Kent · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Bircholt Forstal
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Bircholt Forstal, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Bircholt Forstal
Tall, steep or hidden roofs are hard to judge from the street. Our Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and, where it applies, a drone inspection, and the report arrives the same day. If airspace rules or the weather rule out a flight, we’ll say so and look from the ground, windows and the loft instead. We survey lead flashings and valleys, gutters and downpipes and flat-roofed extensions and dormers, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof and bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs.
In a village or hamlet like Bircholt Forstal, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Whether you’re 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.
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
- Bircholt Forstal (TN25)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Bircholt Forstal questions
Is Bircholt Forstal within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We work right across London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
Do you cover Bircholt Forstal?
Yes, Bircholt Forstal is within the area we cover. Our area covers London and South East England. You can ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and some details, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
It is your choice, but the two do different jobs. A home survey looks at the whole property, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Ours sits alongside a RICS survey rather than replacing it.
How long will you be at the property?
It typically takes about 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Will you need to get into the loft?
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.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Just tell us the days that suit you.
Roof by roof
Gutters and parapets
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter, typically to the back of the house. If yours does, we check that gutter and where it drains.
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’s in.
Local roofs and buyers in Bircholt Forstal
The wider area around Bircholt Forstal has a long history of building, with Westenhanger Castle about 3.6 miles south-east. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
Bircholt Forstal is about 5 miles east of Ashford, in Kent. Bookings from Bircholt Forstal are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. We cover towns and villages across Kent. Our Canterbury page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in TN25 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. We also cover the places around Bircholt Forstal: Brabourne Lees (1 mile south), Brabourne (1 mile east), Smeeth (1 mile south-west), Ridgeway (1 mile south-west) and Lilyvale (1 mile south). Larger places within reach include Ashford (5 miles west), Canterbury (11 miles north-east), Dover (14 miles east), Folkestone (9 miles south-east), Whitstable (15 miles north) and Faversham (13 miles north).
Local landmarks in Bircholt Forstal
For rail, the closest station is Westenhanger station, about 3.8 miles south-east. Other landmarks nearby include William Harvey Hospital (2.8 miles west) and Lympne Castle (4.7 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Tolsford Hill and Hatch Park.
When to book a survey in Bircholt Forstal
The fixings and underlay often fail before good slates or tiles do. Natural slate can last 100 years or more, yet the nails holding it rust and let slates slide. It’s a frequent finding on older houses and easy to miss from ground level.
Things that frequently lead to a survey include:
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
If you let a flat or house near Westenhanger station, it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Whether VAT is added on top
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Are they insured for the work?
Tips from our surveys
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Let us know your exchange date when you book
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Don’t leave it until just before exchange
The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation to talk the findings through, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. If anything in the report is not clear, ask us.
Keep an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. Binoculars from the ground are enough for a first look.
Places near Bircholt Forstal
More services for Bircholt Forstal
How the survey works
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so you can see in the report what we found and where. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available. A typical visit takes about one to two hours for a house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. For a village or hamlet like Bircholt Forstal, the journey is planned in advance: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. The roof is looked at from ground level, from windows, from the loft where there is safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- 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
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Let us know about parking near the property
Arrange a survey
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out by urgency where it matters, which helps with budgets and planning.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Bircholt Forstal and across Kent can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Why get it checked now?
It is tempting to skip the roof to keep a sale moving. Weekend visits are available as well as weekdays, and a Premium report comes the same day, which helps it fit around your exchange date. Older cottages and farmhouses around Bircholt Forstal can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it is left.
One thing that affects the price is the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, with VAT included. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Why us?
- An independent view of the roof
- Photographs and a written report every time
- 98% of customers satisfied
- 20+ years’ experience
Take a look at our cost guide and our case studies.