Kent · London and the South East
Herne Flat Roof Survey
A careful look at the flat roof at your property in Herne, with photographs and a written report.
- Gaps at upstands and abutments
- Outlets that hold water back
- A sagging deck under the covering
Flat roofs in Herne
Herne is within about 2 miles of the coast, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Coastal wind works at the edges of flat roofs, and salt air wears metal trims and fixings. What can be done to an older roof may depend on listing or a conservation area. The council is the place to check, along with Historic England’s list.
Anyone responsible for a site like Herne Church of England Infant School will know that ponding and blocked outlets on a wide flat roof are worth catching before the next wet season. If you let a flat or house near Herne Bay station, the flat roof over a let home is worth a look before it becomes a tenant complaint.
Herne is about 1 mile south of Herne Bay, in Kent. We survey roofs in Herne across London and South East England. Across Kent, we cover Herne and the places around it.
Postcode districts we cover here for flat roof surveys: CT6. Local streets include St Martin's View, Ridley Close and Herne Street, all of which we cover. Other places close to Herne include Hunters Forstal (1 mile north-east), Eddington (1 mile north-west), Herne Common (1 mile south-west), Bullockstone (1 mile west) and Broomfield (1 mile north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Canterbury (5 miles south-west), Margate (11 miles east), Ramsgate (12 miles east), Broadstairs (13 miles east), Whitstable (4 miles west) and Deal (15 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Herne
We work in homes and buildings around Curtis Wood and Herne Bay High School and the streets around them. The closest station to Herne is Herne Bay station, roughly 1.2 miles north-west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Whitstable and Tankerton Hospital (3.7 miles west) and Tankerton Castle (4.4 miles west). Green spaces nearby include West Blean and Thornden Woods.
About our flat roof survey in Herne
If the house you’re 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 frequently 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. Common reasons to book are edge trims that have lifted or split and a sagging deck under the covering, on EPDM rubber, GRP fibreglass and mastic asphalt.
Around a smaller place like Herne, flat roofs typically cover extensions, garages and dormers. They’re small, but a leak over a kitchen extension can do a lot of harm. What it’s covered in, and how well it was laid, decides what it needs, from felt and asphalt to EPDM rubber and GRP. Ponding, splits and lifting edges are the signs to look for from a window.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets, each with a short note and a photograph. It records what’s sound as well as what isn’t.
- Location
- Herne (CT6)
- Region
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Towns and villages near Herne
What else we do in Herne
The survey, step by step
You don’t need to do much on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we will get on with the inspection. A typical survey takes roughly 1–2 hours for an extension, garage or dormer roof, and around 3–4 hours for a commercial flat roof. With a bit of garden around a house, as there often is around Herne, the roof can be viewed from several angles. Mention any side of the property we can’t get to. The loft, where there’s safe access, completes the picture.
- 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.
- We check the covering for splits, blisters, ponding and wear.
- We photograph and record the outlets, upstands, trims and rooflights.
- A written report with photos and recommendations is emailed to you.
Getting ready for the survey
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
Getting a price
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
Different roofs, different checks
GRP fibreglass
Movement in the deck or a thin layer of resin can lead to cracks in GRP. Our report notes cracks and any sign that the deck is flexing.
Felt and built-up roofs
Many extensions, garages and dormers have a felt roof laid in layers. The survey checks for blisters, cracks, open laps and bare patches where the surfacing has worn.
What happens if roof problems are left?
For a buyer, the best time to learn about a flat roof is before contracts are exchanged. After that, the cost of any work is yours. Our report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. In a smaller place like Herne, wherever a roof is exposed, a loose ridge or flashing does not stay loose for long. Wind gets under it and lifts more.
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all with VAT included. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Herne
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- 98% customer satisfaction
- An independent view of the roof
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
Read what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.
Questions from Herne
Do you cover smaller places like Herne?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Herne, take more of a battering?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there’s more wind, and more salt in the air. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it typically shows, and Herne is within about 2 miles of the coast.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We are roof surveyors, not structural engineers, and it does not include calculations. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we will recommend one.
Will you check the loft?
Where it is relevant to the survey and there’s safe access, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps.
Do you look for flat roof leaks?
We check the whole roof, since water can travel before it shows inside. Splits, open laps, upstands, outlets and rooflights are all checked. Where nothing visible explains the leak, the report says what to try next.
Does someone need to be in?
Not necessarily. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Do you go up onto the roof?
It depends on what’s safe: the roof itself where that’s safe, plus windows, vantage points and the rooms below. Fragile rooflights and fragile sheets are never walked on.
How we price flat roof surveys
To price your survey, we check:
- The size of the roof
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and the package you choose.
What to tell us when you contact us
Getting the details right at the start saves time. Please include:
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- The type of building and roof, like pitched or flat
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. We’ll confirm the price before you book.
Do you need a flat roof survey in Herne?
No flat roof covering lasts for ever. Around 15 to 20 years is common for felt, while EPDM often lasts 30 to 50 years and GRP up to about 30, although how well it was laid and looked after matters a great deal. A survey shows how yours is holding up, whatever its age.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Blocked or damaged outlets
- Dips that suggest the deck is deflecting
- Cracked or split membrane
- Leaks around rooflights
The streets around a church such as Church of St Martin are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, flat-roofed rear additions and dormers added over the years are worth checking.
Questions to ask before booking
- When you’ll get the report
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- What exactly goes into their report
What we cannot see
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, so a survey has limits:
- A fixed date for when the roof will need replacing
- Structural calculations, which need a structural engineer
- What’s under the membrane without opening it up
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and does not.
Roof types and parts we check
- EPDM rubber
- Upstands and outlets
- Felt flat roofs
- GRP fibreglass
- Single-ply membranes
- Mastic asphalt