Kent · London and the South East
Sholden Drone Roof Survey
Wondering about the roof at a property in Sholden? We carry out drone roof surveys in Sholden and across Kent, with plain-English findings.
- Damage after a storm that can’t be seen from below
- Standing water on a flat roof
- Tired mortar and pots at the top of a stack
Drones, thermal imaging and Sholden roofs
Sholden is within about 2 miles of the coast, and wind near the sea can be strong. The weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead, as a small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain. Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions, including zones around airports and prisons.
For hotels and guest houses around Sholden, a roof problem found early is far less disruptive than one found by a guest. Walmer Castle, about 2 miles south-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Sholden. For older roofs nearby, a look from above or with a thermal imager is a hands-off way to check condition.
Sholden is about 1 mile north-west of Deal, in Kent. We carry out drone roof surveys in Sholden for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings. Sholden is one of the towns and villages in Kent where we work. You can also see our page for Canterbury.
We cover every part of CT14 for drone roof surveys. That includes homes and businesses on The Street, London Road and Colmanton Grove and the roads around them. Neighbouring places we cover for drone roof surveys include Sholden Meadows (1 mile west), Mill Hill (1 mile south), Great Mongeham (1 mile south-west), Deal (1 mile south-east) and Finglesham (1 mile north-west). Further out, we also cover Canterbury (13 miles west), Margate (11 miles north), Dover (7 miles south-west), Folkestone (13 miles south-west), Ramsgate (8 miles north) and Broadstairs (10 miles north).
Local landmarks in Sholden
We work in homes and buildings around Betteshanger Park, Castle Community College and The Magnet pub, among other places. The closest station to Sholden is Deal station, about 1.1 miles east. Well-known places in the area include Deal Castle (1.4 miles east) and Kent Museum of the Moving Image (1.2 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Monk's Wall nature reserve.
Drone roof surveys for homes and businesses in Sholden
Some roofs are hard or unsafe to reach. A drone takes close-up photographs of those roofs from the air. It shows coverings, ridges, chimneys, valleys and gutters clearly. The photos go into a written report. It is also a good option where walking on the roof could break slates or tiles. If we can’t fly, we tell you why. We survey valleys and parapet gutters, fragile roofs and chimney stacks, and people most frequently book us about debris building up in hidden gutters and storm damage on steep or tall roofs.
Older buildings in small places like Sholden may be listed or in a conservation area. Neither a drone survey nor a thermal survey involves any work on the roof, which suits a building where any change needs care, 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.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Place
- Sholden (CT14)
- Region
- Kent
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Leave it or get it looked at?
Photos from a drone survey show how the roof looks today. Comparing them with later photos shows what has changed. It helps when you plan ahead. Around Sholden, older homes frequently have old roof timbers, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it’s left.
There are three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, all inc. VAT. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
What you get with us
- Drones and thermal imaging where applicable
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- A written report with photos
Read how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
Places near Sholden
Also in Sholden
Common questions in Sholden
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Sholden?
That depends on where the roof is and on the weather. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first, including zones around airports and prisons. Strong wind or a downpour also stops a small drone flying.
How do I find out if my home in Sholden is listed?
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.
Is Sholden in your area?
Yes. We survey roofs in Sholden and the rest of Kent. To book, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Just tell us the days that suit you.
How long is the visit?
It typically takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. We will confirm the timing when you book.
Does the report include photos?
Yes. We photograph the roof as we go, and they go into the written report.
How much does a drone roof survey cost in Sholden?
Drone roof survey starts from £400, including VAT. The final figure depends on the roof and the package you choose.
What you can safely check yourself
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry and it will help the survey.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
What we can’t see
We only report whatever is safely visible on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- Neighbouring roofs the owner hasn’t asked us to survey
- Flying in a flight restriction zone without the airport’s permission
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you before you book. The full list of what we check.
What we look at
- Large and complex roofs
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Fragile roofs
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Chimney stacks
- Tall and steep roofs
How the survey works
You do not need to do much on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we will get on with the inspection. The survey itself takes about one to two hours for most homes, with the pre-flight checks included, and longer for big commercial roofs. Rural addresses near Sholden can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- You give us the address and tell us about the roof.
- Any flight restriction at the address is checked, with permission requested if required.
- Before take-off, the wind, the weather and the launch spot are checked.
- Close-up photos are taken of each slope, chimney, valley and gutter, with the drone always in view.
- We email the report with close-up photos and recommendations.
Before the survey
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
Book a survey
If you are buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just call 07833 053749 or email us when you are ready.
Related advice
Useful tips for Sholden property owners
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- A word with neighbours beforehand helps
- Expect a little longer if permission is needed
- Expect us to rearrange if it’s too windy or wet
- Move stored items away from the hatch
If you need work done, roofers can work from the photos. The photos show the location and extent of every problem.
Look at the roof from ground level after strong winds. Pieces of slate or tile on the ground mean something has moved. A drone can show exactly what has moved.
When to book a survey in Sholden
Not every roof can take a person’s weight. Old slates and clay tiles crack underfoot, and some sheet roofs are fragile. A drone lets us see them closely without touching them.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Outlets choked with leaves and silt
- Moss building up on slopes and in gutters
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Coverings that have slipped high up on the roof
Take an older house close to Church of St Nicholas: tall stacks and steep slopes are easier to judge with close-up aerial photos than from the pavement.
Before you book anyone
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Their insurance cover
- What exactly goes into their report