Kent · London and the South East
Bidborough Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Find out the condition of the roof at your property in Bidborough from an independent roof surveyor. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
How the survey works
We do not take risks to get a closer look. Everything that can be seen safely is inspected, and if part of the roof cannot be seen, the report says so. Most visits take between one and two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Cottages and farmhouses around Bidborough often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can be seen safely, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed in advance.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.
How to prepare
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
Booking a survey
Not sure which survey you need? It’s easiest to phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll explain the options and the price.
Advice
Pre-purchase roof survey in Bidborough: what you get
Older homes often have roofs that have been patched over the years. Corroded nails let slates slide, valley linings wear thin and chimney mortar erodes. Most of it can’t be seen from the street. 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. If you’ve noticed chimney mortar that has eroded and blocked or leaking gutters, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
For a small place like Bidborough, the visit is planned like any other: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed in advance. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them when you book, so the visit can be planned around them. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Visits can be booked on any day of the week.
The Standard Survey adds 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.
- Where
- Bidborough (TN3, TN4)
- Region
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Places near Bidborough
Also in Bidborough
DIY checks: what’s safe
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
Roof by roof
Flat roofs
Standing water, blisters, splits and tired upstands all point to wear. We check outlets too, since a blocked one leaves water sitting on the roof, and we say what we see from wherever is safe.
Chimney stacks
A leaning stack, cracked flaunching or crumbling pointing can all need work. We note them with photos so you can ask about them.
Bidborough: your questions answered
Do you cover smaller places like Bidborough?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Bidborough?
Yes. We work right across London and South East England, and Bidborough is part of that. You can call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and a few details.
Do you go up on the roof?
Where it’s safe, yes. Much of the inspection is done from the ground, from windows and from the roof space. The Premium Survey adds a drone inspection where it applies.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
That depends on how much you want to know about the roof. Home surveys sometimes suggest a closer look at the roof, and our survey gives you that closer look. It is not a replacement for a RICS survey.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. You need the report before you exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
Does someone need to be in?
Not always. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Let us know about it when booking and we will plan the survey around it.
What affects the price in Bidborough
Survey packages start from £150, inc. VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- House, block, shop or office
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
A Basic Survey starts from £150, including VAT. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400. We confirm the price for the job before you book.
What to tell us when you get in touch
When you call or email, these details help:
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: phone 07833 053749 or email us, and we’ll ask about the building and what you need. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Buying a home or a new roof in Bidborough
About 2.3 miles west lies Penshurst Place, a reminder of how long the area around Bidborough has been built on. If your house is among the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
The streets around a church such as Parish Church of St Lawrence are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Bidborough is about 3 miles north-west of Royal Tunbridge Wells, in Kent. Wherever you are in Bidborough, we can carry out pre-purchase roof surveys at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Bidborough is one of the towns and villages in Kent we cover. You can also see our page for Maidstone.
Every address in TN3 and TN4 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Local streets include High Street, Rectory Drive and Glebelands. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Stockland Green (1 mile south), Printstile (1 mile west), Southborough (1 mile south-east), Speldhurst (1 mile south-west) and Lower Haysden (1 mile north). Further out, we also cover Maidstone (14 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (8 miles north), Royal Tunbridge Wells (3 miles south-east), Tonbridge (3 miles north-east), Kings Hill (10 miles north-east) and Foley Park (15 miles north-east).
Local landmarks in Bidborough
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Haysden Country Park, The Beehive Public House and St Gregory's Catholic School and the streets around them. Bidborough’s nearest station is Leigh (Kent) station, about 2.1 miles north-west. Other landmarks nearby include Tonbridge Cottage Hospital (1.7 miles north-east) and Tonbridge Castle (2.5 miles north-east). The countryside around Bidborough includes Tudeley Woods RSPB reserve and Barden Lake.
Honest limits
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Bidborough
- Gutters and downpipes
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Bidborough
Asbestos was banned in UK construction in 1999. Cement roof sheets, soffits and flue pipes are typical places to find it. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys, but we flag materials that might so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check before anything is disturbed.
Most people get in touch after spotting one of these:
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
For landlords with property near Leigh (Kent) station, it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
What to check before booking
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Whether the inside of the roof is included