Brighton and Hove · London and the South East
Drone roof survey in Ovingdean, Brighton and Hove
Need a drone roof survey in Ovingdean? We can help, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Tired mortar and pots at the top of a stack
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Slates or tiles shifted by high winds
How a drone roof survey works in Ovingdean
A drone shows the outside of a roof very well, but it can’t see under the coverings or into the loft. Where there’s safe access, we look in the loft space too, because the underside tells its own story. Inside and out together tell you far more. The report sets out what the drone showed and what we found inside. Where the loft can’t be reached safely, we note it. If you’re worried about lifted or split lead flashings and blistered or cracked flat roof coverings, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on fragile roofs, chimney stacks and valleys and parapet gutters alike.
Villages like Ovingdean often stand in open country, where wind can be strong. Strong wind or a downpour stops a small drone flying, and calm conditions also suit thermal imaging best. We plan the journey, access and timing around the weather. If the day turns windy or wet, the visit can be moved.
The written findings come by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Location
- Ovingdean (BN2)
- Wider area
- Brighton and Hove
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
How it works
The visit normally starts outside and finishes in the loft: outside views come first, then the roof space if there’s safe access. In total, it takes between one and two hours at a house, including the airspace and weather checks before take-off. In a hamlet or village like Ovingdean, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, 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, we check the address for flight restrictions.
- Where a flight restriction zone or restricted area applies, we seek permission first.
- On the day, we check the weather and the site before flying.
- The drone captures close-up photos of the coverings, chimneys, valleys and gutters.
- We email a written report with the photographs and our recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
How to book
Our price is from £400, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the details.
Advice
How the survey changes by roof type
Valleys and parapet gutters
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter. It’s almost impossible to see from the ground, but a drone shows it clearly.
Large commercial roofs
Many commercial roofs have fragile sheets or roof lights. With a drone, nobody has to go near them.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Ovingdean
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work with less disruption.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, putting the urgent items at the top.
Drone roof surveys around Ovingdean
Ovingdean is within about 1 mile of the coast, and wind near the sea can be strong. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, so the weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first, including zones around airports and prisons.
If you look after a building such as Ovingdean Hall School, thermal images can show where wet insulation sits under a big flat roof. Shop and office owners around Churchill Square may find that large commercial roofs are often easiest to see from above or with a thermal imager. If you own one of the older houses in the streets near St Wulfran's Church, thin or patchy insulation under an old roof frequently shows up clearly on a thermal image.
Ovingdean is about 3 miles south-east of Hanover, in Brighton and Hove. We cover Ovingdean and the rest of Brighton and Hove. Ovingdean is one of the towns and villages in Brighton and Hove where we work for drone roof surveys.
Here we cover the BN2 postcode area for drone roof surveys. We cover properties on Longhill Road, Ovingdean Road and Wanderdown Road. Close by, we survey roofs in Rottingdean (1 mile east), Roedean (1 mile west), Saltdean (2 miles south-east), East Saltdean (2 miles south-east) and Telscombe (3 miles east). Larger places within reach include Brighton (3 miles north-west), Brighton and Hove (5 miles west), Hove (4 miles west), Carlton Hill (3 miles west), Hanover (3 miles north-west) and West Hill (3 miles west).
What’s near Ovingdean
Around Ovingdean, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Beacon Hill, Our Lady of Lourdes RC School and Duck Inn. The closest station to Ovingdean is Moulsecoomb station, roughly 3 miles north-west of the centre. A little further out are Brighton Motor Museum (1.9 miles west) and French Convalescent Home (1.5 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Newmarket Hill and Beacon Hill Local Nature Reserve.
Tips from our surveys
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Be ready to move the date if the weather turns
- A word with neighbours beforehand helps
- Expect a little longer if permission is needed
- Move stored items away from the hatch
If you need work done, roofers can work from the photos. They’ll see exactly where each defect is, so their quotes cover the same ground.
Keep gutters, valleys and outlets clear, ideally once the leaves have fallen. On tall buildings, use a professional with the right access equipment. Blocked hidden gutters cause many leaks.
FAQs for Ovingdean
Is my home in Ovingdean listed or in a conservation area?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Ovingdean?
That depends on where the roof is and on the weather. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. A small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling aren’t something we do. Where a material might contain it, such as old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it.
Is Ovingdean in your area?
Yes. We survey roofs across London and South East England, Ovingdean included.
Will you check the loft?
Yes, where the survey calls for it and there is safe access. Inside, we look for damp, staining, gaps and sagging.
What do I do with the report?
The report comes by email, and what you do next is up to you: raise it with a seller, send it to an insurer, brief a roofer or share it with a managing agent.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To find a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Places near Ovingdean
Also in Ovingdean
What this survey cannot tell you
Every survey has limits, and it’s better to know them up front. Keep these in mind:
- A flight where airspace permission is refused
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- Roofs and gardens beyond the one we’re surveying
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney stacks
- Large and complex roofs
- Fragile roofs
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Tall and steep roofs
- Valleys and parapet gutters
Why get it checked now?
A drone record gives you a baseline. Next time, you can compare and see what has moved or worn. It helps when you plan ahead. For older village homes like those around Ovingdean, the right replacement materials aren’t always easy to find quickly. That is one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
To find out what your survey will cost, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Why us?
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- An independent look at the roof
- 20+ years’ experience
- A written report with photos