Kent · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Ashbank
An experienced roof surveyor for pre-purchase roof surveys in Ashbank. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us across London and South East England.
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Ashbank
A roof report gives you something solid to take back to the seller or the agent. You can ask about the roof’s history, ask for repairs before completion or rethink the price. What the seller agrees to is up to them, but you’ll be asking from facts rather than guesses. It can also help you decide whether the purchase is still right for you. Common reasons to book are standing water on a flat extension roof and damp timbers or stains in the loft, on clay and concrete tiles, chimney stacks and natural slate.
In a village or hamlet like Ashbank, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Whether you are buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Place
- Ashbank (ME17)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What this survey cannot tell you
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will point you to the right survey before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Ashbank
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
Also in Ashbank
How the survey works
The visit has one job: to see as much of the roof as can safely be seen and record it clearly. Notes and photos go into the written report. The visit usually takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house, and longer for a large or complex roof. Somewhere as small as Ashbank, access is frequently the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- You book once your offer is accepted and let us know the address and your timetable.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- We look at the roof from ground level, from windows, from the loft space and from the roof where safe.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Before we arrive
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Arrange a survey
We confirm the price for your survey before booking, so you know the cost up front. Our price is from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Read more
Before and after the survey
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
Your report arrives by email, with photographs of what we found. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Findings are set out in plain English, with recommendations prioritised by urgency where relevant.
Keep the loft ventilated. Poor ventilation lets condensation build up, wetting timbers and insulation. Keep insulation clear of eaves vents so air can move.
Common roof problems in Ashbank
A chimney stack stands out in the wind and rain and they’re frequently the least maintained part of a roof. Mortar erodes, the flaunching around the pots cracks and the flashings work loose. A stack may be shared with the neighbours, which can affect how any work is arranged.
Look out for signs like these:
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
The streets around a church such as St Nicholas's Church are often among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Before you book anyone
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Whether the price includes VAT
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
FAQs for Ashbank
Will you come out to Ashbank?
Yes, Ashbank is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Ashbank?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes. The report sets out what we found, with photos, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. How the seller responds is up to them.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and we can provide details if a managing agent needs them.
When will the report arrive?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. We send it by email with photos included.
How do I book a survey in Ashbank?
To book, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address, the type of property and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price and find a day that suits.
How many surveys have you done?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys.
Leave it or get it looked at?
The lender’s valuation is done for the lender, not for you. It looks at whether the property is suitable security for the loan, not at the condition of each slate and flashing. A roof survey is carried out for the buyer, and the report is written for you to use. Around Ashbank, older homes often have old roof timbers, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it’s left.
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where it applies) come with the Premium Survey, which starts from £400, including VAT. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Ashbank
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- Clear package prices, inc. VAT
- Surveys seven days a week
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Ashbank
Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. Across Kent, older roofs are frequently handmade clay or peg tiles, and tile-hanging on upper walls is a familiar sight. The county’s older buildings also include oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. The covering on a house you are buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest.
If you let a flat or house near Hollingbourne station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in. Leeds Castle, about 0.6 miles east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Ashbank. If you are buying an older home nearby, it is worth knowing whether it is listed or in a conservation area before you plan any re-roofing.
Ashbank is about 4 miles east of Maidstone, in Kent. Ashbank is part of the area we cover across London and South East England. Across Kent, we cover Ashbank.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: ME17. You will find streets like George Lane and Wykeham Grove. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Leeds (1 mile south-west), Broomfield (1 mile south-east), Eyhorne Street (1 mile north-east), Chegworth (1 mile east) and Hollingbourne (2 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (4 miles west), Ashford (13 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (8 miles north-east), Tonbridge (15 miles west), Faversham (12 miles east) and Minster (14 miles north-east).
Near you in Ashbank
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The George Inn. For rail, the closest station is Hollingbourne station, about 1.1 miles north-east of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find KIMS hospital (3.6 miles north-west) and The Dog Collar Museum (0.6 miles east). Not far away are Detling Hill.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Ashbank
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf. Access is agreed with the tenant ahead of time.
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Ashbank. To discuss a property or a block, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.