West Sussex · London and the South East
Drone roof survey in Saddlescombe, West Sussex
A careful look at the roof at your property in Saddlescombe, with photos and a written report.
- Worn lead at chimneys and walls
- Chimney tops in poor condition
- Blistered or cracked flat roof coverings
How a drone roof survey works in Saddlescombe
Our price is from £400, including VAT. The Premium Survey includes a drone inspection where it applies, with a same-day report, structural analysis and an in-person consultation. There’s a 12-month follow-up as well. If a drone won’t help on your roof, we will say so. Every drone survey comes with a written report and close-up photos. If you’ve noticed chimney tops in poor condition and damage after a storm that can’t be seen from below, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Some older homes in villages like Saddlescombe are listed or in a conservation area. A look from above or with a thermal imager does not touch the roof, so it is a gentle way to see the condition of an old roof, before anyone decides what work it needs. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, so check with the council first.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Place
- Saddlescombe (BN45)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
DIY checks: what’s safe
A lot can be seen from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Never climb onto the roof to look.
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us when booking and it will help the survey.
Drone roof surveys around Saddlescombe
Saddlescombe lies within about 4 miles of the sea, where wind off the sea can be strong. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or a downpour, so the weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead. Many older homes in Sussex have handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls. A few old Sussex buildings still carry heavy Horsham stone slabs. Where a roof is steep, tall or hard to see from the ground, drone photos and thermal images add detail.
Portslade Manor, about 3.3 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Saddlescombe. A drone or thermal survey doesn’t involve any work on the roof, which suits older buildings. For an older house near a landmark such as The Church of the Holy Trinity, older roofs can be steep and hard to see from the street, which is where photos from the air and thermal images help.
Saddlescombe is about 4 miles north of Brighton and Hove, in West Sussex. We cover Saddlescombe and the rest of West Sussex. Our area takes in places right across West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages.
We cover every part of the BN45 postcode area for drone roof surveys and the streets around it. We also cover Pyecombe (1 mile north-east), Waterhall (2 miles south-east), Westdene (2 miles south-east), Patcham (3 miles south-east) and West Blatchington (3 miles south). We also work in nearby towns like Crawley (15 miles north), Horsham (13 miles north-west), Worthing (10 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (9 miles north-east), Burgess Hill (6 miles north-east) and Shoreham-by-Sea (5 miles south-west).
Around Saddlescombe
Typical jobs here are in homes near Waterhall and Royal Oak pub and the streets around them. Saddlescombe’s nearest station is Hassocks station, roughly 3.2 miles north-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Montefiore Hospital (4.3 miles south-east) and Clayton Castle (2.5 miles north-east). Open spaces near Saddlescombe include Wolstonbury Hill and Ladies Mile.
What happens on the day
The aim of the visit is simple: to look at the roof as closely as is safe and record what we find. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. The visit typically takes about one to two hours for most homes, with the pre-flight checks included, and longer for big commercial roofs. Older rural homes like those around Saddlescombe 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 whether a drone is the right tool.
- A date is fixed, with a fallback in case the weather turns.
- Aerial photos are taken of your roof only, not the neighbours’.
- We also look inside the roof space where it is safe.
- You get photos, findings and clear recommendations.
Before the survey
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
Arrange a survey
Most bookings start with a short call: ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll ask a few questions about the roof. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.
Related advice
Your questions about drone roof surveys in Saddlescombe
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Saddlescombe?
Typically it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. The flight also waits for calm, dry weather.
How do I find out if my home in Saddlescombe is listed?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
Surveys run seven days a week. To find a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Do you take photos of the roof?
Yes, plenty. Pictures sit next to the findings they show, which makes the report easy to follow.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We point out what can be seen, such as sagging or deflection, but we do not carry out calculations or give an engineer’s opinion. Where an engineer is needed, we say so in the report.
What happens after the survey?
You receive the written report by email, with photos and recommendations. You can use it to talk to a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent, whichever applies.
Do you look in the loft space?
Usually, if there is one and it can be reached safely. From inside, the underside of the roof often shows damp, staining or daylight that can’t be seen from outside.
Places near Saddlescombe
Other services in Saddlescombe
Leave it or get it looked at?
Faults on high roofs tend to be found late. By that stage the damage has spread inside. A drone survey finds them sooner. Matching old materials, such as handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
Every price we give includes VAT. Our price is from £400, including VAT. You will know the price for your survey before you book.
Why book us in Saddlescombe
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
See our cost guide and our case studies.
For landlords and managing agents
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client, photographs included.
Letting agents and landlords in Saddlescombe book surveys as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photographs.
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney stacks
Leaning stacks and loose pots are easier to judge from above. We record what we find with photos.
Valleys and parapet gutters
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter. You cannot see it from the street at all, but it is plain to see from the air.
When you need someone else
To be straight with you, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Flights in a restricted zone without permission
- A flight on a day when the weather isn’t safe
- Neighbouring roofs the owner hasn’t asked us to survey
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or email us and we will tell you before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Saddlescombe
- Tall and steep roofs
- Large and complex roofs
- Chimney stacks
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Fragile roofs
- Flat roofs on upper floors