Isle of Wight · London and the South East
Drone roof survey in Merstone, Isle of Wight
Close-up drone photographs of roofs that are hard to reach across Merstone, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Call or email for a price.
- Flat roofs on upper floors that hold water
- Cracked slates and tiles out of sight from below
- Debris building up in hidden gutters
Can I check my roof myself?
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey.
How a drone roof survey works in Merstone
Our drone weighs under 250g, and we hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID. We keep it in sight throughout, and well below the 120-metre height limit. Every flight is planned around the roof, the site and the people nearby. Before every flight, we check the airspace and the weather. Safety comes first on every visit. If you are worried about ridge and hip pieces working loose and slates or tiles shifted by high winds, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
In a village or hamlet like Merstone, roofs can be steep, old and hard to see from the lane. A drone and a thermal camera each give a view you can’t get from the ground. Both the forecast and the airspace are checked first. Older roofs with steep slopes and tall chimneys are where the extra view helps most.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Place
- Merstone (PO30)
- Wider area
- Isle of Wight
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Places near Merstone
Also in Merstone
Merstone: your questions answered
Are there drone restrictions around Merstone?
It depends on the exact address and the weather on the day. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first, including zones around airports and prisons. The flight also waits for calm, dry weather.
Is my home in Merstone listed or in a conservation area?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
What if it rains on the day?
Some surveys depend on the weather more than others. Drones cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. If the conditions are not right, we’ll talk to you about another date.
How much is a survey?
Drone roof survey starts from £400, including VAT. Our Basic Survey starts from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all including VAT.
How soon will I get the report?
Each package has its own report time. 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.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first, with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you get in touch and we will plan the survey around it.
How long will you be at the property?
It usually takes roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, with the pre-flight checks included, and longer for big commercial roofs. The report follows by email.
What affects the cost of drone roof surveys
Survey packages start from £150, inc. VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- The roof’s overall size
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package you pick makes a difference too. The price is always agreed first.
What to tell us when you contact us
If you can, have these to hand when you contact us:
- Dates you’re working to, like exchange
- The address and postcode of the property
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
Unsure which package suits your roof? It is easiest to ring 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney stacks
Chimney tops are hard to see from the ground. A drone gets close to the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings, so cracks and gaps are clear.
Large commercial roofs
Cement sheet roofs on buildings from before 2000 may contain asbestos. We don’t test for it, but we flag it so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check.
What we do, step by step
We check the roof from outside and, where it is relevant and there’s safe access, from inside the roof space too. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement. The whole visit normally takes between one and two hours for most homes, with the pre-flight checks included, and longer for big commercial roofs. Older rural homes like those around Merstone can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- First, we check the address for flight restrictions.
- If permission is needed, we ask for it ahead of the visit.
- We assess the wind, the weather and the surroundings before take-off.
- 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.
How to prepare
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Keep pets in another room
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
Booking a survey
Drone roof survey starts from £400, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, so phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the details.
Advice
Useful tips for Merstone property owners
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Make sure the loft can be reached
- Allow time for permission if you’re in a flight restriction zone
- Clear a spot on the drive or lawn
- Shut pets inside while we fly
File the report and photos with your home documents. They give you something to compare against later, and they help if you sell.
Check the loft now and then, with care and a good torch. A drone sees the outside, but the loft shows leaks and condensation from below. Photograph anything new.
Drone roof surveys around Merstone
Merstone lies within about 5 miles of the sea, where wind off 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. Arreton Manor, about 1.1 miles north, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Merstone. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead.
Whatever the street in Merstone, a roof costs least to look after when faults are caught early.
Merstone is about 3 miles south-east of Newport, in the Isle of Wight. Wherever you are in Merstone, we can come and survey your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Our area takes in places right across the Isle of Wight, from the larger towns to small villages. Our Portsmouth page covers surveys nearby.
Postcode districts we cover here for drone roof surveys: PO30. We offer drone roof surveys to properties on Merstone Lane, Chapel Lane and Newlands and the roads around them. If you’re just outside Merstone, we cover Arreton (1 mile north-east), Rookley (1 mile south-west), Hale Common (1 mile south-east), Rookley Green (1 mile south-west) and Blackwater (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Newport (3 miles north-west), Ryde (6 miles north-east), Cowes (7 miles north), Sandown (4 miles east), Shanklin (4 miles south-east) and Ventnor (5 miles south-east). Harder-to-reach addresses take a little more planning, so please mention your location when you call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Local landmarks in Merstone
For rail, the closest station is Shanklin station, about 3.8 miles south-east. A little further out are Whitecroft Hospital (2.2 miles west) and Carisbrooke Castle (3.1 miles north-west). For a walk, there’s Stenbury Down and Alverstone Mead.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Merstone
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, putting the urgent items at the top.
Letting agents and landlords in Merstone book surveys as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photos, which helps you plan work between tenancies.