Kent · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Folkestone
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Folkestone, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. You get a clear report with photos.
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Flashings that have lifted or split
Folkestone: your questions answered
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Folkestone?
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.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Folkestone?
Yes, Folkestone is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Folkestone as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. You might ask for work to be done, ask questions or ask for a change to the price. What the seller agrees to is their decision.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
Allow roughly 1–2 hours at a typical home, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. We will give you an idea of timing when booking.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
Once your offer has been accepted, and before exchange. That gives you time to use the findings.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Where possible, yes. The loft tells us a lot about the roof, and views from upper windows help too. Access is usually arranged through the agent or seller.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Folkestone: what you get
A full home survey looks at the whole property, and the roof is only one part of it. We do not offer a RICS home survey, and ours is not a substitute for one. What it adds is a closer look at the roof alone, with photos of what we find and written recommendations. The two sit side by side if you want the fullest picture. If you’ve noticed roof slopes that look uneven or sagging and standing water on a flat extension roof, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Plenty of homes in a town like Folkestone have been extended over the years, frequently with flat roofs. Where an extension roof meets the main house is a classic place for water to get in. On a purchase or a newly finished roof in Folkestone, those junctions are high on the list.
It isn’t only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend.
- Place
- Folkestone (CT20, CT19, CT21)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Different roofs, different checks
Clay and concrete tiles
Clay and concrete tiles commonly last 50 years or more. Cracked, slipped or missing tiles are noted, along with odd replacement tiles that hint at earlier leaks.
Lead flashings and valleys
Lead-lined valleys and gutters are common on older homes in London and the South East. Splits in a lead valley send water inside, and lead is also a target for theft.
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Folkestone
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. That comes down to:
- The size of the roof
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how it can be reached and seen safely. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
Helping us price your survey
What helps most when you contact us:
- Whether there is a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
You can call us seven days a week. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or email us.
What happens on the day
The visit has one job: to look at the roof as closely as is safe and record what we find. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. It normally takes roughly 1–2 hours for most houses, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Parking in a town like Folkestone is typically simple, but let us know if there is a driveway or any restrictions. The inspection covers everything that’s safely in view from outside, from windows and from the roof space, and from the roof itself where it’s safe.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Before we arrive
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
How to book
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will explain the options and the price.
Advice
Can I check my roof myself?
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.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
What this survey can’t tell you
A survey is a proper look at the roof, but it can’t do everything. Its limits include:
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll recommend the right survey before you book. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Folkestone
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
What else we do in Folkestone
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Folkestone: local notes
Folkestone is within about 1 mile of the coast, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, and loose ridges, slates and tiles are the first to lift in a gale, so exposed details get a careful look whether you are buying or signing off new work. The wider area around Folkestone has a long history of building, with Acrise Place about 3.9 miles north. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
For landlords with property near Folkestone Central station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Folkestone is in Kent. Roofs in Folkestone get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Kent. Our area takes in places right across Kent, large and small. You can also see our page for Canterbury.
We cover every part of CT20, CT19 and CT21 for pre-purchase roof surveys. Local streets include Christ Church Road, Middelburg Square and Station Road, and we cover them all. Folkestone sits on or near the A259 and A260. Other places close to Folkestone include Cheriton (1 mile west), Sandgate (1 mile south-west), Hawkinge (2 miles north), Arpinge (2 miles north-west) and Seabrook (2 miles west). We also work in nearby towns such as Ashford (14 miles west), Canterbury (14 miles north), Dover (7 miles north-east), Deal (13 miles north-east), Hythe (4 miles west) and Tower Hamlets (7 miles north-east). Folkestone is among the bigger towns we cover in Kent.
Around Folkestone
In Folkestone, that means homes and buildings near The Park Inn Hotel, Lower Leas Coastal Park and The Harvey Grammar School and the streets around them. There is a railway station in Folkestone itself: Folkestone Central station. Well-known places in the area include Folkestone Museum (0.7 miles south-east) and Folkestone Castle (1 mile north). Open spaces near Folkestone include Sugar Loaf Hill.
What we are asked to look at in Folkestone
Viewings rarely include a proper look at the roof. You walk round the rooms, but the roof stays out of sight, and a quick glance from the street misses a lot. Fresh decoration can also cover the marks an old leak left behind, so a closer look is worth having before you commit.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
Take an older house close to United Reformed Church: the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Questions to ask before booking
- What exactly goes into their report
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?