Kent · London and the South East
Flat Roof Survey in Lower Hardres
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings in Lower Hardres. We have completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Loose or cracked edge trims
- Blisters and bubbles in the covering
- Dips that suggest the deck is deflecting
Questions from Lower Hardres
Do you cover smaller places like Lower Hardres?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Lower Hardres?
Yes. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and Lower Hardres is part of that. Just ring 07833 053749 or email us and let us know about the property, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Which flat roof coverings do you cover?
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.
What does the report include?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos. The most urgent items are made clear.
What do I do with the report?
The report arrives by email. With Standard there is a follow-up consultation; with Premium, an in-person consultation.
Do you take photos of the roof?
Yes. We photograph the roof as we go, and they go into the written report alongside our recommendations.
Do you look for flat roof leaks?
We check the whole roof, since water can travel before it shows inside. Every split, lap, upstand, outlet and rooflight we can see is checked. If the cause cannot be seen, we’ll say so and suggest what would help.
How a flat roof survey works in Lower Hardres
Each type of flat roof has its own weak points. Felt can blister and crack, asphalt can craze and split, EPDM seams and laps can lift, and GRP can crack where boards meet or at the trims. On PVC and TPO single-ply roofs, we look closely at the welded laps, edges and fixings. Knowing what you have and how it’s doing helps you plan what comes next. Common reasons to book are splits and cracks in the covering and edge trims that have lifted or split, on single-ply membranes, felt flat roofs and GRP fibreglass.
Flat roofs on exposed homes in small places like Lower Hardres take more wind and rain, which is hard on edges, upstands and joins in the covering. Felt roofs, which often last around 15–20 years, typically show it first. EPDM rubber and GRP coverings last longer, but their edges and joints still need checking. On an exposed roof, the edges tend to go first.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Location
- Lower Hardres (CT4)
- Region
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Local flat roofs in Lower Hardres
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. Flat roofs fill the gaps in between, on extensions, garages, dormers and business premises. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, so the council is the place to ask.
If you let a flat or house near Canterbury East station, flat roofs on let property tend to be checked only when they fail, which is the costly way round. If you look after a building like Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys, a large flat roof with a good many outlets and rooflights has many places where a membrane can fail.
Lower Hardres is about 3 miles south of Canterbury, in Kent. Roofs in Lower Hardres get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Kent. Our area takes in places right across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages.
Every address in CT4 is within our area for flat roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We also cover the places around Lower Hardres: Street End (1 mile north), Pett Bottom (1 mile south-east), Nackington (1 mile north), Upper Hardres (1 mile south) and Petham (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Ashford (11 miles south-west), Canterbury (3 miles north), Dover (12 miles south-east), Folkestone (11 miles south), Whitstable (8 miles north) and Deal (14 miles east).
What’s near Lower Hardres
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Duck pub, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Canterbury East station, roughly 2.7 miles north. A little further out are Kent and Canterbury Hospital (2.2 miles north) and Whitefriars Shopping Centre (2.9 miles north). The countryside around Lower Hardres includes Blean Woods RSPB Reserve.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Lower Hardres
We survey roofs for landlords and agents as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the flat roof, with photos.
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.
What you can safely check yourself
A lot can be seen from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
It’s useful to keep a record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
How the survey works
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 about 1–2 hours for an extension, garage or dormer roof, and around 3–4 hours for a commercial flat roof. Rural addresses near Lower Hardres can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- First you give us the address, what the roof covers and any leaks you’ve noticed.
- We view the roof from the ground, from windows and from the roof where it is safe to do so.
- Every part of the roof we can see is looked at: covering, falls, upstands, outlets, trims and rooflights.
- We check the rooms or spaces under the roof for staining where we can reach them.
- We send a written report with photos, the defects we found and what we recommend.
How to prepare
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
How to book
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
What we can’t see
To be straight with you, a roof survey has limits:
- A fixed date for when the roof will need replacing
- Structural calculations, which need a structural engineer
- Whether old sheeting or boards contain asbestos
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll tell you before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roofs we survey in Lower Hardres
- Single-ply membranes
- GRP fibreglass
- EPDM rubber
- Upstands and outlets
- Mastic asphalt
- Felt flat roofs
Tips from our surveys
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out:
- Limit foot traffic on the covering
- Watch the ceilings below the flat roof for stains
- Have the roof looked at again after a severe storm
- Never stand on rooflights or fragile sheeting
You can use the report to ask roofers to quote for the same work. With each roofer working from the same list, comparing quotes is simpler. You stay in control of who does the work and when.
Small defects are simpler to deal with while they’re still small. Prompt repairs tend to add years to a flat roof.
Also near Lower Hardres
What else we do in Lower Hardres
Common roof problems in Lower Hardres
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.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Failed seals around rooflight kerbs
- Cracked or split membrane
- A sagging deck under the covering
- Blisters and bubbles in the covering
Shop and office owners around Whitefriars Shopping Centre may find that outlets and upstands on commercial flat roofs are the places to check before trouble starts.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What the survey will not cover
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
- How soon the report will arrive