West Sussex · London and the South East
Westmeston Drone Roof Survey
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in Westmeston, with photos and a written report.
- Tired mortar and pots at the top of a stack
- Worn lead at chimneys and walls
- Moss building up on slopes and in gutters
Practical tips
Getting the most from a drone roof survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Tips:
- Keep a clear space in the garden or drive for take-off
- Expect a little longer if permission is needed
- Tell next door if the drone will be near their property
- Expect us to rearrange if it’s too windy or wet
If you need work done, roofers can work from the photos. The photos show the location and extent of every problem.
Every so frequently, look in the loft space with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. The underside frequently shows problems before the outside does. Take photos of any changes.
Drone roof survey in Westmeston: what you get
From the air, the outer surfaces are clear, but it cannot see under the coverings or into the loft. Where there is safe access, we look in the roof space too, because the underside tells its own story. Inside and out together tell you far more. Your report shows the drone photos alongside what we saw in the loft. If there’s no safe loft access, the report says so. If you’ve noticed blocked valleys and parapet gutters and cracked mortar along the ridge, we can find out what’s behind it, on fragile roofs, chimney stacks and valleys and parapet gutters alike.
Somewhere as small as Westmeston, older roofs are often steep and partly hidden by trees or outbuildings. A drone and a thermal camera each give a view you can’t get from the ground. Both the forecast and the airspace are checked first, and the journey is planned in advance. Older roofs with steep slopes and tall chimneys are where the extra view helps most.
The report is written in plain words, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photo where possible, with the urgent items made clear.
- Where
- Westmeston (BN6)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Drones, thermal imaging and Westmeston roofs
Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. The drone we use is under 250g, flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID. Flights in the open category stay under 120 m (400 ft), with the drone kept in sight.
With Preston Manor & Gardens about 4.9 miles south-west, the area around Westmeston has a long history. A drone or thermal survey does not involve any work on the roof, which suits older buildings. If you look after a building such as Ditchling (St Margaret's) Church of England Primary School, a view from above covers a wide roof far faster than walking it. Take an older house close to The Parish Church of St Martin: thin or patchy insulation under an old roof frequently shows up clearly on a thermal image.
Westmeston is about 4 miles south of Burgess Hill, in West Sussex. We carry out drone roof surveys for householders, landlords and businesses in Westmeston and the surrounding area. Westmeston is one of the towns and villages in West Sussex where we work for drone roof surveys.
We work across BN6 for drone roof surveys. Nearby, we also carry out drone roof surveys in Ditchling (1 mile north), Keymer (2 miles north-west), Clayton (2 miles west), Hassocks (2 miles north-west) and Hurst Wickham (3 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Crawley (14 miles north), Horsham (14 miles north-west), Worthing (14 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (6 miles north), Shoreham-by-Sea (9 miles south-west) and Lancing (11 miles south-west).
Landmarks near Westmeston
In Westmeston, that means homes and buildings near The Bull Hotel and Downlands Community School, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Hassocks station, roughly 2.1 miles north-west. A little further out are Clayton Castle (1.7 miles west) and The Dene Hospital (4.7 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Ditchling Beacon and Ladies Mile.
What happens on the day
You do not need to do much on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we’ll take it from there. The survey itself takes an hour or two for most homes, with the pre-flight checks included, and longer for big commercial roofs. Cottages and farmhouses around Westmeston frequently have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- You give us the address and let us know about the roof.
- Airspace restrictions are checked and permission sought where needed.
- Before take-off, the wind, the weather and the launch spot are checked.
- The drone photographs the roof closely, kept in sight throughout.
- You receive a written report with the photos and our recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
Getting a price
Prices start from £400, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so call 07833 053749 or email us with the details.
Related advice
What you can safely check yourself
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and falls from height are serious. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
Also near Westmeston
More services for Westmeston
Leave it or get it looked at?
It’s hard to plan maintenance for a roof nobody has looked at. You get photos of every part we can see. That helps you put the work in order. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Westmeston, driving rain gets into any weakness, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
Every price we give includes VAT. Prices start from £400, including VAT. You’ll know the exact price before you book.
Why book us in Westmeston
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Packages from £150, with VAT included
- Every finding written up with photos
- 20+ years’ experience
Take a look at what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
FAQs for Westmeston
Are there drone restrictions around Westmeston?
Normally it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. The flight also waits for calm, dry weather.
Will you come out to Westmeston?
Yes, Westmeston is covered. Our area covers London and the South East, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
Are you structural engineers?
No. Our survey is not a structural engineer’s report. We’ll recommend an engineer if we see signs that call for one.
Does the weather affect the survey?
Light rain doesn’t normally stop a survey, and it can even help show where water is getting in. Strong wind or a downpour can stop drone flights and make roof access unsafe, so we’ll agree a new date if the weather isn’t suitable.
Will you check the loft?
Usually, if there’s one and it can be reached safely. From inside, the underside of the roof often shows damp, staining or daylight that can’t be seen from outside.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before any work.
Will I get photos?
Yes, plenty. Pictures sit next to the findings they show, which makes the report easy to follow.
Roof by roof
Chimney stacks
From the air, a lean or a loose pot is easy to see. We record what we find with photos.
Large commercial roofs
Big roofs on offices, warehouses and units take time to inspect. The drone covers the roof area by area.
When you need someone else
A survey is a careful look at the roof, but it cannot do everything. Its limits include:
- Neighbouring roofs the owner hasn’t asked us to survey
- A flight where airspace permission is refused
- Whether the roof structure meets design loads
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Large and complex roofs
- Chimney stacks
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Tall and steep roofs
- Fragile roofs
- Valleys and parapet gutters