Kent · London and the South East
Swift's Green Drone Roof Survey
Close-up drone photographs of roofs that are hard to reach in Swift's Green, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photos.
- Wind damage high on the roof
- Flashings that have come away
- Blistered or cracked flat roof coverings
How a drone roof survey works in Swift's Green
A drone shows the outside of a roof very well, but it cannot see inside. We check the loft from inside where it is safe, because the underside tells its own story. Inside and out together tell you far more. The report sets out what the drone showed and what we found inside. Where the loft can’t be reached safely, we note it. We survey flat roofs on upper floors, chimney stacks and fragile roofs, and common reasons people get in touch are flashings that have come away and ridge and hip pieces working loose.
Older buildings in small places like Swift's Green may be 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. Check with the council before planning any work on a listed building or one in a conservation area.
Nothing in the report is left vague: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, along with how urgent it is.
- Location
- Swift's Green (TN27)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Should I look at the roof myself first?
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.
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.
Signs you need a drone roof survey in Swift's Green
Steep and tall roofs are hard to inspect safely. Three-storey houses, blocks of flats and tall commercial buildings are common examples. A drone gets close-up views from a safe position on the ground.
We are often asked to look at:
- Worn lead at chimneys and walls
- Blocked valleys and parapet gutters
- Cracked mortar along the ridge
- Gaps where slates or tiles have gone
Whatever the street in Swift's Green, a roof costs least to look after when faults are caught early.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- What the survey will not cover
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
How it works
We check the roof from outside and, where it’s relevant and there’s safe access, from inside the loft space too. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement, as far as the space allows. All in, the survey usually takes between one and two hours for most homes, with the pre-flight checks included, and longer for big commercial roofs. Cottages and farmhouses around Swift's Green frequently have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- We start with the address and what you’d like checked.
- We check the airspace and seek any permission needed.
- 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.
- The findings, photos and recommendations reach you by email.
Before the survey
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
Arrange a survey
When you’re ready to go ahead, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.
Related advice
Tips from our surveys
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Book early if you’re near an airport
- Tell next door if the drone will be near their property
- Clear a spot on the drive or lawn
- Allow for a change of day in poor weather
If you need work done, roofers can work from the photos. They’ll see exactly where each defect is.
Plan a drone survey every few years for tall or large roofs. Regular photos make changes easy to spot, so small faults are dealt with early.
Places near Swift's Green
More services for Swift's Green
Different roofs, different checks
Valleys and parapet gutters
Valleys and parapet gutters are hidden from the street. A drone shows linings, joints and build-ups of debris.
Large commercial roofs
Cement sheet roofs on buildings from before 2000 may contain asbestos. We do not test for it, but we flag it and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor.
What we cannot see
We only report whatever is safely visible on the day, so there are some things a survey can’t cover:
- Close-up photos of next door’s property
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- Large and complex roofs
- Fragile roofs
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Tall and steep roofs
- Chimney stacks
Swift's Green: your questions answered
Are there drone restrictions around Swift's Green?
That depends on where the roof is and on the weather. Headcorn Aerodrome is about 2 miles away, so we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before any flight. Strong wind or heavy rain also stops a small drone flying.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Swift's Green?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
When does the report arrive?
It depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day. The report is emailed to you.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. We’re experienced roof surveyors, and our survey covers the roof rather than the whole building. If you need a full building survey, you will need a RICS survey as well.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We are roof surveyors, not structural engineers. We’ll recommend an engineer if we see signs that call for one.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys or testing. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings, and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
Do you look in the roof space?
Where it is relevant to the survey and there’s safe access, yes. Please clear anything stored under the hatch, and if the loft cannot be reached safely, the report says so.
Drones, thermal imaging and Swift's Green roofs
Headcorn Aerodrome is about 2 miles away, so we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before any flight. Our drone weighs under 250g, and we hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID. Flights in the open category stay under 120 m (400 ft), with the drone kept in sight.
Whether the property is in Swift's Green itself or nearby, the inspection covers everything that’s safely in view, inside and out.
Swift's Green is about 9 miles west of Ashford, in Kent. We cover Swift's Green and the rest of Kent, as part of our work across London and South East England. Our Kent coverage includes Swift's Green. For surveys nearby, see our Maidstone page.
We work across the TN27 postcode area for drone roof surveys and the streets around it. Nearby, we also carry out drone roof surveys in Smarden Bell (1 mile south), Southernden (1 mile north), Smarden (1 mile south-east), Biddenden Green (1 mile south-east) and Monk's Hill (2 miles south). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (9 miles north-west), Ashford (9 miles east), Sittingbourne (12 miles north), Faversham (14 miles north-east), Kings Hill (14 miles north-west) and Davington (14 miles north-east).
Around Swift's Green
Around Swift's Green, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Bell Inn and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Headcorn station, about 2.1 miles west of the centre. Nearby you will also find Kent Firefighting Museum (3.3 miles south-west) and Romden Castle (2.1 miles south-east).