat commercial roofs are where aerial photos and thermal images help most.
Hawley is about 1 mile south of Dartford, in Kent. We carry out drone roof surveys for homes and businesses in Hawley. Our area takes in places right across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. We also survey roofs in London.
Drone roof surveys in DA2 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. If you need a drone roof survey at a property on Ash Road, May Road and Shirehall Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Close by, we survey roofs in Clement Street (1 mile south-west), Sutton at Hone (1 mile south-east), Darenth (1 mile east), Dartford (1 mile north) and St Margarets (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Sevenoaks (10 miles south), Gravesend (7 miles east), Northfleet (5 miles east), Swanley (3 miles south-west), Kings Hill (13 miles south-east) and Swanscombe (3 miles north-east).
Near you in Hawley
We work in homes and buildings around Darenth Country Park, Leigh Academy and The Four Lymes pub. The nearest railway station is Farningham Road station, roughly 1.5 miles south. Other landmarks nearby include Bluewater (2.4 miles north-east) and Darenth Park Hospital (1.7 miles north-east). For a walk, there’s Wansunt Pit and Sawyers Lake.
Common roof problems in Hawley
Steep and tall roofs are hard to inspect safely. Three-storey houses, blocks of flats and tall commercial buildings are common examples. A drone gets close-up views from a safe position on the ground.
Problems we come across frequently include:
- Flashings that have come away
- Hidden gutters full of leaves
- Flat roofs on upper floors that hold water
- Moss and weeds taking hold up top
Hall Place and Gardens, about 3.3 miles north-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Hawley. A drone or thermal survey does not involve any work on the roof, which suits older buildings.
Questions to ask before you book
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
What happens on the day
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. The inspection then takes an hour or two at a typical home, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. Cottages and farmhouses around Hawley often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can be seen safely.
- We confirm whether a drone suits your roof.
- A visit is booked for a weekday, Saturday or Sunday, weather permitting.
- We fly over the roof, keeping the camera on the property we’re surveying.
- We also look inside the roof space where it is safe.
- The report sets out what we found, with photos and recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- Keep pets in another room
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Tell us where we can park nearby
Arrange a survey
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Advice
DIY checks: what’s safe
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.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Questions from Hawley
Are there drone restrictions around Hawley?
Typically it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first, including zones around airports and prisons. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain.
How do I find out if my home in Hawley 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 it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. It is 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.
How much is a survey?
Drone roof survey starts from £400, including VAT. We confirm the price for your roof before you book. To get a price, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime. Just say which days work for you.
What will the report tell me?
It explains what we saw, what it means and what we’d suggest, with photographs throughout. It also says if any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, so you know exactly what was covered.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning, with whoever owns or manages the building. Tell us about it as you book and we will plan the survey around it.
What a drone roof survey does not cover
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- A flight on a day when the weather isn’t safe
- A structural engineer’s report
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- Fragile roofs
- Tall and steep roofs
- Large and complex roofs
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Chimney stacks
Nearby places to Hawley
What else we do in Hawley
Tips that help
There’s plenty you can do without going near the roof. Here’s what helps most:
- A word with neighbours beforehand helps
- Keep pets indoors during the flight
- Share the postcode so we can check for restrictions
- Make sure the loft can be reached
The report gives any roofer you ask to quote a clear brief. They’ll see exactly where each defect is, so their quotes cover the same ground.
Every so often, look in the loft space with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. The underside frequently shows problems before the outside does. Take photos of any changes.