Kent · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Cotman's Ash
Find out what’s going on with the roof before you spend money on it. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Cotman's Ash.
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Blocked or leaking gutters
Cotman's Ash questions
How do I find out if my home in Cotman's Ash is listed?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
Do you cover smaller places like Cotman's Ash?
Yes, Cotman's Ash is covered. Our area covers London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it’s useful to know about access.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes. You’ll have photos and a written description of each defect, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. We cannot promise how the seller will respond.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
That depends on how much you want to know about the roof. A home survey may recommend further investigation of the roof, and that is where a roof survey helps. It is not a replacement for a RICS survey.
What insurance do you have?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
What’s the best way to book?
It is easiest to phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. Tell us the address and a little about the roof, and we will suggest the right survey. Surveys run seven days a week.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, once access has been agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is often shared, so we need permission from whoever owns or manages the building. We can only inspect what we’re given access to.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Cotman's Ash
The roof is one of the most expensive parts of a home to repair, and one of the hardest for a buyer to see. A pre-purchase roof survey looks at it closely before you are tied in. We check the coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters, and the roof space where it is safe to get in. The findings come in a written report with photos. We survey clay and concrete tiles, the roof space and gutters and downpipes, and people most often book us about blistered or split felt on a flat roof and roof slopes that look uneven or sagging.
Being in a small place like Cotman's Ash makes no difference to the inspection itself: it just means planning the journey and access beforehand. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages with roofs you’d like looked at when booking. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
Most points in the report come with a picture, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Where
- Cotman's Ash (TN15)
- Region
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Practical tips
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out:
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
If you want quotes for the work, roofers can work from the report. The photos show the defects and where they are, so each quote covers the same ground.
Keep an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. Binoculars from ground level are enough for a first look.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Cotman's Ash
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
When you need someone else
Before booking, it’s worth knowing what a survey will not do:
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Asbestos testing of any kind
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll suggest the right survey. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
Our packages start from £150, with VAT included. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- House, block, shop or office
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- The shape of the roof and its details
- Basic, Standard or Premium
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
Helping us price your survey
These details help when you get in touch:
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Anything about access we should know
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from the ground or a window. To send them or to book, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
How the survey works
After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a report with photos, sent to you by email. As for time on site, most surveys take about one to two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Somewhere as small as Cotman's Ash, access is often the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed ahead of time.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe 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
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Let us know about parking before the day
Book a survey
Not sure which survey you need? It’s easiest to ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
Advice
Places near Cotman's Ash
Other services in Cotman's Ash
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Cotman's Ash
If the drone is used for your survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. Historic houses like Lullingstone Castle, about 3.4 miles north-west, show how far back building in the area around Cotman's Ash goes. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years.
If you live in an older home near Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are. For landlords with property near Kemsing station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Cotman's Ash is about 3 miles north-east of Sevenoaks, in Kent. Roofs in Cotman's Ash get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Kent. Our area takes in places right across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. For surveys nearby, see our Maidstone page.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: TN15. Other places close to Cotman's Ash include Woodlands (1 mile north-east), Heaverham (1 mile south-east), Knatts Valley (1 mile north), Romney Street (1 mile north-west) and Kemsing (1 mile south-west). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (13 miles east), Dartford (9 miles north), Sevenoaks (3 miles south-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (13 miles south), Gravesend (10 miles north-east) and Tonbridge (8 miles south).
What’s near Cotman's Ash
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Rising Sun pub and Kemsing Down and the streets around them. Cotman's Ash’s nearest station is Kemsing station, about 1.4 miles south of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Kemsing Castle Bank (0.9 miles south-west) and Sevenoaks Hospital (2.8 miles south-west). Not far away are Dryhill Nature Reserve.