Greater London · London and the South East
Islington Drone Roof Survey
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in Islington, with photographs and a written report.
- Slates or tiles shifted by high winds
- Gaps where slates or tiles have gone
- Ridge and hip pieces working loose
Surveys for landlords and agents in Islington
Landlords and agents in Islington book surveys as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photos, which helps you plan work between tenancies.
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work with less disruption.
About our drone roof survey in Islington
Neighbours’ privacy matters on every flight. 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. Each flight is kept short and stays focused on the roof we’re there to survey. We survey flat roofs on upper floors, fragile roofs and chimney stacks, and people most often book us about plant growth and moss on the roof and eroded pointing on a chimney stack.
Many London roofs are hidden from the pavement: butterfly roofs behind parapets, dormer tops and flat roofs over back additions. That is where a view from the air or a thermal camera helps, by showing what can’t be reached safely. The weather decides the day: both drones and thermal cameras need the right conditions. Thermal images show surface temperature, not water itself, so findings are checked with moisture readings.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Place
- Islington (N1, N7, NW1, EC1V)
- Region
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Drone roof surveys around Islington
Dr Johnson's House, about 1.6 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Islington. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters. 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.
If you live in an older home near St Mary's Church, tall stacks and steep slopes are easier to judge with close-up aerial photos than from the pavement. Parking in Islington, as in most of London, takes a little planning: let us know about parking bays, permits or a driveway when you book. If you run a business near Brunswick Centre, a commercial roof can be photographed from above without anyone walking on it.
Islington is about 3 miles north-east of City of Westminster, in Greater London. Islington gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photos and a written report. Across Greater London, we cover Islington.
Postcode districts we cover here for drone roof surveys: N1, N7, NW1 and EC1V. Whether your property is on Gibson Square, Old Royal Free Square and Cloudesley Square or anywhere close by, we can help. Being close to the B515 and A5203, Islington is simple for us to get to. We also cover Pentonville (1 mile south), Angel (1 mile south), Barnsbury (1 mile north-west), Clerkenwell (1 mile south) and Lower Holloway (1 mile north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover London (3 miles south), City of Westminster (3 miles south-west), Kensington (5 miles south-west), Walthamstow (5 miles north-east), Hampstead (3 miles west) and Ruislip (13 miles west).
Local landmarks in Islington
We work in homes and buildings around Islington Green School, The King's Head Public House and Pilsudski Institute of London and the streets around them. Nearby too are Barnard Park (under half a mile south-west) and St Mary's CofE Primary School (less than half a mile east). There’s a railway station in Islington itself: Essex Road station. Other landmarks nearby include King's College Hospital Charity (0.7 miles north-west) and Montfichet's Tower (1.7 miles south). The countryside around Islington includes Barnsbury Wood and Ludgate Hill.
Practical tips
There is plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Move stored items away from the hatch
- Tell next door if the drone will be near their property
- Book early if you are near an airport
- Share the postcode so we can check for restrictions
File the report and photos with your home documents. They give you something to compare against later.
Do not block the vents at the eaves. Poor airflow lets condensation build up, and it is something only an inside check will show. Make sure insulation doesn’t block the airflow.
What this survey cannot tell you
We only report what can safely be seen on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Flights in strong wind or heavy rain
- The underside of the roof (that needs an inside check)
- Close-up photos of next door’s property
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will recommend the right survey before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What we look at
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Chimney stacks
- Tall and steep roofs
- Large and complex roofs
- Fragile roofs
- Valleys and parapet gutters
What affects the price in Islington
Survey packages start from £150, inc. VAT. The price for your roof depends on:
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- The size of the roof
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
There are three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you’d like to know.
What to tell us when you get in touch
To price your survey accurately, we’ll ask about:
- Your timetable, like an exchange date
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- The property’s address and postcode
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
Places near Islington
More services for Islington
Why act early in Islington
With drone photos, everyone can see the same thing. They show the location and extent of each defect. Many older London roofs have only old felt under the slates, or no underlay at all, so a slipped slate can soon mean water inside. Left alone, that means wet timbers and plaster, which is a far bigger job than the roof fault itself.
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where applicable, from £400 inc. VAT. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
What you get with us
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- Photos and a written report every time
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
What happens on the day
The aim of the visit is simple: to look at the roof as closely as is safe and record what we find. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. It usually takes an hour or two at a house, including the airspace and weather checks before take-off. In Islington, visits are available on weekdays and at weekends. London parking is often by permit or pay-and-display, so it helps to know what’s near you. A back bedroom window can be the best vantage point for a rear addition, so we may ask to use one.
- You give us the address and tell us about the roof.
- Airspace restrictions are checked and permission sought where needed.
- We assess the conditions and the take-off spot first.
- We fly the sub-250g drone close to the roof and photograph each area.
- You receive a written report with the photos and our recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Booking a survey
When you’re ready to go ahead, ring 07833 053749 or email us. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.
Related advice
Islington: your questions answered
Is parking a problem for a survey in Islington?
It depends on the street. Where there are permit zones, a visitor permit or nearby pay-and-display bay works well, and a driveway is even better.
Are there drone restrictions around Islington?
It depends on the exact address and the weather on the day. Across London there are restriction zones around Heathrow, London City and London Heliport, plus restricted areas over Hyde Park, the City of London and the Isle of Dogs. Every London address is checked against them before a flight. Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions, including zones around airports and prisons. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain.
Do I need to be at home?
It depends on what we need to see. For inside areas and the roof space, someone has to give us access, while outside access can be discussed when you book.
What does the report include?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos, finishing with recommendations. Points are put by urgency where it matters.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. We are experienced roof surveyors, and our survey covers the roof rather than the whole building. If you need a full building survey, you’ll need a RICS survey as well.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Some surveys depend on the weather more than others. Drones cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. We will rearrange with you if the weather isn’t right.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day, which suits people who work during the week. Let us know your preferred days as you book.