Kent · London and the South East
Bethersden Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Pre-purchase roof surveys across Bethersden, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Bethersden
A full home survey looks at the whole property, so the roof is one item among many. We do not offer a RICS home survey, and ours isn’t a substitute for one. It adds a focused look at the roof on its own, with photos and written recommendations you can act on. The two sit side by side if you want the fullest picture. We survey chimney stacks, gutters and downpipes and lead flashings and valleys, and common reasons people get in touch are blocked or leaking gutters and blistered or split felt on a flat roof.
Somewhere as small as Bethersden, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings frequently sit beside a few newer homes. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- Bethersden (TN26)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Bethersden
Across Kent, older roofs are often handmade clay or peg tiles, and tile-hanging on upper walls is a familiar sight. 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. If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
Godinton House, about 4 miles north-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Bethersden. Buying a period property here means asking about the roof’s age and repairs, and about any listing or conservation area. Landlords with a home close to Pluckley station may find that it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
Bethersden is about 5 miles west of Ashford, in Kent. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Bethersden for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Bethersden is one of the towns and villages in Kent we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. You can also see our page for Maidstone.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: TN26. Whether your property is on The Dene, Forge Hill and Forgefield or a nearby road, we can help. If you are just outside Bethersden, we cover Wissenden (1 mile north-west), Further Quarter (2 miles west), Chambers' Green (2 miles north), Maltman's Hill (2 miles north-west) and High Halden (3 miles south-west). Further out, we also cover Maidstone (14 miles north-west), Ashford (5 miles east), Sittingbourne (15 miles north), Faversham (14 miles north-east), Hythe (15 miles east) and Davington (14 miles north-east).
Near you in Bethersden
Typical jobs here are in homes near The George Public House and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Pluckley station, about 2 miles north. Well-known places in the area include Woodchurch Village Life Museum (3.1 miles south) and Romden Castle (2.4 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Orlestone Forest.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Bethersden
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work around your tenants.
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, including offices, shops and units. Larger roofs take longer, and they’re priced for the size.
Roof by roof
Gutters and parapets
Parapet and box gutters are hidden behind walls and can overflow inside. Where we can see them safely, we check the linings and outlets.
Chimney stacks
We inspect the outside of the stack, not a flue, gas or sweep inspection. If a flue needs testing, we will suggest who to ask.
What happens on the day
We check the roof from outside and, where it is relevant and there’s safe access, from inside the roof space too. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging. All in, the survey normally takes an hour or two at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Older rural homes like those around Bethersden can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- We agree a time and how we will get in, including the loft.
- We inspect the roof from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it is safe.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Before we arrive
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
Booking a survey
For a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Bethersden, call 07833 053749 or email us. A few details about the property and the roof help us price the survey accurately.
Advice
Practical tips
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation to talk the findings through, while Premium includes a consultation in person. If anything in the report isn’t clear, ask us.
Chimneys and flashings need watching. Watch for gaps in the pointing, cracked flaunching and loose lead. Binoculars from ground level are enough for a first look.
Why get it checked now?
A seller may honestly not know the state of the roof. Their answers on the property forms only cover what they know about. Our survey shows you the roof as it is today. Older cottages and farmhouses around Bethersden can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it’s left.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how safely it can be seen. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
Why book us in Bethersden
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Clear package prices, including VAT
FAQs for Bethersden
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Bethersden?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. 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.
Will you come out to Bethersden?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when booking.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Where we can, yes. From the roof space we can see staining, timbers and underlay. If we can’t get in, the report says so.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime, which suits people who work during the week. Just say which days work for you.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes, you can. You’ll have photos and a written description of each defect, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. We can’t promise how the seller will respond.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys or testing. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings.
Do you go up on the roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. Much of the inspection is done from ground level, from windows and from the loft space. The Premium Survey adds a drone inspection where applicable.
Places near Bethersden
Other services in Bethersden
What we are asked to look at in Bethersden
Gutter problems often look minor from the street. Water spilling over a gutter soaks brickwork and can rot fascias and rafter ends. Hidden gutters behind parapets or in roof valleys can send water indoors. They’re part of what we look at.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Margaret, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- What insurance they carry
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos