Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Appledore Heath, Kent
Get a clear view of the roof at a property in Appledore Heath from an independent roof surveyor. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
Pre-purchase roof survey in Appledore Heath
The best time to book is once your offer has been accepted and before you exchange contracts. At that point you can still ask questions, while you’re not yet committed. Visits run on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when the chain is moving fast. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. If you are worried about gaps where slates or tiles have come loose and quick fixes on flashings and valleys, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Being in a small place like Appledore Heath makes no difference to the inspection itself: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed ahead of time. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages with roofs you’d like looked at as you book, so the visit can be planned around them. Whether you’re buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Visits can be booked on any day of the week.
If any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You will know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Location
- Appledore Heath (TN26)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What you can safely check yourself
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
It’s useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry and it will help the survey.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Appledore Heath: local notes
With Smallhythe Place about 3.6 miles west, Appledore Heath sits in an area with a long building history. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If you let a flat or house near Appledore (Kent) station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full. For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Peter and St Paul, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Appledore Heath is about 8 miles south-west of Ashford, in Kent. We survey roofs in Appledore Heath and the rest of Kent. Our area takes in places right across Kent, large and small. You can also see our page for Maidstone.
Here we cover the TN26 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on School Road, Heathside and Woodchurch Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Appledore (1 mile south), Stone in Oxney (2 miles south-west), Reading Street (2 miles west), Brattle (2 miles north) and Brook Street (2 miles north-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Ashford (8 miles north-east), Hythe (13 miles east), Tenterden (4 miles north-west), Kennington (10 miles north-east), New Romney (8 miles south-east) and Staplehurst (13 miles north-west).
Around Appledore Heath
The closest station to Appledore Heath is Appledore (Kent) station, roughly 1.6 miles east of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Woodchurch Village Life Museum (3 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Orlestone Forest.
How the survey changes by roof type
Gutters and parapets
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter, usually to the back of the house. If the home you are buying has one, that gutter and its outlet get a careful look.
Natural slate
Slate is common on Victorian and Edwardian houses. We look for slates that have slid, cracked or gone, and for clips or tingles that show past repairs.
When you need someone else
It is a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. Its limits include:
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
How it works
When we arrive, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you need to know. After that, we check everything we can see safely. Most surveys take about one to two hours for a house, and more on a big or complicated roof. Cottages and farmhouses around Appledore Heath often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Getting ready for the survey
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Keep pets in another room
Arrange a survey
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Appledore Heath
Is Appledore Heath within the area you cover?
Yes, Appledore Heath is covered. Our area covers London and the South East, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Do you cover Appledore Heath?
Yes. We survey roofs across London and South East England, and Appledore Heath is part of that. Just call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know about the property.
What if it rains on the day?
Light rain doesn’t usually stop a survey. Heavy rain or strong wind can ground a drone and make the roof unsafe, so if conditions aren’t right we’ll arrange another day with you.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
It typically takes between one and two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
How quickly will I get the report?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Reports are emailed, with photos.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
That depends on how much you want to know about the roof. Home surveys sometimes suggest a closer look at the roof, and our survey gives you that closer look. It is not a replacement for a RICS survey.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. It’s a dedicated roof survey, and you get a written report with photos. It does not cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
For landlords and managing agents
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with the building owner or managing agent. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
Towns and villages near Appledore Heath
More services for Appledore Heath
Practical tips
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
You may want to pass the report to your solicitor or conveyancer so questions can go to the seller’s solicitor. It can prompt questions about past roof work and any paperwork for it.
Keep an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. Binoculars from the ground are enough for a first look.