Kent · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Caring
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Caring, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
Honest limits
In fairness, there are limits to any roof survey:
- A structural engineer’s report
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll suggest the right survey before you book. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
- The roof space
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Caring
With a written roof report, you can go back to the seller or agent with specifics. You can ask about the roof’s history, ask for repairs before completion or rethink the price. What the seller agrees to is up to them, but you will be negotiating from a clear picture rather than a hunch. It can also help you decide whether the purchase is still right for you. We are often asked to look into blocked or leaking gutters and roof slopes that look uneven or sagging, on chimney stacks, the roof space and natural slate.
Some older homes in villages like Caring 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. For a buyer or someone with a newly finished roof, it’s worth knowing which applies, as well as what condition the roof is in. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
The Standard Survey adds 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.
- Where
- Caring (ME17)
- Region
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Caring
When we price a survey, we consider:
- House, block, shop or office
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package you pick makes a difference too. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
What we need to know
There’s no need for technical words. It is enough to tell us:
- What made you get in touch
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Towns and villages near Caring
Also in Caring
Questions from Caring
Is Caring in the area you cover?
Yes. We survey roofs across London and South East England, and Caring is part of that. Just call 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know about the property, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Is Caring within the area you cover?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
What’s the best way to book?
It’s easiest to call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Tell us the address and a little about the roof. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it is applicable. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
How long will you be at the property?
Allow about 1–2 hours at a typical home, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. We will give you an idea of timing when you book.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
It’s your choice, but the two do different jobs. A RICS home survey covers the whole building, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Our survey complements a RICS survey and doesn’t replace one.
Local roofs and buyers in Caring
Stoneacre, about 0.7 miles south-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Caring. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, 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.
If you live in an older home near St Nicholas's Church, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs frequently have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Caring is about 3 miles east of Maidstone, in Kent. Surveys in Caring work the same way as everywhere we cover: a close look at everything that’s safely in view, photographs and a clear written report. Our area takes in places right across Kent, large and small.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in ME17 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Streets in the area include Caring Lane and Caring Road. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Otham (1 mile south-west), Bearsted (1 mile north-west), Langley (1 mile south), Langley Heath (1 mile south) and Willington (2 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (3 miles west), Ashford (14 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (9 miles north-east), Gravesend (15 miles north-west), Tonbridge (14 miles west) and Faversham (13 miles east).
Local landmarks in Caring
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Orchard Spot Public House and the streets around them. Caring’s nearest station is Bearsted station, about 1.5 miles north-west. Well-known places in the area include The Mall Maidstone (3.1 miles west) and Laundry Museum (1.4 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Detling Hill.
The survey, step by step
You do not need to do much on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we’ll take it from there. The survey itself takes about one to two hours for most houses, or half a day or so for a commercial building. Somewhere like Caring needs a little journey planning: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- You book once your offer is accepted and let us know the address and your timetable.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from the ground, 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.
Preparing for the visit
- Keep pets in another room
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
How to book
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from the ground or a window; never climb up to get a better view. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
Common roof problems in Caring
Patch repairs are common on roofs of every age. Bitumen painted over a flashing, mortar where lead should be, or a few tiles that do not match can be signs that something has leaked before. Our report records them so you can ask the seller what was done and when.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
For landlords with property near Bearsted station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Before booking anyone
- What experience they bring
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
- Whether the price includes VAT
Tips from our surveys
You don’t need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Share the report with your solicitor
Once the home is yours, the report becomes a maintenance list. Work through the urgent items before anything else, and use the photos as a record of how the roof looked when you bought. The Premium Survey includes a 12-month follow-up to see how things have changed.
Every so often, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Damp patches, daylight through the roof or water stains on timbers are worth noting. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
Leave it or get it looked at?
When a chain is moving fast, a roof survey can feel like one more delay. We visit on any day of the week, and a Premium report comes the same day, so it can fit around a tight timetable. In a small place like Caring, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how it can be reached and seen safely. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT.
Why book us in Caring
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- 98% of customers satisfied
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.