East Sussex · London and the South East
Drone roof survey in Ripe, East Sussex
Know where you stand with the roof before you spend money on it. We carry out drone roof surveys in Ripe, with photographs and a clear written report.
- Plant growth and moss on the roof
- Outlets choked with leaves and silt
- Slates or tiles shifted by high winds
For landlords and managing agents
Landlords, agents and building managers in Ripe and across East Sussex can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Where a roof is shared: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Let us know about it when you book and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
About our drone roof survey in Ripe
Our drone weighs under 250g, and we hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID. It stays within sight for the whole flight, and well below the 120-metre height limit. Every flight is planned around the roof, the site and the people nearby. Airspace and weather are checked before every flight. Safety comes first on every visit. We are often asked to look into storm damage on steep or tall roofs and ridge pieces that have lifted, across chimney stacks, fragile roofs and tall and steep roofs.
Villages like Ripe frequently stand in open country, where wind can be strong. High wind or heavy rain 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.
It is not only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend.
- Place
- Ripe (BN8)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Leave it or get it looked at?
On a tall building, problems are often found only when water comes in. By that stage the damage has spread inside. Looking from above picks up the early signs. Outbuildings and barns around Ripe are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
To find out what your survey will cost, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know about the roof. We will confirm the figure before booking.
Why book with us
- Surveys on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Plain-English reports with photos
- 98% customer satisfaction
- PI and public liability insurance
Drones, thermal imaging and Ripe roofs
In Sussex, older roofs are often handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs, and the county’s older buildings include oast houses and Wealden hall houses. Steep or complicated roofs are frequently hard to see from ground level, which is where photos from the air and thermal images help. Our drone weighs under 250g, and we hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID. Open category rules keep flights below 120 m (400 ft) and the drone within sight at all times.
For an older house near a landmark such as The Parish Church of St John the Baptist, steep roofs, tall chimneys and hidden valleys can be hard to see from the ground, and that is where a view from the air or with a thermal camera helps.
Ripe is about 5 miles west of Hailsham, in East Sussex. We survey roofs in Ripe and the rest of East Sussex. We cover towns and villages across East Sussex. You can also see our page for Brighton.
All of BN8 is within our area for drone roof surveys. We cover properties on Carriage Mews, Channers Lane and Church Lane and the roads around them. We also cover the places around Ripe: Selmeston (2 miles south), Wickstreet (2 miles south-east), Laughton (2 miles north), Golden Cross (2 miles north-east) and Berwick (2 miles south). We also work in nearby towns such as Eastbourne (8 miles south-east), Bexhill-on-Sea (14 miles east), Seaford (7 miles south), Lewes (6 miles west), Hailsham (5 miles east) and Crowborough (13 miles north).
Near you in Ripe
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Lamb Inn. The nearest railway station is Berwick (Sussex) station, roughly 2.2 miles south-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Hellingly Hospital Railway (5.1 miles east) and Museum of Agricultural Bygones (3 miles north-west). For a walk, there is Firle Beacon.
Ripe questions
Do you cover smaller places like Ripe?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
Are there drone restrictions around Ripe?
That depends on where the roof is and on the weather. Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions, including zones around airports and prisons. Strong wind or a downpour also stops a small drone flying.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Only when it’s safe. Most of what we need can be seen from safe viewpoints, the loft and, where it applies, a drone, and anything out of sight is recorded in the report.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, if the building owner or managing agent agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we are allowed to reach.
Does someone need to be in?
Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that in advance, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
How many surveys have you done?
We’ve been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have completed over 5,000 surveys.
What does the report include?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos, finishing with recommendations. Points are put by urgency where it matters.
Common roof problems in Ripe
Not every roof can take a person’s weight. Older slates and tiles break easily, and fragile sheet roofs are dangerous to walk on. A drone lets us see them closely without touching them.
People typically book a survey after spotting something like this:
- Coverings that have slipped high up on the roof
- Worn lead at chimneys and walls
- Ridge and hip pieces working loose
- Damage after a storm that cannot be seen from below
Historic houses such as Charleston Farmhouse, about 2.3 miles south-west, show how far back building around Ripe goes. A drone or thermal survey doesn’t involve any work on the roof, which suits older buildings.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What experience they bring
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- What insurance they carry
Nearby places to Ripe
More services for Ripe
What we look for on each type of roof
Flat roofs on tall buildings
The flat roof on top of a block is rarely looked at. A drone shows ponding, splits, blisters and worn upstands.
Steep slate and tile slopes
Steep roofs are risky to walk on. A drone photographs them closely from a safe position, showing slipped, cracked and missing pieces.
When you need someone else
Some things can’t be seen without opening up the roof, so a survey has limits:
- Photos in conditions too poor to fly
- Whether the roof structure meets design loads
- Neighbouring roofs the owner hasn’t asked us to survey
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will recommend the right survey before you book. The full list of what we check.
What we look at
- Fragile roofs
- Large and complex roofs
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Chimney stacks
- Tall and steep roofs
- Flat roofs on upper floors
How it works
Once we have finished looking, we write up our findings in a report with photographs, emailed to you. As for time on site, most surveys take about one to two hours for most houses, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. For a village or hamlet like Ripe, the journey is planned in advance: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. The roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from the loft where there’s safe access and from the roof where it’s safe.
- We start by checking the airspace and any restrictions at your address.
- If permission is needed, we ask for it ahead of the visit.
- 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.
Preparing for the visit
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
How to book
Our price is 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.