Greater London · London and the South East
Drone Roof Survey in West Ham
An experienced roof surveyor for drone roof surveys in West Ham. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Gaps where slates or tiles have gone
- Outlets choked with leaves and silt
- Flashings that have come away
About our drone roof survey in West Ham
We fly a sub-250g drone, and we’re a CAA-registered drone operator, with a Flyer ID and an Operator ID. We keep it in sight throughout, and within the 120-metre limit that applies to all drones in the open category. Every flight is planned around the roof, the site and the people nearby. Before every flight, we check the airspace and the weather. Safety comes first on every visit. If you’ve noticed eroded pointing on a chimney stack and gaps where slates or tiles have gone, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on chimney stacks, valleys and parapet gutters and large and complex roofs alike.
Many London roofs are hidden from the pavement: valley gutters behind parapets, dormers and flat-roofed rear additions. Drone photos and thermal images can show parts of a roof that are hard to reach safely. The weather decides the day: both drones and thermal cameras need the right conditions. What a thermal image shows is temperature, so anything that looks like moisture is checked with a meter.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, sent by email. It sets out the condition of the roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Where
- West Ham (E15, E13, E7)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
West Ham: your questions answered
Will parking be an issue for a roof survey in West Ham?
Sometimes, yes. If West Ham has controlled parking where you are, a visitor permit is the easiest answer, and a driveway is even better.
Are there drone restrictions around West Ham?
Typically it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. West Ham is about 1 mile from the edge of the flight restriction zone around London City Airport. We check the exact boundary for the address before flying, and if the roof falls inside it, we ask for permission first. Across London there are restriction zones around Heathrow, London City and London Heliport, plus restricted areas over Hyde Park, the City of London and the Isle of Dogs. Each address is checked against all of them before the drone goes up. The flight also waits for calm, dry weather.
How long does the survey take?
Expect it to take an hour or two for a house; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. The written report follows by email.
Do I need to be at home?
Someone needs to let us in if we are looking inside or in the loft. We will talk about access as you book.
What insurance do you have?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and we can provide details if a managing agent needs them.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. We check the roof, not the whole building, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We don’t sample or test for asbestos. The report may flag materials that could contain asbestos on buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Why it’s worth a survey now in West Ham
Faults on high roofs tend to be found late. By then, timbers, ceilings and insulation may be wet. Looking from above picks up the early signs. London’s older roofs often have bitumen felt underlay or none at all, so once the slates or flashings let water past, little stops it reaching ceilings. Left unchecked, water soaks into timber and plaster and the damage spreads.
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so the price reflects that. You’ll know the figure before booking.
What you get with us
- An independent look at the roof
- Surveys seven days a week
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
Read what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
How it works
We check the roof from outside and, where it is relevant and there’s safe access, from inside the roof space too. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging, as far as the space allows. All in, the survey usually takes about 1–2 hours for most homes, with the pre-flight checks included, and longer for big commercial roofs. From the street, a London terrace normally shows only its front slope or parapet, so in West Ham we work round the house, using the street, the windows, the loft and any safe vantage point behind it. If other people live in the building, tell us who can let us into the shared parts.
- You give us the address so we can check the airspace.
- We arrange any permission that’s needed before we fly.
- On the day, we check the weather and the site before flying.
- We fly the drone close to the roof to photograph it in detail, always in sight.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations.
How to prepare
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Getting a price
If you are buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email when you’re ready.
Related advice
Surveys for landlords and agents in West Ham
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps when budgeting.
Drone roof surveys in West Ham: local notes
West Ham is about 1 mile from the edge of the flight restriction zone around London City Airport. The exact boundary is checked for each address before any flight, and a roof inside it needs permission before we fly. Many homes in inner London are Victorian and Edwardian terraces, frequently with Welsh slate roofs. A butterfly roof with a central valley gutter, tucked behind a parapet wall, is common on these houses. In a house like that, shared stacks, party-wall upstands and lead flashings all need looking at as far as they can be seen. Many roofs like these cannot be judged properly from the pavement, and that’s where a view from above or a thermal image earns its place.
If you live in an older home near Church of All Saints, thin or patchy insulation under an old roof often shows up clearly on a thermal image. For a London address like West Ham, it’s useful to know about controlled parking before the day, along with any off-street space. With Sutton House about 2.9 miles west, the area around West Ham has a long history. A drone or thermal survey does not involve any work on the roof, which suits older buildings.
West Ham is about 2 miles west of East Ham, in Greater London. Anywhere in West Ham, we can carry out drone roof surveys at your property. Across Greater London, we cover West Ham and the places around it.
All of E15, E13 and E7 is covered for drone roof surveys. We offer drone roof surveys to properties on Plaistow Grove, Willis Road and Moorey Close. Neighbouring places we cover for drone roof surveys include Upton (1 mile north-east), Greengate (1 mile south-east), Maryland (1 mile north-west), Stratford (1 mile north-west) and Plaistow (1 mile south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover London (5 miles south-west), City of Westminster (7 miles west), Marylebone (7 miles west), Kensington (9 miles west), St Pancras (6 miles west) and Shoreditch (4 miles west).
Around West Ham
Around West Ham, our work takes us to homes and buildings near West Ham Church School, The Earl Of Derby Public House and St Bonaventure's RC School. The closest station to West Ham is West Ham station, about 0.5 miles south-west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Greenwich Castle (3.9 miles south) and Passmore Edwards Museum (0.6 miles north). Not far away are Old Ford Island and Tower Hill.
How we price drone roof surveys
Our packages start from £150, inc. VAT. The price for your roof depends on:
- Height and safe access
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all including VAT. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
What to tell us when you contact us
These details help when you contact us:
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- When you need the report by
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
Prices start from £400, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or send us an email to find out.
Also in West Ham
Tips that help
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. Our suggestions:
- Mention anything you’ve noticed on the roof
- Allow time for permission if you are in a flight restriction zone
- Allow for a change of day in poor weather
- A word with neighbours beforehand helps
The Premium Survey report comes the same day. It includes the drone photos where a flight was possible.
Keep the loft space ventilated. Poor airflow lets condensation build up, and it’s something only an inside check will show. Check insulation doesn’t block the airflow.
What a drone roof survey doesn’t cover
In fairness, a roof survey has limits:
- A flight on a day when the weather isn’t safe
- A flight where airspace permission is refused
- Whether the roof structure meets design loads
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Chimney stacks
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Fragile roofs
- Large and complex roofs
- Tall and steep roofs