Medway · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Cooling, Medway
Need a pre-purchase roof survey in Cooling? We can help, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Old water stains in the roof space
What this survey can’t tell you
To be straight with you, a roof survey has limits:
- A structural engineer’s report
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll point you to the right survey. The full list of what we check.
What we check
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Cooling
Book after your offer is accepted and before exchange. That is when the findings are most useful, while you are not yet committed. We survey seven days a 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 lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney and patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on flat-roofed extensions and dormers, lead flashings and valleys and chimney stacks alike.
Being in a small place like Cooling makes no difference to the inspection itself: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed beforehand. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages with roofs you’d like looked at as you book. Whether you’re buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
The written findings come by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Where
- Cooling (ME3)
- Region
- Medway
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
How it works
Before we start, tell us why you’ve booked: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. Most visits take about 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Older rural homes like those around Cooling can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- We look at the roof from ground level, from windows, from the roof space and from the roof where safe.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
How to prepare
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Book a survey
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Advice
Questions from Cooling
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Cooling?
Places near the sea get more wind and more salt in the air than inland, and both are hard on roofs. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, while strong wind lifts anything already loose.
Will you come out to Cooling?
Yes, we do. Our area covers London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
How many surveys have you done?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years.
Does someone need to be in?
Someone needs to let us in if we are looking inside or in the loft. Access is agreed with you when you book.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once access has been agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is frequently shared, so we need permission from the building owner or managing agent. We inspect only the parts we are allowed to reach.
How do I arrange a pre-purchase roof survey in Cooling?
To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address, the type of property and what’s prompted the survey. We’ll confirm the price and find a day that suits.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
After your offer is accepted and before you exchange contracts. That gives you time to use the findings, whether that means asking questions or negotiating.
Why it is worth a survey now in Cooling
Small roof defects let water in slowly. By the time a stain shows, timber or plaster may already be damp. Finding the cause at the survey stage lets you deal with it as soon as you move in. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Cooling, driving rain gets into any weakness, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
Every price we give includes VAT, and the report is not charged as an extra. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Cooling
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Photographs and a written report every time
- PI and public liability insurance
Read our cost guide and what we found on two real jobs.
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney stacks
Leaning stacks, loose pots and eroded mortar are common findings. We photograph them so you can raise them before exchange.
Clay and concrete tiles
Older homes in the South East often have handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles on some. Where pegs have rotted, tiles can slip, so we look for gaps along the courses.
DIY checks: what’s safe
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Cooling
Letting agents frequently book on a landlord’s behalf, with the report sent to whoever needs it. Access is agreed with the tenant ahead of time.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed beforehand. We survey on any day of the week, which can make access easier.
Cooling homes and their roofs
Cooling is within about 3 miles of the coast, where wind off the sea can be strong. The weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead, as a small drone can’t fly safely in high wind or heavy rain. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near St James' Church, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are. If you let a flat or house near Higham station, it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it. Restoration House, about 4.9 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Cooling. When you buy an older home, the roof’s age, past repairs and any listing all affect what you might spend later.
Cooling is about 5 miles north of Rochester, in Medway. In Cooling, as across Medway, every roof gets the same careful survey. Cooling is one of the places in Medway we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. For surveys nearby, see our Maidstone page.
All of ME3 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We offer pre-purchase roof surveys to properties on Main Road and Cooling Road and the roads around them. Close by, we survey roofs in Cooling Street (1 mile south-west), High Halstow (2 miles east), Sharnal Street (2 miles south-east), Fenn Street (2 miles east) and Chattenden (2 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Gillingham (6 miles south), Chatham (7 miles south), Rochester (5 miles south), Rainham (7 miles south-east), Strood (5 miles south-west) and Luton (6 miles south).
Around Cooling
For rail, the closest station is Higham station, about 3.3 miles south-west of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Upnor Castle (3.4 miles south) and French Hospital (4.8 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Canvey Wick and Gad's Hill.