East Sussex · London and the South East
Drone roof survey in St Helen's, East Sussex
Close-up drone photographs of roofs that are hard to reach in St Helen's, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photos.
- Wind damage high on the roof
- Cracked slates and tiles out of sight from below
- Lead work pulling away at abutments
Drone roof survey in St Helen's: what you get
A drone can see more than your roof, so we take care. We keep the camera on the roof we’re surveying, not on neighbouring homes and gardens. If your roof is shared, a word with next door beforehand helps. We survey the roof you’ve asked us to look at. Each flight is kept short and stays focused on the roof we are there to survey. Common reasons to book are worn lead at chimneys and walls and loose ridge and hip tiles, across large and complex roofs, flat roofs on upper floors and chimney stacks.
Places like St Helen's can be near small airfields or other airspace restrictions, so the Drone Safety Map is checked before any flight. Exposed sites can be windy, and a small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind. Neighbours’ privacy is part of planning each flight, along with the airspace and the weather.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- St Helen's (TN34, TN37)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we’re asked to look at in St Helen's
Many roofs are never seen properly from the ground. Rear slopes, valleys and the tops of chimneys are hidden. Faults there can go unnoticed for years, which is why owners turn to a drone.
Things that frequently lead to a survey include:
- Plant growth and moss on the roof
- Gaps where slates or tiles have gone
- Lead work pulling away at abutments
- Hidden gutters full of leaves
For an older house near a landmark such as St Peter & St Paul, older roofs can be steep and hard to see from the street, which is where photos from the air and thermal images help.
What to check before booking
- Which limits apply to the survey
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
DIY checks: what’s safe
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
You can learn a lot 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.
Towns and villages near St Helen's
Other services in St Helen's
What we look for on each type of roof
Ridges and hips
Loose ridge pieces can be lifted in a storm. Spotting them early stops them falling.
Valleys and parapet gutters
Some older terraces have a butterfly roof with a valley in the middle. You can’t see it from the street at all, but it’s plain to see from the air.
Tips that help
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Keep a clear space in the garden or drive for take-off
- Allow time for permission if you’re in a flight restriction zone
- Tell next door if the drone will be near their property
- Mention anything you’ve noticed on the roof
File the report and photos with your home documents. They give you something to compare against later.
Every so frequently, 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.
For landlords and managing agents
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out with the most urgent first where relevant, which helps with budgets and planning.
We survey roofs for landlords and letting agents as well as homeowners. A report with photos gives you a clear record of the roof.
How the survey works
Before we start, let us know why you’ve booked: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. That way we can focus on what matters to you. The visit typically takes an hour or two for a house; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. In a smaller place like St Helen's, as anywhere, the forecast plays a part: drone flights and thermal imaging need the right conditions, while a look from the ground and the loft can go ahead in most weather.
- First, we check whether a drone is the right tool.
- A visit is booked for a weekday, Saturday or Sunday, weather permitting.
- We fly over the roof, keeping the camera on the property we’re surveying.
- We also look inside the loft space where it is safe.
- The report sets out what we found, with photos and recommendations.
How to prepare
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
Booking a survey
Our price is from £400, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or drop us an email to find out.
Related advice
Questions from St Helen's
Is drone flying allowed in St Helen's?
The answer turns on the exact location and the conditions on the day. Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions, including zones around airports and prisons. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain.
Do you cover smaller places like St Helen's?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Do you need to get into the loft?
Where it is relevant to the survey and there is safe access, yes. Please clear anything stored under the hatch, and if the loft cannot be reached safely, the report says so.
What happens next?
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 test for asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
How many surveys have you done?
We have been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
Will you go up on the roof?
Only when it’s safe. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. We use safe viewpoints, the roof space and a drone where it applies.
Airspace, weather and St Helen's roofs
St Helen's 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 can’t 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.
Take a building like Ark Blacklands Primary Academy: a drone or thermal camera can show a large roof in a single visit. If you run a hotel or guest house in or near St Helen's, a roof problem can mean rooms out of use.
St Helen's is about 1 mile north-east of Hastings, in East Sussex. Anywhere in St Helen's, we can carry out drone roof surveys at your property. We cover towns and villages across East Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. There’s also a page for Maidstone.
We work across the TN34 and TN37 postcode area for drone roof surveys. Streets in the area include Park Avenue, Keppel Road and Down's Road. We also cover the places around St Helen's: Blacklands (1 mile south), Hastings (1 mile south-west), Silverhill (1 mile south-west), Belmont (1 mile south-east) and Hollington (1 mile west). Further out, we also cover Eastbourne (14 miles south-west), Bexhill-on-Sea (5 miles west), Hailsham (14 miles west), Polegate (15 miles west), Old Town (15 miles south-west) and Heathfield (15 miles north-west).
Around St Helen's
Around St Helen's, our work takes us to homes and buildings near William Parker Sports College, University School and The Duke pub. The nearest railway station is Ore station, roughly 0.8 miles south-east. Nearby you’ll also find Priory Meadow Shopping Centre (1.2 miles south) and Hastings Old Town Hall Museum (1.3 miles south-east). Not far away are Church Wood and Robsack Wood and Senlac Hill.