Kent · London and the South East
Bessels Green Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Bessels Green, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Bessels Green
The roof is one of the most expensive parts of a home to repair, and one of the hardest for a buyer to see. A pre-purchase roof survey looks at it closely before you’re tied in. We check the coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters, plus the loft where there’s safe access. The findings come in a written report with photos. We’re often asked to look into slipped or missing slates and tiles and sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes, across chimney stacks, the roof space and lead flashings and valleys.
Some older homes in villages like Bessels Green are listed or sit in a conservation area. That can affect what materials a new roof may use, so check with the council and Historic England’s list. Whether you are buying or signing off new roofing, it is worth knowing where you stand. There are about 500,000 listed buildings and around 10,000 conservation areas in England.
Findings are set out part by part, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets, with a note and a photo for each point. You will see the good as well as the bad.
- Place
- Bessels Green (TN13, TN14)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To discuss a number of properties, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the addresses.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. Surveys run seven days a week, which can make access easier.
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
We only report everything that’s safely in view on the day, so there are some things a survey can’t cover:
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll suggest the right survey. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Bessels Green
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Bessels Green
Do you carry out roof surveys in Bessels Green?
Yes, Bessels Green is within the area we cover. Our area covers London and the South East. You can ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and some details, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Will you come out to Bessels Green?
Yes. Bessels Green is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it isn’t a RICS home survey. It complements one rather than replacing it.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Light rain is normally fine; heavy rain and wind are different. High wind or heavy rain can make access unsafe and ground a drone, and we’d agree another day.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. You might ask for work to be done, ask questions or ask for a change to the price. What the seller agrees to is their decision, so we cannot promise any saving.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll plan the survey around it.
How quickly will I get the report?
Premium reports arrive the same day, Standard reports within 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Reports are emailed, with photographs.
Roof by roof
Natural slate
On a slate roof, the underlay may be old bitumen felt, or there may be none at all on very old roofs. Where we can see it from the loft, we say what condition it is in.
Gutters and parapets
Some older terraces have a butterfly roof with a central valley gutter. If yours does, we check that gutter and where it drains.
Local roofs and buyers in Bessels Green
Historic houses such as Knole House, about 2.2 miles south-east, show how far back building in the area around Bessels Green goes. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles hung on pegs through two holes, are typical of older Kent buildings. You’ll also find oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses among the county’s older buildings. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about.
For an older house near a landmark such as Chapel of the Good Shepherd, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs frequently have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges. Landlords with a home close to Sevenoaks station may find that the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Bessels Green is about 1 mile west of Sevenoaks, in Kent. Bookings from Bessels Green are handled just like any other: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Bessels Green is one of the towns and villages in Kent we cover. We also survey roofs in Maidstone.
Surveys in TN13 and TN14 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We cover properties on High Street, Witches Lane and Cranmer Road and the roads around them. We also cover the places around Bessels Green: Chipstead (1 mile north-west), Riverhead (1 mile north-east), Kippington (1 mile south-east), Dunton Green (1 mile north-east) and Sevenoaks (1 mile east). Within a short drive, we also cover Dartford (12 miles north), Royal Tunbridge Wells (11 miles south-east), Gravesend (14 miles north-east), Tonbridge (8 miles south-east), Northfleet (13 miles north-east) and Swanley (8 miles north).
What’s near Bessels Green
Typical jobs here are in homes near Montreal Park, New Beacon School and The King's Head Public House, among other places. The closest station to Bessels Green is Sevenoaks station, roughly 1 mile east. Nearby you’ll also find Kemsing Castle Bank (3.6 miles north-east) and Sevenoaks Hospital (1.7 miles east). Open spaces near Bessels Green include Betsom's Hill and Dryhill Nature Reserve.
Why act early in Bessels Green
The lender’s valuation is done for the lender, not for you. Its job is to check the property’s value for the mortgage, and it won’t look closely at the roof. Our survey is done for you. Outbuildings and barns around Bessels Green are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. The final price depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and which survey you book.
Why us?
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- PI and public liability insurance
- Packages from £150, including VAT
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
What happens on the day
We will ask a few questions first, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. Then the inspection itself takes about 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Cottages and farmhouses around Bessels Green often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can be seen safely.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- We agree a time and how we’ll get in, including the loft.
- We inspect the roof from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it is safe.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
Book a survey
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine, and please do not climb up for a closer look. To get started, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
Tips from our surveys
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Don’t leave it until just before exchange
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
With Standard, you get a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. Whichever package you choose, you can ask us what a finding means.
Every so frequently, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Damp patches, daylight through the roof or water stains on timbers are worth noting. Take photos so you can show whoever looks at it.