Greater London · London and the South East
Drone roof survey in North Cray, Greater London
Close-up drone photographs of roofs that are hard to reach in North Cray, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Get in touch for a price.
- Cracked flaunching or loose chimney pots
- Ridge pieces that have lifted
- Coverings that have slipped high up on the roof
Roof by roof
Steep slate and tile slopes
Walking on fragile coverings can break them. The drone sees them without touching them.
Flat roofs on tall buildings
Felt often lasts around 15 to 20 years, EPDM rubber around 30 to 50 and GRP up to about 30. Photos show how the covering is wearing.
Drone roof survey in North Cray
Before any flight, we check the airspace. Near protected airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton, flight restriction zones mean permission is needed first. Parts of central London have restricted areas too, where NATS permission is needed. If we cannot fly, we use other safe vantage points instead and tell you. Prisons have their own drone restriction zones too. If you are worried about lifted or split lead flashings and blistered or cracked flat roof coverings, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
In London’s terraces and conversions, roofs are packed close together, which makes care around neighbours part of the job. We take care to focus on the roof we’ve been asked to look at. Let us know about the building and access as you book. Steep slopes, tall chimneys and rear additions are where the extra view helps most.
The written findings come by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Location
- North Cray (DA14)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Your questions about drone roof surveys in North Cray
Is my home in North Cray listed or in a conservation area?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Can parking be tricky for a visit in North Cray?
In much of London, parking needs planning: a visitor permit or a bay close to the door helps a lot.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. We check everything that can be seen safely: from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the loft space, from the roof itself where safe and by drone where it applies. Anything we cannot see is noted in the report.
How much is a survey?
Drone roof survey starts from £400, including VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on its size, height, access and the package, and it’s agreed before booking.
Will the drone show what’s under the tiles?
No. The drone photographs the outer surfaces, but not the loft or the underside. Where there is safe access, we check the loft space from inside.
Does the weather affect a drone survey?
The flight waits for better weather. A small drone can’t fly safely in high wind or heavy rain, so we’d move the date with you, or look from other safe viewpoints if you’d rather.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime, which suits people who work during the week. Just say which days work for you.
Before and after the survey
Nothing here needs a ladder. Our suggestions:
- Let neighbours know about the flight if your roof is shared
- Make sure there’s room outside for the drone to take off
- Allow time for permission if you are in a flight restriction zone
- Allow for a change of day in poor weather
There is a follow-up after 12 months with the Premium Survey. It helps you see how the roof has changed over the year, and whether work has done its job.
After a storm, check from the garden and the street. Debris in the garden is a sign to act on. A drone survey can show what has shifted.
What a survey costs
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before booking. This is what makes a difference:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
Drone roof survey starts from £400, including VAT. The final price depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and the package you choose.
Getting in touch
Before you get in touch, it helps to have:
- What made you get in touch
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Where the property is, with the postcode
Not sure which survey you need? It’s easiest to call 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will explain the options and the price.
Airspace, weather and North Cray roofs
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. Each address is checked against all of them before the drone goes up. With Hall Place and Gardens about 1.4 miles north-east, North Cray sits in an area with a long building history. 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.
For businesses in and around places such as Broadway Shopping Centre, a commercial roof can be photographed from above without anyone walking on it. Take a building like Royal Park Primary Academy: thermal images can show where wet insulation sits under a big flat roof. If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Parish Church of St James, thin or patchy insulation under an old roof often shows up clearly on a thermal image.
North Cray is about 2 miles east of Sidcup, in Greater London. Wherever you are in North Cray, we can carry out drone roof surveys at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. North Cray is one of the towns and villages in Greater London we cover. London is in our area too.
Postcode districts we cover here for drone roof surveys: DA14. That includes homes and businesses on Water Lane, North Cray Road and Leafield Lane and the roads around them. Nearby, we also carry out drone roof surveys in Bexley (1 mile north), Coldblow (1 mile north-east), Ruxley (1 mile south), Blendon (1 mile north-west) and Joyden's Wood (1 mile east). Larger places within reach include London (11 miles north-west), City of Westminster (14 miles north-west), Marylebone (14 miles north-west), Kensington (15 miles west), St Pancras (13 miles north-west) and Shoreditch (11 miles north-west).
Landmarks near North Cray
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Foots Cray Meadows, Cleeve Park School and The White Cross pub. For rail, the closest station is Albany Park station, roughly 0.6 miles north-west of the centre. A little further out are Broadway Shopping Centre (1.7 miles north) and Bexley Hospital (1.8 miles north). The countryside around North Cray includes Wansunt Pit and Summer Hill.
For landlords and managing agents
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too. Bigger roofs take more time, so they’re priced to suit.
Where a roof is shared: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you get in touch and we will plan the survey around it.
How it works
We do not take risks to get a closer look. We inspect everything that’s safely in view, and anything we cannot see is noted in the report. Most visits take an hour or two for most homes, with the pre-flight checks included, and longer for big commercial roofs. In converted houses and mansion blocks, the loft hatch is often on a shared landing. Where that’s the case, access needs agreeing with whoever controls that landing. Everything else is planned around the building, not the postcode.
- First, we check the address for flight restrictions.
- We arrange any permission that is needed before we fly.
- Before the flight, we check the conditions and the take-off spot.
- We fly the drone close to the roof to photograph it in detail, always in sight.
- We email a written report with the photos and our recommendations.
Before we arrive
- Find any records of previous roof work
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with whoever owns or manages the building
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
Getting a price
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Towns and villages near North Cray
What else we do in North Cray
Checking the roof from the ground
It is useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when booking, as it helps us focus the survey.
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level, and those are details a survey looks at closely.