Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Drone roof survey in Little Heath, Oxfordshire
Drone roof surveys in Little Heath, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Coverings that have slipped high up on the roof
- Slates or tiles shifted by high winds
- Lead work pulling away at abutments
Drone roof surveys for homes and businesses in Little Heath
They suit tall buildings, steep or large roofs and roofs that are hard to see from ground level. They also suit fragile roofs that nobody should walk on. You get close-up views without anyone setting foot on the roof. We check the airspace for your address ahead of the visit. We will tell you if another approach would work better. If you are worried about tired mortar and pots at the top of a stack and standing water on a flat roof, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
In smaller places like Little Heath, many homes are bungalows and houses with roofs you can partly see from the ground. The parts you cannot see, such as rear slopes, valleys and chimney tops, are where a drone or thermal camera adds detail. The forecast decides the day, as calm, dry conditions suit both. Even so, a close-up image often shows wear on ridges and flashings that a view from the ground misses.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Place
- Little Heath (RG31, RG30)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Flying and imaging in Little Heath
Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first, including zones around airports and prisons. Historic houses such as Mapledurham House, about 2 miles north-east, show how far back building in the area around Little Heath goes. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
If you look after a building like Birch Copse Primary School, thermal images can show where wet insulation sits under a big flat roof. The streets around a church such as St Catherine of Siena are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, older roofs can be steep and hard to see from the street, which is where photos from the air and thermal images help. If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for example near Broad Street Mall, a commercial roof can be photographed from above without anyone walking on it.
Little Heath is about 3 miles west of Reading, in Oxfordshire. Bookings from Little Heath are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Across Oxfordshire, we cover Little Heath.
We work across the RG31 and RG30 postcode area for drone roof surveys and the streets around it. We offer drone roof surveys to properties on City Road, Kiln Lane and Back Lane. We also cover the places around Little Heath: Tilehurst (1 mile east), Sulham (1 mile north-west), Tilehurst Within (1 mile east), Calcot (1 mile south) and Norcot (1 mile east). Within a short drive, we also cover Didcot (13 miles north-west), Henley-on-Thames (8 miles north-east), Benson (11 miles north), Wallingford (10 miles north), Great Western Park (14 miles north-west) and Watlington (13 miles north).
What’s near Little Heath
Around Little Heath, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Fox and Hounds pub, Calcot Park and Little Heath School. Little Heath’s nearest station is Tilehurst station, about 1.4 miles north-east. Nearby you will also find Broad Street Mall (3.4 miles east) and Battle Hospital (2.5 miles east). For a walk, there’s Moor Copse Nature Reserve and Hosehill Lake.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Planning roof work without seeing the roof is a gamble. Our report shows the condition of each area, with recommendations prioritised by urgency where relevant. You can tackle the urgent items first. In an older home around Little Heath, water from a roof defect can get into timber and plaster, which is far harder to put right than the roof fault itself.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Prices start from £400, including VAT.
Why book us in Little Heath
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- A written report with photos
- Package prices that include VAT
Read our cost guide or two real surveys.
What we do, step by step
A survey visit follows a simple order: we listen to what’s been worrying you, inspect the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. Most visits take roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. In a smaller place like Little Heath, parking is seldom the issue; lanes, gates and long drives are worth mentioning. On bungalows and lower roofs, much can be seen from the ground, with the loft showing the underside.
- We start with the address and what you’d like checked.
- We check the airspace and seek any permission needed.
- On the day, we check the wind, weather and site before flying.
- We fly the sub-250g drone close to the roof and photograph each area.
- We email the report with close-up photos and recommendations.
Before the survey
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
Book a survey
To get a price for drone roof surveys in Little Heath, ring 07833 053749 or email us. A few details about the property and the roof help us price the survey accurately.
Related advice
Also near Little Heath
What else we do in Little Heath
What we can’t see
A survey is a careful look at the roof, but it cannot do everything. Its limits include:
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- A structural engineer’s report
- A flight on a day when the weather isn’t safe
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you before you book. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Large and complex roofs
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Tall and steep roofs
- Chimney stacks
- Fragile roofs
Before and after the survey
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Expect a little longer if permission is needed
- Be ready to move the date if the weather turns
- Give us the full address so we can check the airspace
- Move stored items away from the hatch
There is a follow-up after 12 months with the Premium Survey. It shows whether anything has moved or worn since the first visit, and whether work has done its job.
Keep gutters, valleys and outlets clear, especially in autumn. On high roofs, leave clearing to a professional. Many leaks start with a blocked outlet.
Little Heath questions
How do I find out if my home in Little Heath is listed?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you cover smaller places like Little Heath?
Yes. Little Heath is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
Will you photograph what you find?
Yes. Photographs are taken throughout the survey, and the report uses them to show each finding alongside our recommendations.
Is a drone roof survey a thermal survey?
The drone survey is a photographic inspection. Thermal imaging is a separate check, and it’s part of the Premium Survey.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. We look at the roof, not the whole building, so it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
What will the report tell me?
It sets out what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, with photographs throughout. Anything we couldn’t see safely is noted too.
What happens if the weather is bad?
Bad weather means no flight. Wind and heavy rain are the two things that ground a small drone, so we’d move the date with you, or look from other safe viewpoints if you’d rather.
How we price drone roof surveys
When we price a survey, we consider:
- The roof’s overall size
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
Every price we give includes VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Drone roof survey starts from £400, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
What to tell us when you contact us
A little information up front helps. Please include:
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- When you need the report by
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
We survey roofs on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To find a date that works for you, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
What you can safely check yourself
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.