Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Chevening, Kent
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Chevening, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Get in touch for a price.
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- A ridge or slope that dips
Pre-purchase roof survey in Chevening: what you get
Some roofs can’t be seen well from the ground or from windows. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, plus a drone inspection where applicable, along with a same-day report. If airspace rules or the weather rule out a flight, we will say so and inspect from every other safe vantage point. If you’ve noticed gaps where slates or tiles have come loose and gutters that overflow or drip at the joints, we can find out what’s behind it.
Being in a small place like Chevening makes no difference to the inspection itself: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed ahead of time. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them as you book. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Visits can be booked seven days a week.
The report doesn’t just list problems. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend.
- Where
- Chevening (TN14)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Checking the roof from the ground
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight.
What this survey cannot tell you
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
Roof types and parts we check
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate
Also near Chevening
Also in Chevening
Different roofs, different checks
Clay and concrete tiles
Clay plain tiles are common on older South East homes, and some still have peg tiles. Where pegs have rotted, tiles can slip.
Flat roofs
Many homes have a flat roof somewhere, often over an extension. Felt roofs often last around 15 to 20 years, rubber longer and GRP up to about 30. We look for signs of age and failure.
What a survey costs
All our prices include VAT. What changes the price is:
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Roof area
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
Prices start from £150, inc. VAT, for a Basic Survey. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400. You’ll know the price for your survey before booking.
What we need to know
Getting the details right at the start saves time. Please include:
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Chevening: local notes
If the drone is used for your survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. Across Kent, older roofs are often handmade clay or peg tiles, and tile-hanging on upper walls is a familiar sight. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new.
The streets around a church such as Church of St Botolph are often among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them. With Quebec House about 3.3 miles south-west, the area around Chevening has a long history. When you buy an older home, the roof’s age, past repairs and any listing all affect what you might spend later. Landlords with a home close to Dunton Green station may find that a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Chevening is about 3 miles north-west of Sevenoaks, in Kent. From houses to flats and shops in Chevening, we can survey the roof. We cover towns and villages across Kent, large and small. For surveys nearby, see our London page.
Surveys in TN14 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We also cover the places around Chevening: Chipstead (1 mile south-east), Sundridge (2 miles south), Dunton Green (2 miles east), Bessels Green (2 miles south-east) and Riverhead (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Dartford (11 miles north), Sevenoaks (3 miles south-east), Royal Tunbridge Wells (13 miles south-east), Gravesend (14 miles north-east), Tonbridge (9 miles south-east) and Northfleet (13 miles north-east).
Landmarks near Chevening
Typical jobs here are in homes near Trinity School. The nearest railway station is Dunton Green station, roughly 1.7 miles east of the centre. Nearby you will also find Sevenoaks Hospital (2.8 miles east) and Kemsing Castle Bank (4.2 miles east). Not far away are Dryhill Nature Reserve and Betsom's Hill.
How it works
We look at the roof from outside and, where it’s relevant and there’s safe access, from inside the loft space too. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement, as far as the space allows. The whole visit normally takes an hour or two at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. In a hamlet or village like Chevening, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know 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 loft space and look at the roof from windows.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Before the survey
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
Arrange a survey
To get a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Chevening, call 07833 053749 or email us. A few details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.
Read more
Why get it checked now?
A slow leak can go unnoticed for months. Damp can spread into timbers and ceilings before anyone sees a mark. Finding the cause at the survey stage means you know about it from day one. Older cottages and farmhouses around Chevening 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.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how safely it can be seen. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Chevening
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Package prices that include VAT
Chevening questions
Will you come out to Chevening?
Yes, Chevening is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Is my home in Chevening listed or in a conservation area?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
When is the best time to have the roof checked when buying?
After your offer is accepted and before you exchange contracts. That way you can still act on what we find.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Where we can, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If access is not possible, we note it in the report.
How experienced are you?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
It’s your choice, but the two do different jobs. A home survey looks at the whole property, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Our survey complements a RICS survey and doesn’t replace one.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it is not a RICS home survey. It complements one rather than replacing it.