West Berkshire · London and the South East
Drone Roof Survey in Inkpen Common
We carry out drone roof surveys in Inkpen Common and the rest of West Berkshire. We survey on any day of the week.
- Tired mortar and pots at the top of a stack
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Debris building up in hidden gutters
Drone roof survey in Inkpen Common
A drone can see more than your roof, so we take care. The camera stays on your roof, not on gardens or windows next door. If your roof is shared, a word with next door beforehand helps. We inspect only what the owner has asked us to. Flights are kept as short as the job allows and focused on the roof in question. If you’ve noticed loose ridge and hip tiles and standing water on a flat roof, we can find out what’s behind it.
In a village or hamlet like Inkpen Common, roofs can be steep, old and hard to see from the lane. Close-up drone photos and thermal images help show what can’t be reached safely. Both the forecast and the airspace are checked first, and the journey is planned beforehand. Steep slopes and tall chimney stacks are where a close-up view adds the most.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent.
- Location
- Inkpen Common (RG17, RG20)
- Region
- West Berkshire
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Drone roof surveys around Inkpen Common
Slate and clay tile are the usual coverings on older South East houses, with concrete tiles on many later estates, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. Older coverings on steep or tall roofs are hard to judge from below, so close-up close-up aerial shots and thermal images help. Stargroves, about 2.7 miles south-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Inkpen Common. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Take a building like Inkpen Primary School: big roofs are where close-up aerial shots and thermal images show the most at once.
Inkpen Common is about 6 miles west of Newbury, in West Berkshire. We carry out drone roof surveys in Inkpen Common for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Inkpen Common is one of the places in West Berkshire where we work. For surveys nearby, see our Reading page.
We survey roofs across RG17 and RG20 for drone roof surveys and the streets around it. Whether your property is on Heads Lane, Rooksnest Lane and The Firs or anywhere close by, we can survey it. We also cover the places around Inkpen Common: Hell Corner (1 mile east), Inkpen (1 mile north-west), Upper Green (1 mile south-west), Lower Green (1 mile west) and Kintbury (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include Newbury (6 miles east), Thatcham (9 miles east), Speenhamland (6 miles east), Hungerford (4 miles north-west), Lambourn (10 miles north) and Shaw (7 miles east).
Landmarks near Inkpen Common
Around Inkpen Common, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Crown and Garter pub, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Kintbury station, roughly 2 miles north of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Hamstead Marshall 3 (3.1 miles north-east). Not far away are Kintbury Newt Ponds and Inkpen Hill.
Different roofs, different checks
Valleys and parapet gutters
Hidden gutters and valleys sit out of sight. From above, we can see the linings, the joints and any debris.
Flat roofs on tall buildings
Flat roofs on tall buildings are frequently seen by nobody. From above, standing water, splits and tired upstands are clear.
What a drone roof survey does not cover
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Photos in conditions too poor to fly
- Flights in a restricted zone without permission
- Neighbouring roofs the owner hasn’t asked us to survey
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll recommend the right survey. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney stacks
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Large and complex roofs
- Fragile roofs
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Tall and steep roofs
How the survey works
The aim of the visit is simple: to look at the roof as closely as is safe and record what we find. Notes and photographs go into the written report. It typically takes roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, with the pre-flight checks included, and longer for big commercial roofs. Rural addresses near Inkpen Common can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- First comes the address, plus a note of what worries you about the roof.
- We check the airspace and seek any permission needed.
- Before take-off, the wind, the weather and the launch spot are looked at.
- Close-up photos are taken of each slope, chimney, valley and gutter, with the drone always in view.
- You receive a written report with the photos and our recommendations.
Before we arrive
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
- Tell us about parking before the day
Getting a price
Getting a price is simple: just call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and give us a few details about the property and we’ll recommend the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
Places near Inkpen Common
More services for Inkpen Common
Useful tips for Inkpen Common property owners
Getting the most from a drone roof survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Some tips:
- A word with neighbours beforehand helps
- Tell us the exact address when you book
- Move stored items away from the hatch
- Clear a spot on the drive or lawn
Your report arrives by email, with close-up photographs from the flight. Each finding is explained in plain words, and recommendations are ranked by urgency where that helps.
Every so often, look in the loft space with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. A drone sees the outside, but the loft shows leaks and condensation from below. Photograph anything new.
FAQs for Inkpen Common
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Inkpen Common?
Normally it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain.
Will you come out to Inkpen Common?
Yes, Inkpen Common is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We are roof surveyors, not structural engineers. We will recommend an engineer if we see signs that call for one.
When does the report arrive?
Report times are set by the package. Basic is within 48 hours, Standard is 24–48 hours and Premium is the same day. If you have a deadline, such as an exchange date, tell us when you book.
What do I do with the report?
You’ll get the report by email, with photos and clear recommendations. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation.
Will you go up on the roof?
Only when it is safe. Safety comes first, and fragile or steep roofs can’t always be walked on. Safe viewpoints, the loft and a drone where applicable let us see the rest, and the report records anything we couldn’t see.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we’re allowed to reach, and the report makes that clear.
Signs you need a drone roof survey in Inkpen Common
Many roofs are never seen properly from ground level. Rear slopes, valleys and the tops of chimneys are hidden. Problems in those places often go unseen until they leak.
Common reasons to book include:
- Ridge and hip pieces working loose
- Cracked slates and tiles out of sight from below
- Moss building up on slopes and in gutters
- Tired mortar and pots at the top of a stack
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near Church of St Laurence, tall stacks and steep slopes are easier to judge with close-up aerial photos than from the pavement.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What happens after the report arrives
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
For landlords and managing agents
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client, photographs included.
We survey roofs for landlords and agents as well as householders. A written report with photos gives you a clear record of the roof.