Medway · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Hale, Medway
Find out the condition of the flat roof at your property in Hale. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Dips that suggest the deck is deflecting
- Outlets that hold water back
- Failed seals around rooflight kerbs
Flat and commercial roofs around Hale
The coast is about 3 miles or less from Hale, so there is more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. On a flat roof near the sea, edge trims and upstands take the brunt of the wind, and metal parts corrode faster. Across Kent, older roofs are often handmade clay or peg tiles, and tile-hanging on upper walls is a familiar sight. The county’s older buildings also include oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. Next to the main roofs there’s usually a flat roof somewhere, whether on an extension, a garage or a commercial unit.
For an older house near a landmark like Christ Church, any flat roof added at the back or on a dormer is likely to be far younger, and less durable, than the main roof. If you look after a building like Kingfisher Community Primary School, large flat roofs, common on schools and other public buildings, need their outlets, upstands and coverings checked regularly.
Hale is about 1 mile south-west of Gillingham, in Medway. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Hale can all book flat roof surveys. Hale is one of the places in Medway where we work for flat roof surveys. You can also see our page for Maidstone.
We survey roofs across ME5 for flat roof surveys. Neighbouring places we cover for flat roof surveys include Darland (1 mile south-east), Capstone (1 mile south-east), Luton (1 mile north-west), Gillingham (1 mile north-east) and Chatham (1 mile south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Rochester (3 miles north-west), Strood (4 miles north-west), Hoo St Werburgh (4 miles north), Rochester Riverside (3 miles north-west), Peters Village (4 miles west) and Frindsbury (3 miles north-west).
Landmarks near Hale
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Star pub, Chatham Grammar School for Girls and Darland Banks and the streets around them. Hale’s nearest station is Gillingham (Kent) station, about 1.6 miles north. A little further out are Rochester Castle (2.9 miles north-west) and Pentagon Shopping Centre (1.9 miles north-west). For a walk, there is Blue Bell Hill and Burham Down.
How a flat roof survey works in Hale
Flat roofs deal with rain in a very different way from pitched ones. Because rain sits on it for longer, a small split, an open seam or a blocked outlet matters more. We check the surface, the falls, the upstands and the edge trims, and we look for signs that water has reached the deck. The aim is to find problems before they show up as a stain on a ceiling. If you are worried about edge trims that have lifted or split and failed upstands where the roof meets a wall, we can find out what’s behind it, on upstands and outlets, GRP fibreglass and mastic asphalt alike.
In a village or hamlet like Hale, flat roofs are normally on extensions, garages, outbuildings or barn conversions. They need the same care as any town roof: the covering, the edges, the upstands and where water drains away. We simply plan the journey and access ahead of time. Garages and outbuildings are easy to forget, so mention any you want included as you book.
The report doesn’t just list problems. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Where
- Hale (ME5)
- Region
- Medway
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Checking the roof from ground level
Your own check is a good start, but it is not 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.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Before and after the survey
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Keep clear of rooflights and fragile roof sheets
- Keep outlets clear of leaves and moss
- Plan a survey before the covering reaches the end of its usual life
- Ask whoever fits equipment on the roof to make good the covering
Landlords, owners and managing agents can keep the report as a dated record of the roof. It helps when planning maintenance budgets, and it makes changes easy to spot at the next survey.
Clear leaves and silt from outlets and gutters, above all in autumn. Water that can drain away does far less harm than water that sits.
What affects the price in Hale
Prices always include VAT. What changes the price is:
- Height and safe access
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
All our prices include VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for your roof before booking.
What to tell us when you get in touch
Before you get in touch, it is useful to have:
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- The type of building and roof, like pitched or flat
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine. To get started, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
When to book a survey in Hale
Buyers frequently book after their home survey suggests a closer look at a flat roof. Owners and managing agents use a survey to plan upkeep, or ahead of a sale or a new lease. In each case, the report gives a written, photographed record of the roof’s condition.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Pools of water lying on the roof
- Splits and cracks in the covering
- Leaks around rooflights
- Blistering in felt or asphalt
Landlords with a home close to Gillingham (Kent) station may find that the flat roof over a let home is worth a look before it becomes a tenant complaint.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What experience they bring
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
Honest limits
Our survey isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Fragile surfaces, which we don’t walk on
- Whether old sheeting or boards contain asbestos
- Hidden layers beneath the covering
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will suggest the right survey before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
What we check
- Single-ply membranes
- Upstands and outlets
- Mastic asphalt
- GRP fibreglass
- EPDM rubber
- Felt flat roofs
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. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement, as far as the space allows. The whole visit normally takes about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, and longer for a large or complex roof. Somewhere as small as Hale, access is often the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- We agree the roof to be surveyed, its use and any leaks you know about.
- The roof is viewed from safe positions, including the roof itself where that’s safe.
- The covering is checked for wear, splits, blisters and standing water.
- Upstands, outlets, edge trims and rooflights are checked and photographed.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, comes to you by email.
Preparing for the visit
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Let us know about parking near the property
Arrange a survey
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, so call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the details.
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More services for Hale
Hale questions
Will you come out to Hale?
Yes, we do. Our area covers London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
Is the coastal weather around Hale hard on roofs?
It can do. Within about 3 miles of the sea, as Hale is, metal fixings wear faster and gales find any loose ridge or slate.
Will you walk on the flat roof?
Where it’s safe, the roof is inspected from the roof itself. Otherwise we use windows, vantage points and the spaces below, and we note any area we couldn’t see. We don’t walk on fragile rooflights or sheeting.
How quickly is the report sent?
Report times are set by the package. Basic: within 48 hours. Standard: 24 to 48 hours. Premium: the same day. If you have a deadline, like an exchange date, let us know when you book.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We’re roof surveyors, not structural engineers. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we will recommend one.
Is a flat roof survey the same as a building survey?
No. It is a survey of the flat roof. It isn’t a RICS Level 2 or 3 survey of the whole building, and it is not a structural engineer’s report. It frequently sits alongside a buyer’s building survey.
How long will you be at the property?
Expect it to take roughly 1–2 hours for a small flat roof at home, and longer for a large commercial one. The written report follows by email, on the timescale of your package.