Kent · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Capel-le-Ferne, Kent
Flat roof surveys around Capel-le-Ferne, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Gaps at upstands and abutments
- Blisters and bubbles in the covering
- Pools of water lying on the roof
Flat roof survey in Capel-le-Ferne: what you get
If the house you are buying has a flat roof on an extension, dormer or garage, it is worth knowing its condition before exchange. Many felt roofs need renewing after around 15 to 20 years, and EPDM and GRP often go on for longer. Our report records the covering, how it’s holding up and any defects we can see, with photographs of each. You then have something specific to put to the seller or agent. We survey EPDM rubber, single-ply membranes and felt flat roofs, and people most often book us about loose or cracked edge trims and outlets that hold water back.
Flat roofs on exposed homes in small places like Capel-le-Ferne take more wind and rain, so edges, upstands and laps take a beating. Felt roofs, which often last around 15–20 years, usually show it first. Rubber and GRP last longer, though trims and joints still need a look. On an exposed roof, the edges tend to go first.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photos, sent by email. It explains the condition of the flat roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Location
- Capel-le-Ferne (CT18)
- Region
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Useful tips for Capel-le-Ferne property owners
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Check ceilings under the roof for damp patches
- Keep clear of rooflights and fragile roof sheets
- Limit foot traffic on the covering
- Note the date and type of any roof work
Questions about the findings are always welcome. Standard Surveys come with a follow-up consultation, and Premium Surveys with an in-person one, so you can talk the findings through.
Have the roof surveyed every few years, and after any work that goes through it. You’ll spot changes early and have a record to look back on.
Also near Capel-le-Ferne
More services for Capel-le-Ferne
Checking the roof from the ground
A lot can be seen from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight.
What we do, step by step
The visit normally starts outside and finishes in the loft: outside views come first, then the roof space if there is safe access. In total, it takes about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Somewhere like Capel-le-Ferne needs a little journey planning: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- You send us the address and, for commercial roofs, an idea of the roof’s size.
- We check the rooms or spaces under the roof for staining where there’s access.
- The roof is inspected from every safe viewpoint, without walking on fragile surfaces.
- We record every defect with a photo and its likely cause.
- You get a report setting out the condition and our recommendations, in order of urgency.
How to prepare
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
Book a survey
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Related advice
What a flat roof survey looks like in Capel-le-Ferne
Capel-le-Ferne lies within about 1 mile of the sea, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Wind can catch loose edges and trims on a flat roof, and salt air is hard on metal trims, flashings and fixings. Across Kent, older roofs are frequently handmade clay or peg tiles, and tile-hanging on upper walls is a familiar sight. You’ll also find oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses among the county’s older buildings. Next to the main roofs there is typically a flat roof somewhere, whether on an extension, a garage or a commercial unit.
Take a building like Capel-le-Ferne Primary School: schools and public buildings frequently have big flat roofs, and their outlets and upstands need regular checks. Acrise Place, about 4.2 miles north-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Capel-le-Ferne. On a period home nearby, any flat roof is likely to be a later addition with its own lifespan.
Capel-le-Ferne is about 2 miles north-east of Folkestone, in Kent. Roofs in Capel-le-Ferne get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Kent. We cover towns and villages across Kent, large and small. There’s also a page for Canterbury.
We survey roofs across CT18 for flat roof surveys. If you need a flat roof survey at a property on New Dover Road, Alexandra Road and Clarence Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Other places close to Capel-le-Ferne include Satmar (1 mile north-east), West Hougham (1 mile north-east), Drellingore (2 miles north), South Alkham (2 miles north) and Church Hougham (2 miles east). Further out, we also cover Ashford (15 miles west), Canterbury (13 miles north-west), Dover (4 miles north-east), Deal (11 miles north-east), Hythe (6 miles west) and Tower Hamlets (4 miles north-east).
Local landmarks in Capel-le-Ferne
Typical jobs here are in homes near East Cliff and Warren Country Park and The Valiant Sailor pub, among other places. Capel-le-Ferne’s nearest station is Folkestone Central station, about 2.4 miles south-west. Nearby you will also find Folkestone Castle (2.3 miles west) and Royal Victoria Hospital (2.1 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Sugar Loaf Hill and Dover Western Heights.
Questions from Capel-le-Ferne
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Capel-le-Ferne, take more of a battering?
Places near the sea get more wind and more salt in the air than inland, and both are hard on roofs. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces.
Is Capel-le-Ferne within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when booking.
Should I worry about standing water on my flat roof?
Standing water a day or two after rain usually needs attention. The cause may be the outlets, the falls or the deck. The survey looks at each and records the likely cause.
Will the survey show why my flat roof is leaking?
We check the whole roof, since water can travel before it shows inside. Every split, lap, upstand, outlet and rooflight we can see is looked at. Where nothing visible explains the leak, the report says what to try next.
Do you check flat roofs for asbestos?
Our survey does not include asbestos testing. Older buildings, from before 2000, may have asbestos in cement sheets or soffits. We note anything that could contain it, and a specialist asbestos surveyor should check it before it’s disturbed.
Can you survey any kind of flat roof?
Felt, mastic asphalt, EPDM rubber, GRP fibreglass and single-ply membranes are all part of the work. We record what the covering is and how it is holding up.
Does a flat roof survey replace a RICS survey?
No. We look closely at the flat roof rather than the whole building. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it, and it isn’t a structural engineer’s report.
Why get it checked now?
Before replacing a flat roof, it helps to know if you really need to. Sometimes a few details are to blame, and sometimes the covering has simply had its day. The report sets out what we found, so you can make that decision with a roofer. Outbuildings and barns around Capel-le-Ferne are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The final price depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and the package you choose.
Why book us in Capel-le-Ferne
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- Packages from £150, including VAT
See our cost guide and two real surveys.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work with less disruption.
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
When to book a survey in Capel-le-Ferne
People go onto flat roofs for all sorts of reasons: cleaning windows, fitting aerials or air conditioning, or clearing gutters. A covering that wasn’t designed for foot traffic can crack or puncture. New brackets and fixings through the roof are another common source of leaks.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Blistering in felt or asphalt
- Cracked or split membrane
- Signs of deflection in the roof deck
- Ponding water that doesn’t drain away
For an older house near a landmark such as St Radigund, later flat-roofed additions are common on older houses, and their edges and upstands often show the first signs of wear.
Questions to ask before you book
- Whether the price includes VAT
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone