London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Medway
Wherever you are in Medway, we can carry out pre-purchase roof surveys. Written reports with photos, and surveys on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Where we work in Medway
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat. Choose your town from the list to see local details.
Biggest towns in Medway
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Medway
Some roofs can’t be seen well from the ground or from windows. Our Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and, where applicable, a drone inspection, and the report arrives the same day. Where a flight isn’t possible, because of airspace rules or the weather, we tell you and look from the ground, windows and the loft instead. We survey clay and concrete tiles, chimney stacks and natural slate, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are gutters choked with leaves and moss and bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs.
We will ask a few questions first, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. The inspection then takes about 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it is safe.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
What you’ll pay
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- Packages from £150, inc. VAT
- Photos and a written report every time
- An independent look at the roof
Arrange a survey
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You will know the price before anything is booked.
What’s near Gillingham
Around Gillingham, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Robert Napier School, Featherby Junior School and The Robert Napier School, among other places. Nearby too are Holy Trinity Church (less than half a mile north-east), The Star pub (0.6 miles west) and Ambley Wood (0.8 miles south). Gillingham’s nearest station is Gillingham (Kent) station, roughly 1.5 miles north-west. A little further out are Medway Maritime Hospital (1.6 miles west) and Six Poor Travellers House (3.3 miles west). For a walk, there’s Blue Bell Hill and Bishop Saltings.
Homes and roofs across Medway
Buyers across Medway come to us at the point between an accepted offer and exchange, and new roofs get checked before the final payment. Either way, the written report gives you specific points to raise, whether the home is in Gillingham, Chatham and Rochester or a village nearby.
Several airports in London and the South East have flight restriction zones around them, so the Drone Safety Map is checked before any drone flight in Medway. Flights that need permission only go ahead once it is given. Parts of Medway are on or near the coast, where roofs face more wind and more salt in the air than inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces.
Gillingham: Restoration House lies about 3.3 miles west, so building around Gillingham goes back a long way. Older homes in the area can come with listed status or conservation area rules, which affect re-roofing, so check with the council before you buy. For an older house near a landmark such as Holy Trinity Church, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That’s where a survey comes in.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
Our packages start from £150, inc. VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
We offer three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, all with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Booking your survey
What helps most when you contact us:
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Anything about access we should know
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
What a survey doesn’t cover
Some things can’t be seen without opening up the roof, so a survey has limits:
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
What happens if roof problems are left?
Once you exchange, the roof’s problems become yours. Before it, you still have choices. A survey after you’ve moved in tells you the same things, but too late to use them in the purchase.
What to check before booking
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- Is VAT included in the price?
- What experience they bring
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
Practical tips
Getting the most from a pre-purchase roof survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Tips:
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Ask the agent to check the loft hatch can be opened
- Let us know your exchange date when booking
- Request records of any re-roofing
Your report arrives by email, with photographs of what we found. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Findings are set out in plain English, and recommendations are ranked by urgency where that helps.
After strong winds, look at the roof from ground level. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Dealing with them early keeps water out.
FAQs for Medway
Do I have to be there for the survey?
That depends on the survey. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in, while outside access can be discussed as you book.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
It typically takes about 1–2 hours at a typical home, and longer for a large or complex roof. Report times depend on the package, from the same day for Premium to within 48 hours for Basic.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It works alongside a home survey.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Just let us know the days that suit you.
Will you need to get into the loft?
If it can be arranged, yes. From the loft space we can see staining, timbers and underlay. If we can’t get in, the report says so.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we are allowed to reach.
All places in Medway
A
B
C
- Capstone
- Chatham
- Chatham Waterfront
- Chattenden
- Church Street
- Cliffe
- Cliffe Woods
- Cooling
- Cooling Street
- Cuxton