Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Borden, Kent
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Borden and the rest of Kent. We survey seven days a week.
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Borden
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Borden?
Generally, yes: wind and salt air take more of a toll near the sea. Exposed details such as ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Borden?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with 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.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
On site, it usually takes an hour or two 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.
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 photos.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
When conditions and the roof make it safe, yes. Many roofs can be seen well from windows, vantage points and the loft, and a drone is part of the Premium Survey where applicable.
Is this an asbestos survey?
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.
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Borden
The best time to book is once your offer has been accepted and before you exchange contracts. At that point you can still ask questions, while you’re not yet committed. We survey on any day of the week, which helps when the chain is moving fast. The report comes within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. If you’re worried about chimney mortar that has eroded and gutters choked with leaves and moss, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Somewhere as small as Borden, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings often sit beside a few newer homes. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
What you get is a clear record of the roof on the day we saw it. It’s useful right away, and a good reference for later, for instance when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Location
- Borden (ME9)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
Once we’ve finished looking, we write up our findings in a report with photos, sent to you by email. On timing, most surveys take an hour or two at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Older rural homes like those around Borden can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us the address and when you hope to exchange.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Let us know about parking before the day
Arrange a survey
A quick phone call is normally the easiest start: call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will ask a few questions about the roof. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.
Advice
Practical tips
There is plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Request records of any re-roofing
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
You may want to pass the report to your solicitor or conveyancer so they can raise enquiries with the seller’s side. It can prompt questions about past roof work and any paperwork for it.
Chimneys and flashings need watching. Watch for gaps in the pointing, cracked flaunching and loose lead. Binoculars from the ground are enough for a first look.
Nearby places to Borden
More services for Borden
Landlord and commercial surveys in Borden
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. We survey seven days a week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Where a roof is shared: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Let us know about it when you book and we’ll plan the survey around it.
DIY checks: what’s safe
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight.
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
There are three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
What to tell us when you get in touch
These details help when you contact us:
- Anything about access we should know
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
- Your timetable, like an exchange date
For a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Borden, phone 07833 053749 or email us. The address, the type of property and what you need to know help us give you an accurate price.
Different roofs, different checks
Clay and concrete tiles
Clay plain tiles are common on older South East homes, and some still have peg tiles. Rotten pegs let tiles slide, so we look for gaps along the courses.
Gutters and parapets
The rainwater system keeps water off the walls. Leaking joints, sagging lengths and blockages are all noted, along with fascias and soffits.
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Borden
Borden is within about 4 miles of the coast, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Corroded clips and nails and lifted ridge pieces are typical of exposed roofs near the sea, so exposed details get a close look whether you are buying or signing off new work. Many older homes in Kent have handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles held by pegs through two holes, and tile-hanging on their upper walls. You will also find oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses among the county’s older buildings. Whether you’re buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds.
The streets around a church such as Church of St Peter and St Paul are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light. For landlords with property near Sittingbourne station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Borden is about 1 mile south-west of Sittingbourne, in Kent. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Borden and nearby. Across Kent, we cover Borden and the places around it. For surveys nearby, see our Maidstone page.
Here we cover the ME9 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Streets in the area include The Street, Mountview and Homestead View, and we cover them all. We also cover the places around Borden: Heart's Delight (1 mile south-east), Tunstall (1 mile south-east), Sittingbourne (1 mile north-east), Highsted (2 miles south-east) and Rodmersham Green (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Maidstone (9 miles south-west), Ashford (15 miles south-east), Whitstable (14 miles east), Faversham (8 miles east), Minster (7 miles north-east) and Kings Hill (14 miles west).
Near you in Borden
In Borden, that means homes and buildings near Westlands School and Cromers Wood, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Sittingbourne station, about 1.4 miles north-east. A little further out are Court Hall Museum (1.6 miles north-east) and Bayford Court (1.7 miles north-east).