Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Benenden, Kent
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Benenden, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Get in touch for a price.
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Benenden
Many older houses carry decades of roof repairs. Slates slip when their nails corrode, lead valleys and flashings wear, and chimney pointing crumbles. Little of that is easy to judge from the pavement on a viewing. Our survey picks it out, with photographs that show you exactly where. Each finding is explained in plain words, so you know what it means for the house you are buying. Typical surveys look at cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing and a ridge or slope that dips, across chimney stacks, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and clay and concrete tiles.
In a village or hamlet like Benenden, 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. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
Where we cannot see part of the roof, the report says so. That way, it’s clear what was covered and what wasn’t.
- Location
- Benenden (TN17)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
We check the roof from outside and, where it’s relevant and there’s safe access, from inside the roof space too. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement, as far as the space allows. All in, the survey typically takes roughly 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, and more on a big or complicated roof. For a village or hamlet like Benenden, the journey is planned in advance: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect what can safely be seen, inside and out.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you are buying.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- 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
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Tell us about parking before the day
- Leave side gates unlocked
Arrange a survey
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine. To get started, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Advice
Benenden homes and their roofs
If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. Great Dixter, about 5 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Benenden. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Benenden is about 13 miles west of Ashford, in Kent. Wherever you are in Benenden, we can carry out pre-purchase roof surveys at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Benenden is one of the towns and villages in Kent where we work. Maidstone is in our area too.
We work across TN17 for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. Local streets include The Street, Hortons Close and Iden Green Road. With the B2086 close by, Benenden is simple for us to get to for pre-purchase roof surveys. Other places close to Benenden include Iden Green (1 mile south), Coursehorn (2 miles north-west), Baker's Cross (2 miles north-west), Swattenden (2 miles north-west) and Cranbrook (3 miles north-west). We also work in nearby towns like Maidstone (14 miles north), Ashford (13 miles east), Royal Tunbridge Wells (14 miles west), Foley Park (15 miles north), Paddock Wood (11 miles north-west) and Tenterden (5 miles east).
What’s near Benenden
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to King William IV Public House and the streets around them. Nearby you will also find Mervyn Quinlan Museum (2 miles north-east) and Sissinghurst Castle (3.2 miles north).
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Benenden?
Patch repairs are common on roofs of every age. Bitumen painted over a flashing, mortar where lead should be, or a few tiles that don’t match can point to a problem that keeps coming back. Our report records them so you can ask the seller what was done and when.
Problems we come across frequently include:
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near Church of St George, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Before booking anyone
- Will the report include photos?
- Are they insured for the work?
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- What happens after the report arrives
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
We offer three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you’d like to know.
Getting in touch
When you call or email, these details help:
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Where the property is, with the postcode
We confirm the price for your survey before you book, so you know where you stand. Our price is from £150, including VAT. To book, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
FAQs for Benenden
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Benenden?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Is Benenden within the area you cover?
Yes, Benenden is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Do you need access inside the house?
Where we can, yes. From the roof space we can see staining, timbers and underlay. If access isn’t possible, we note it in the report.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
The visit normally takes between one and two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. We will give you an idea of timing when booking.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends. To find a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
They do different things. A RICS home survey covers the whole building, while ours looks only at the roof, in more detail. Our survey complements a RICS survey and does not replace one.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Benenden
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, from shops and offices to industrial units. Bigger roofs take more time, and they’re priced for the size.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed in advance. Surveys run on any day of the week, which can make access easier.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Without a survey, you’re relying on a glance from the pavement. That rarely shows the back slope, the valleys or the top of the chimney. We fill that gap before you’re tied in. Outbuildings and barns around Benenden are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. It’s worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
What you get with us
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Packages from £150, inc. VAT
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- 98% customer satisfaction
See what a roof survey costs and our case studies.
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space