Kent · London and the South East
Gutter Survey in Shipbourne
Gutter surveys in Shipbourne, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Leaking or loose downpipes
- Valley or box gutters that overflow inside
- Overflowing eaves gutters
How the survey changes by roof type
Plastic (uPVC) gutters
Joints that have pulled apart are a common fault on plastic gutters. The report notes every one we spot.
Aluminium and other metal gutters
Aluminium and other metal gutters are used on many newer and commercial buildings. Their joints and outlets still need checking.
Gutter survey in Shipbourne
Gutters have to slope gently towards the outlet or water sits in them. When brackets sag or joints part, water pools, drips and spills over at the low points. We check the line of each run as far as we can see it and look at the brackets and downpipe clips. Recommendations are written down and prioritised by urgency where relevant. Typical surveys look at dripping or leaking gutter joints and gutters overflowing in heavy rain, across outlets and hoppers, eaves gutters and valley gutters.
Older buildings in small places like Shipbourne may be listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials can be used when work is done, so check with the council before planning anything. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is often expected.
We keep jargon out of it: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, along with how urgent it is.
- Location
- Shipbourne (TN11)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Towns and villages near Shipbourne
Also in Shipbourne
What a gutter survey doesn’t cover
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- What’s behind fascias and inside walls
- Underground drains, which need a CCTV drain survey
- Asbestos testing of old gutters, downpipes or soffits
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Fascias and soffits
- Valley gutters
- Parapet and box gutters
- Downpipes
- Eaves gutters
- Outlets and hoppers
How it works
A survey visit follows a simple order: we hear what you’ve seen, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, take photographs as we go and record our findings for the written report. It usually takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house, and more on a big or complicated roof. Around Shipbourne, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- We start with what you’ve noticed, such as damp or overflowing gutters.
- We walk round the building and check the gutters, downpipes and fascias from ground level.
- We look at hidden gutters as far as safe access allows.
- Where it’s safe, we check the loft for signs of water.
- A report with photographs and recommendations follows.
Getting ready for the survey
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
Arrange a survey
We confirm the price for your roof before you book, so you know the cost up front. Gutter survey starts from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Read more
Practical tips
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Ask for valleys and parapet gutters to be cleared too
- Check from ground level or a window, not a ladder
- Check that downpipes are firmly fixed to the wall
- Get the gutters cleaned out every year
After any work is done, watch the gutters in the next heavy rain. Water should run to the outlets and away without spilling over, and if it doesn’t, raise it with whoever did the job.
Deal with drips, sags and loose downpipes early. Left alone, they typically grow and spilled water harms brickwork and woodwork.
Why get it checked now?
Climbing a ladder to look in the gutters yourself is risky. You can see drips and overflows from the ground, but valleys, parapets and box gutters are hard to see. Our survey covers what can safely be seen and records it with photos. Around Shipbourne, older homes often have old roof timbers, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it is left.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the size and height of the roof, how it can safely be seen and which survey you book.
Why us?
- Surveys seven days a week
- Package prices that include VAT
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Drones and thermal imaging where applicable
Take a look at our cost guide or our case studies.
What we’re asked to look at in Shipbourne
Sometimes a gutter struggles with the area of roof draining into it. An extension or extra roof slope can add water to an existing gutter, and a heavy downpour shows up the problem.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- Valley or box gutters that overflow inside
- Gutters packed with leaves or moss
- Rotten fascias or stained soffits
- Hoppers and outlets full of debris
If you let a flat or house near Borough Green & Wrotham station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Whether VAT is added on top
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Will the report include photos?
Shipbourne questions
Will you come out to Shipbourne?
Yes, Shipbourne is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Can a landlord with a rental near Borough Green & Wrotham station book a roof survey?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. Just call 07833 053749 or email us with the details, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Does the season matter for a gutter survey?
Any time of year works. Before the wetter months gives you time to plan any work though problems frequently show up after heavy rain.
Will you look at parapet and box gutters as well?
Yes, where it is safe to see them. We look from vantage points, the loft space and the roof itself where safe, and by drone where it is applicable.
Do you test soffits or gutters for asbestos?
No, that’s a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. We point out materials on older buildings that could contain asbestos so it can be checked before work starts.
Do you take photos of the roof?
Yes. Photos are part of every report, so you can see each point for yourself.
Will you check if gutters are causing damp inside?
We check whether rainwater from the gutters is reaching the wall, through overflows, drips or damaged downpipes. We cannot see inside the wall itself, so we report on what’s visible.
Shipbourne homes and their roofs
The wider area around Shipbourne has a long history of building, with Ightham Mote about 1.1 miles north-west. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. Many older homes in Kent have handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles held by pegs through two holes, and tile-hanging on their upper walls. Oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of the county’s older buildings too. Whatever the covering, it is often the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first.
For site and facilities teams at buildings like Shipbourne School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. Homes near green spaces such as Ivy Hatch Nature Reserve can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall.
Shipbourne is about 3 miles north of Tonbridge, in Kent. In Shipbourne, as across Kent, every roof gets the same careful survey. We cover towns and villages across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Our Maidstone page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in TN11 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Streets in the area include Upper Green Road, Upper Green Lane and Back Lane, all of which we cover. Neighbouring places we cover for gutter surveys include Budds (1 mile west), Yopps Green (1 mile north), Sheet Hill (2 miles north), Ivy Hatch (2 miles north) and Coldharbour (2 miles south-west). Further out, we also cover Maidstone (11 miles east), Dartford (14 miles north), Sevenoaks (5 miles north-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (8 miles south), Gravesend (13 miles north) and Tonbridge (3 miles south).
What’s near Shipbourne
Typical jobs here are in homes near Ivy Hatch Nature Reserve, Hugh Christie Technology College and The Chaser Public House and the streets around them. The closest station to Shipbourne is Borough Green & Wrotham station, roughly 3.3 miles north. Well-known places in the area include Ightham Court (3.3 miles north) and Hadlow Tower museum (2.8 miles south-east). Open spaces near Shipbourne include Barden Lake.