Wokingham · London and the South East
Drone roof survey in Reading, Wokingham
Drone roof surveys across Reading, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- Blocked valleys and parapet gutters
- Moss and weeds taking hold up top
- Storm damage on steep or tall roofs
Practical tips
Getting the most from a drone roof survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Tips:
- Shut pets inside while we fly
- Be ready to move the date if the weather turns
- Share the postcode so we can check for restrictions
- Move stored items away from the hatch
Premium also includes a 12-month follow-up. It shows whether anything has moved or worn since the first visit.
Every so often, look in the loft space with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. The underside often shows problems before the outside does. Take photos of any changes.
Drone roof survey in Reading: what you get
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, such as old slate, clay tiles or cement sheets. The roof is photographed without being disturbed. We check the airspace for your address before the visit. We will tell you if another approach would work better. Common reasons to book are loose ridge and hip tiles and slipped or missing slates on a high roof, on tall and steep roofs, valleys and parapet gutters and fragile roofs.
Conditions on the day matter: a small drone can’t fly safely in high wind or heavy rain, and thermal images are clearest after a sunny day, on a dry roof, with little wind. In Reading, as anywhere, the forecast plays a part in when the visit happens. A look inside the roof space can go ahead whatever the forecast.
If any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You’ll know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Location
- Reading (RG6, RG31, RG1, RG30)
- Wider area
- Wokingham
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
FAQs for Reading
Is Reading in the area you cover?
Yes, Reading is within the area we cover. We survey roofs across London and the South East. Just ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know about the property.
Is my home in Reading listed or in a conservation area?
We cannot confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We do not carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, like cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before any work.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. We check the parts we are given access to.
What happens next?
We email you the written report with photos and recommendations. You can use it to talk to a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent, whichever applies.
How long does the visit take?
Expect it to take about 1–2 hours for most homes, with the pre-flight checks included, and longer for big commercial roofs. That includes checking the site and the weather before take-off.
Can you survey a roof inside a flight restriction zone?
Only with the right permission. Confirmed flight restriction zones include Heathrow, Gatwick, London City, Stansted, Luton and Southampton, among others, and a flight inside one needs the airport’s or air traffic control’s say-so. If permission isn’t given, the roof is inspected from other safe viewpoints.
What happens on the day
Every roof is different; as a rough guide, the survey takes between one and two hours at a typical home, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. You are welcome to ask questions while we’re there. In a place the size of Reading, the building you want surveyed may be a house, a flat above a shop or a whole block. Tell us which it is and who controls access, so the right access is in place on the day.
- We start by making sure a drone flight makes sense for the roof.
- We agree a date, including weekends, subject to the weather.
- Aerial photos are taken of your roof only, not the neighbours’.
- We also look inside the loft space where it’s safe.
- The report sets out what we found, with photos and recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
Arrange a survey
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. To book or ask a question, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Read more
Towns and villages near Reading
Other services in Reading
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, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
What a drone roof survey looks like in Reading
Our drone weighs under 250g, and we hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID. In the open category, flights stay below 120 m (400 ft) and within sight. Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions, including zones around airports and prisons.
If you run a hotel or guest house in or near Reading, a roof problem can mean rooms out of use. If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for example near The Oracle, thermal images can show trapped moisture across a wide commercial roof. For site and facilities teams at buildings like Coley Primary School, a view from above covers a wide roof far faster than walking it.
Reading is about 38 miles west of London, in Wokingham. Surveys in Reading work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Across Wokingham, we cover Reading and the places around it.
Every address in RG6, RG31, RG1 and RG30 is covered for drone roof surveys. We offer drone roof surveys to properties on Downshire Square, Market Way and Market Place and the roads around them. Reading sits on or near the A4 and A33. We also cover Coley Park (1 mile south-west), West Reading (1 mile north-west), Newtown (1 mile east), Lower Caversham (1 mile north-east) and Whitley (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Wokingham (6 miles south-east), Woodley (3 miles east), Crowthorne (9 miles south-east), Lower Earley (3 miles south-east), Winnersh (4 miles east) and Woosehill (6 miles south-east). As one of the bigger places in Wokingham, Reading has every kind of building, from houses and flats to offices.
Landmarks near Reading
We work in homes and buildings around Former Kennet Arms, Eldon Square and Kendrick School, among other places. You will also find University of Reading library (1.5 miles south-east) and Eurospeak Language School (0.5 miles north). The nearest railway station is Reading West station, about 0.7 miles north-west. Nearby you’ll also find The Oracle (within half a mile north-east) and Berkshire Medical Heritage Centre Museum (0.8 miles east). For a walk, there’s Sonning Hill and Longwater.
When you need someone else
Every survey has limits, and we’d rather be clear about that before booking. Bear these in mind:
- Photos in conditions too poor to fly
- The underside of the roof (that needs an inside check)
- Neighbouring roofs the owner hasn’t asked us to survey
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will point you to the right survey. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Reading
- Chimney stacks
- Fragile roofs
- Tall and steep roofs
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Large and complex roofs
- Flat roofs on upper floors
Roof by roof
Flat roofs on tall buildings
Felt frequently 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.
Ridges and hips
Ridges may be bedded in mortar or mechanically fixed. Their condition is noted in the report.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed beforehand. Surveys run on any day of the week, which can make access easier.
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf, and the report can go to both. Access is agreed with the tenant ahead of time.