Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Crouch, Kent
Not sure what state the roof is in? We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Crouch and across Kent, with plain-English findings.
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Crouch
The best time to book is once your offer has been accepted and before you exchange contracts. At that point you can still ask questions, because nothing is binding yet. Visits run on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when a sale is moving quickly. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. If you’re worried about blocked or leaking gutters and signs of past leaks inside the loft, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
In a village or hamlet like Crouch, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Where
- Crouch (ME13)
- Region
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
The survey, step by step
The visit typically starts outside and finishes in the loft: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the loft space where it can be reached. All told, expect about one to two hours for a house, and more on a big or complicated roof. Older roofs in small places like Crouch can have low, tight loft spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it is safe.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- 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.
Before we arrive
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Book a survey
Not sure which survey you need? It is easiest to phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
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Crouch questions
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Crouch?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Is Crouch within the area you cover?
Yes, Crouch is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Where we can, yes. From the loft space we can see staining, timbers and underlay. If access isn’t possible, we note it in the report.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
It depends on the roof and how confident you want to be. A home survey may recommend further investigation of the roof, and our survey gives you that closer look. It does not stand in for a RICS survey.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have completed more than 5,000 surveys, over more than 20 years.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it helps and the rules allow, yes. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Without a survey, you are relying on a glance from the pavement. That rarely shows the back slope, the valleys or the top of the chimney. A survey fills that gap before you commit. Around Crouch, older homes often have old roof timbers, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it’s left.
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so the price reflects that. You will know the figure before booking.
What you get with us
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- A written report with photos
Before and after the survey
There’s plenty you can do without going near the roof. Here’s what helps most:
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Ask the agent to check the loft hatch can be opened
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation to talk the findings through, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. If anything in the report isn’t clear, ask us.
After strong winds, look at the roof from the ground. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Dealing with them early keeps water out.
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Crouch
Crouch is within about 5 miles of the coast, and wind near the sea can be strong. A small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or a downpour, so the weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead. Historic houses like Belmont House and Gardens, about 4.2 miles west, show how far back building in the area around Crouch goes. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
The streets around a church like Church of St Peter and St Paul are often among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Crouch is about 3 miles south-east of Preston, in Kent. We survey roofs in Crouch and the surrounding area across London and South East England. We cover towns and villages across Kent. Our Canterbury page covers surveys nearby.
We work across ME13 for pre-purchase roof surveys. We also cover South Street (1 mile south-east), Gushmere (1 mile south-west), Neames Forstal (1 mile south), Hickmans Green (1 mile east) and Oversland (1 mile south-east). Larger places within reach include Ashford (10 miles south), Canterbury (6 miles east), Sittingbourne (10 miles north-west), Whitstable (6 miles north-east), Faversham (3 miles north-west) and Herne Bay (10 miles north-east).
Near you in Crouch
We work in homes and buildings around The Sondes Arms and Mount Ephraim Gardens, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Selling station, roughly 0.5 miles south. Nearby you will also find Tower keep castle at Chilham (3 miles south). Not far away are Blean Woods RSPB Reserve.
What we are asked to look at in Crouch
Most viewings never get near the roof. You see the rooms, not the slates, and a quick glance from the street misses a lot. Fresh decoration can also cover the marks an old leak left behind, which is why buyers book a closer look before committing.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
Landlords with a home close to Selling station may find that the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
What to check before booking
- What happens after the report arrives
- Is VAT included in the price?
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- What the survey will not cover
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney stacks
Leaning stacks, loose pots and eroded mortar are common findings. We note them with photos so you can ask about them.
Natural slate
Good slate is one of the longest-lasting roof coverings, yet the nails that fix it often give out first. When slates start to slip, corroded nails are frequently the reason.
Nearby places to Crouch
Also in Crouch
What you can safely check yourself
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight.