Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Colt's Hill, Kent
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Colt's Hill, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
Different roofs, different checks
Natural slate
Slate is common on Victorian and Edwardian houses. We check for slipped, cracked and missing slates, and for clips or tingles that show past repairs.
Gutters and parapets
The rainwater system keeps water off the walls. Leaking joints, sagging lengths and blockages are all noted.
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Colt's Hill
Older homes frequently have roofs that have been patched over the years. Corroded nails let slates slide, valley linings wear thin and chimney mortar erodes. Little of that is easy to judge from the pavement on a viewing. We look closely and record what we see, with photos so you can see it for yourself. We explain each finding in plain English, so it’s clear what it means for your purchase. We survey clay and concrete tiles, the roof space and chimney stacks, and common reasons people get in touch are a ridge or slope that dips and old water stains in the roof space.
Somewhere as small as Colt's Hill, 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. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent.
- Where
- Colt's Hill (TN12)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Leave it or get it looked at?
The lender’s valuation is done for the lender, not for you. Its job is to check the property’s value for the mortgage, not at the condition of each slate and flashing. A roof survey is carried out for the buyer, and the report is written for you to use. Around Colt's Hill, older homes often have old roof timbers, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it’s left.
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where applicable, from £400 including VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you’d like to know.
What you get with us
- Surveys on weekdays and at weekends
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- An independent view of the roof
See what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
Common questions in Colt's Hill
Is Colt's Hill within the area you cover?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
How do I find out if my home in Colt's Hill is listed?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
How do I book a survey in Colt's Hill?
To book, ring 07833 053749 or email us and let us know the address and what you want to find out. We’ll confirm the price and agree a day with you.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
The visit normally takes between one and two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. We will give you an idea of timing when you book.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it is not a RICS home survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Does someone need to be in?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. We’ll talk about access when you book.
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 it applies.
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Colt's Hill?
A chimney stack stands out in the wind and rain and they’re often the least maintained part of a roof. Mortar erodes, the flaunching around the pots cracks and the flashings work loose. A stack may be shared with the neighbours, which matters if work is needed.
Most people get in touch when they’ve noticed something like this:
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
For an older house near a landmark like Five Oak Green Church, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Which limits apply to the survey
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Will the report include photos?
- Their track record with similar roofs
What we do, step by step
Safety comes first on every visit. We inspect whatever is safely visible, and if part of the roof cannot be seen, the report says so. The survey typically takes about 1–2 hours for most houses, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. In a small place like Colt's Hill, access is usually the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you are buying.
- 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.
How to prepare
- Find any records of previous roof work
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
- Keep pets in another room
Arrange a survey
Most bookings start with a short call: call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll ask a few questions about the roof. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.
Advice
Also near Colt's Hill
Also in Colt's Hill
When you need someone else
Some things can’t be seen without opening up the roof, and that sets some limits:
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and does not.
Roof types and parts we check
- The roof space
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
Useful tips for Colt's Hill property owners
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Ask for loft access on the day
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Let us know your timetable
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. Premium comes with a follow-up after 12 months to see how things have changed.
Every so frequently, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Watch for stains, damp timbers and chinks of daylight. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
Colt's Hill homes and their roofs
Handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles hung on pegs through two holes, are typical of older Kent buildings. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about. If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
If you let a flat or house near Paddock Wood station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Colt's Hill is about 4 miles south-east of Tonbridge, in Kent. Surveys in Colt's Hill work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photos and a written report. We cover towns and villages across Kent. We also survey roofs in Maidstone.
Surveys in TN12 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Streets in the area include Colts Hill and Maidstone Road, and we cover them all. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Capel (1 mile west), Five Oak Green (1 mile north), Paddock Wood (1 mile east), Matfield (1 mile south-east) and Whetsted (1 mile north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (10 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (11 miles north-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (5 miles south-west), Tonbridge (4 miles north-west), Kings Hill (7 miles north) and Foley Park (11 miles north-east).
Local landmarks in Colt's Hill
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Dovecote Inn, Foal Hurst Wood and Mascalls School. For rail, the closest station is Paddock Wood station, about 1.5 miles north-east. Well-known places in the area include Tonbridge Castle (4.1 miles north-west) and The Hop Farm Museum (2.3 miles north-east). For a walk, there is Barden Lake and Tudeley Woods RSPB reserve.