Surrey · London and the South East
Drone roof survey in Thorpe, Surrey
Find out what’s going on with the roof before you spend money on it. We carry out drone roof surveys in Thorpe, with photographs and a clear written report.
- Flat roofs on upper floors that hold water
- Outlets choked with leaves and silt
- Worn lead at chimneys and walls
How the survey works
After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a written report with photos. As for time on site, it typically takes between one and two hours for most homes, with the pre-flight checks included, and longer for big commercial roofs. Older roofs in small places like Thorpe can have low, tight loft spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- You give us the address and tell us about the roof.
- We check the airspace and seek any permission needed.
- On the day, we check the wind, weather and site before flying.
- 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.
Preparing for the visit
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
Getting a price
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. For a price or to book, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Advice
Drone roof survey in Thorpe
Some roofs are hard or unsafe to reach. A drone takes close-up photos of those roofs from the air. It shows coverings, ridges, chimneys, valleys and gutters clearly. Everything we find goes into a report with photos. It also suits roofs that would be damaged by someone walking on them. If we cannot fly, we tell you why. Typical surveys look at cracked flaunching or loose chimney pots and coverings that have slipped high up on the roof, on large and complex roofs, flat roofs on upper floors and chimney stacks.
Villages like Thorpe frequently stand in open country, where wind can be strong. A small drone can’t fly safely in high wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best with little wind. The visit is planned around the forecast, along with the journey and access. A change in the forecast can mean moving the visit to another day.
Most points in the report come with a picture, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Where
- Thorpe (TW20)
- Wider area
- Surrey
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips from our surveys
A little preparation and a few simple habits help, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Our tips:
- Expect a little longer if permission is needed
- Clear a spot on the drive or lawn
- Give us the full address so we can check the airspace
- Expect us to rearrange if it’s too windy or wet
We email the report to you, including the close-up photos taken by the drone. Each finding is explained in plain words, and recommendations are ranked by urgency where that helps.
After a storm, check from the garden and the street. Debris in the garden is a sign to act on. A drone survey can show what has shifted.
Nearby places to Thorpe
Other services in Thorpe
FAQs for Thorpe
Is my home in Thorpe listed or in a conservation area?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Are there drone restrictions around Thorpe?
It depends on the exact address and the weather on the day. Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions. A small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof, not the whole building. For the rest of the building, a RICS home survey is a separate job.
What will the report tell me?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos, finishing with recommendations. Points are put in order of urgency where relevant.
How soon will I get the report?
The Premium Survey report comes the same day, the Standard within 24–48 hours and the Basic within 48 hours. All of them come by email.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. The report will say if you need an engineer.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning, with the freeholder or managing agent. Mention it when you get in touch and we will plan the survey around it.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Photographing a roof from the air doesn’t touch it. Nothing is cracked or dislodged by footsteps, so you see the roof exactly as it is. Matching old materials, such as handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
To find out what your survey will cost, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and tell us about the roof. We’ll confirm the figure before booking.
Why book us in Thorpe
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Prices that include VAT
- A written report with photos
Checking the roof from ground level
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Don’t go up yourself.
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 part is for a survey.
Signs you need a drone roof survey in Thorpe
Big commercial and industrial roofs cover a lot of ground. A drone can photograph a large roof methodically. You see the whole roof, not just the parts near an access point.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- Cracked slates and tiles out of sight from below
- Hidden gutters full of leaves
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Slates or tiles shifted by high winds
For site and facilities teams at buildings like Thorpe CofE Aided Primary School, a drone or thermal camera can show a large roof in a single visit.
Questions to ask before booking
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- What happens after the report arrives
What a drone roof survey looks like in Thorpe
Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls are typical of Surrey’s older houses. A few of Surrey’s oldest buildings have heavy Horsham stone slab roofs. A drone or thermal camera adds most on the steep, tall and hidden parts of roofs like these. The drone we use is under 250g, flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID. In the open category, flights stay below 120 m (400 ft) and within sight.
Botleys Mansion, about 2.5 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Thorpe. Photos from the air and thermal images let an old roof be checked without anyone disturbing it. If you live in an older home near Church of St Mary, older roofs can be steep and hard to see from the street, which is where close-up aerial shots and thermal images help.
Thorpe is about 2 miles south-east of Egham, in Surrey. We provide drone roof surveys for householders, landlords and businesses in Thorpe and nearby. Across Surrey, we cover Thorpe. Our Guildford page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in TW20 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Whether your property is on Village Road, Western Avenue and Midway Avenue or a nearby road, we can survey it. Thorpe is on the B388, so it is easy for us to get to. Close by, we survey roofs in Thorpe Green (1 mile south-west), Stroude (1 mile west), Egham Hythe (1 mile north), Penton Hook (1 mile east) and Virginia Water (1 mile west). Further out, we also cover Guildford (11 miles south), Woking (7 miles south), Camberley (10 miles south-west), Epsom (12 miles south-east), Ewell (13 miles east) and Walton-on-Thames (6 miles east).
Around Thorpe
In Thorpe, that means homes and buildings near The Magna Carta School, The Red Lion pub and The American School In England. For rail, the closest station is Virginia Water station, roughly 1.4 miles south-west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Spelthorne Museum (1.9 miles north-east) and Runnymede Hospital (2.2 miles south). Open spaces near Thorpe include Gracious Pond and Manor Lake.
What this survey cannot tell you
We only report everything that’s safely in view on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- Flights in high wind or heavy rain
- Flights in a restricted zone without permission
- Roofs and gardens beyond the one we are surveying
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will suggest the right survey before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Thorpe
- Tall and steep roofs
- Chimney stacks
- Fragile roofs
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Large and complex roofs
- Flat roofs on upper floors