East Sussex · London and the South East
Drone Roof Survey in South Malling
Close-up drone photographs of roofs that are hard to reach around South Malling, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Flashings that have come away
- Eroded pointing on a chimney stack
- Cracked mortar along the ridge
About our drone roof survey in South Malling
Our price is from £400, including VAT. The Premium Survey includes a drone inspection where applicable, with a same-day report, structural analysis and an in-person consultation. It also includes a follow-up after 12 months. If a drone won’t help on your roof, we will say so. You get a written report with the close-up photos from the flight. If you’re worried about plant growth and moss on the roof and slipped or missing slates on a high roof, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
In smaller places like South Malling, many homes are bungalows and houses with roofs you can partly see from the ground. Chimney tops, valleys and rear slopes are where close-up or thermal images help most. Both depend on the weather on the day. Close-up images often show wear on ridges, verges and flashings that cannot be judged properly from the ground.
It isn’t only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend.
- Where
- South Malling (BN7, BN8)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Prices
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Do you need a drone roof survey in South Malling?
Big commercial and industrial roofs cover a lot of ground. The drone covers the surface area by area, showing patterns of wear that are hard to spot up close. You see the whole roof, not just the parts near an access point.
It is worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Storm damage on steep or tall roofs
- Gaps where slates or tiles have gone
- Flashings that have come away
- Plant growth and moss on the roof
For site and facilities teams at buildings like South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School, a view from above covers a wide roof far faster than walking it.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- How long the report takes to arrive
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- What exactly goes into their report
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
More services for South Malling
When you need someone else
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- Close-up photos of next door’s property
- A structural engineer’s report
- Photos in conditions too poor to fly
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll tell you before booking. The full list of what we check.
What we check
- Chimney stacks
- Tall and steep roofs
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Large and complex roofs
- Fragile roofs
DIY checks: what’s safe
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry and it will help the survey.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and falls from height are serious. That’s where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
What we do, step by step
Safety comes first on every visit. We inspect everything that’s safely in view, and if part of the roof can’t be seen, the report says so. Most visits take about 1–2 hours at a typical home, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. A visit to a smaller place like South Malling is no different on the day: outside, inside and from any safe vantage point, in that order. It helps to show us anything you’ve already noticed.
- You give us the address and let us know 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.
- The drone photographs the roof closely, kept in sight throughout.
- We email the report with close-up photos and recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Let us know about parking near the property
Arrange a survey
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form, and we will ask about the building and what you need. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Related advice
Different roofs, different checks
Valleys and parapet gutters
Some older terraces have a butterfly roof with a valley in the middle. It’s almost impossible to see from ground level, but a drone shows it clearly.
Ridges and hips
Wind lifts loose ridge and hip tiles. Finding them early keeps them from coming down.
Tips from our surveys
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Expect a little longer if permission is needed
- Keep pets indoors during the flight
- Be ready to move the date if the weather turns
- Keep a clear space in the garden or drive for take-off
The Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation to go through what the drone showed. It’s a chance to ask about anything in the report.
Do not block the vents at the eaves. Condensation in the loft can damage timbers and insulation. Make sure insulation does not block the airflow.
Drone roof surveys in South Malling: local notes
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. In Sussex, older roofs are often handmade clay tile, frequently with tile-hanging on the walls below. Some old buildings in Sussex have Horsham stone slab roofs, and oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of East Sussex’s older buildings. Older coverings on steep or tall roofs are hard to judge from below, so close-up close-up aerial shots and thermal images help.
With Anne of Cleves House about 0.8 miles south-west, the area around South Malling has a long history. For older roofs nearby, a look from above or with a thermal imager is a hands-off way to check condition. A roof leak in a hotel or guest house around South Malling means lost rooms as well as repairs, so it pays to find faults before guests do.
South Malling is about 1 mile north-east of Lewes, in East Sussex. South Malling is part of the area we cover and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and the South East. Our East Sussex coverage includes South Malling and the places around it. Our Brighton page covers surveys nearby.
All of BN7 and BN8 is covered for drone roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We cover properties on Lee Road, New Road and Mill Road and the roads around them. You’ll find South Malling on the A26 and A2029, so it is easy for us to get to. Close by, we survey roofs in Lewes (1 mile south-west), Cliffe (1 mile south-east), Southover (1 mile south), Hamsey (1 mile north) and Offham (1 mile north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Eastbourne (14 miles south-east), Seaford (8 miles south-east), Hailsham (11 miles east), Crowborough (14 miles north-east), Uckfield (7 miles north-east) and Newhaven (6 miles south).
Local landmarks in South Malling
In South Malling, that means homes and buildings near Elephant and Castle pub, Priory School and Railway Land and the streets around them. The closest station to South Malling is Lewes station, roughly 0.7 miles south of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Lewes Victoria Hospital (0.8 miles south-west) and Lewes Castle (0.5 miles south-west). Open spaces near South Malling include Malling Down and Cliffe Hill.
South Malling: your questions answered
Is drone flying allowed in South Malling?
That depends on where the roof is and on the weather. Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions. The flight also waits for calm, dry weather.
How do I find out if my home in South Malling is listed?
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 survey a shared roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Tell us about it as you book and we’ll plan the survey around it.
Will I get photos?
Yes. We photograph the roof as we go, and they go into the written report.
What will the report tell me?
It explains what we saw, what it means and what we’d suggest, backed by photos. It also says if any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, so you know exactly what was covered.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day, which suits people who work during the week. Just say which days work for you.
How many surveys have you done?
We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys, across 20+ years of surveying roofs.