Kent · London and the South East
Hales Place Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Hales Place. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Hales Place
Tall, steep or hidden roofs are hard to judge from the street. Our Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and, where applicable, a drone inspection, along with a same-day report. Where a flight is not possible, because of airspace rules or the weather, we tell you and inspect from every other safe vantage point. If you’re worried about gutters choked with leaves and moss and old water stains in the roof space, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Smaller places like Hales Place frequently have bungalows and cottages as well as houses, and many have been extended or had dormers added. Even on a low roof, dormers, valleys and flat-roofed additions need a careful look. That applies whether you’re buying in Hales Place or checking a new roof there. Snags and wear both tend to show at dormer lead work and along flat-roof edges.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- Hales Place (CT2, CT1)
- Region
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Checking the roof from ground level
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Places near Hales Place
More services for Hales Place
Landlord and commercial surveys in Hales Place
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work with less disruption.
We survey roofs for landlords and agents as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photographs, which helps you plan work between tenancies.
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Hales Place
Hales Place lies within about 5 miles of the sea, 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 strong wind or heavy rain. Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it’s listed or in a conservation area. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, and councils can also use Article 4 directions to control changes in conservation areas.
Landlords with a home close to Canterbury West station may find that a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Hales Place is about 1 mile north of Canterbury, in Kent. Hales Place gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful look at what can safely be seen, photographs and a clear written report. We cover towns and villages across Kent, large and small.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: CT2 and CT1. We offer pre-purchase roof surveys to properties on Downs Road, Godden Road and Tunstall Road and the roads around them. If you are just outside Hales Place, we cover Canterbury (1 mile south), Harbledown (1 mile south-west), Rough Common (1 mile west), Wincheap (2 miles south) and Upper Harbledown (2 miles west). We also work in nearby towns such as Ashford (14 miles south-west), Margate (14 miles north-east), Dover (14 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (15 miles west), Folkestone (15 miles south) and Ramsgate (15 miles east).
Landmarks near Hales Place
We work in homes and buildings around Archbishop's School, St Thomas of Canterbury Church and St Edmund's School and the streets around them. Nearby too are Ye Olde Beverlie Inn (under half a mile south) and Bus Company Island (0.8 miles south). Hales Place’s nearest station is Canterbury West station, roughly 0.8 miles south. Well-known places in the area include Whitefriars Shopping Centre (1.2 miles south) and Canterbury Castle (1.4 miles south). The countryside around Hales Place includes Blean Woods RSPB Reserve.
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings and valleys
Many leaks start at a flashing, so they get close attention in a pre-purchase survey. We photograph any that need work.
Chimney stacks
Leaning stacks, loose pots and eroded mortar are common findings. We note them with photos so you can ask about them.
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Hales Place?
The fixings and underlay often fail before good slates or tiles do. Natural slate can last 100 years or more, but corroded nails let slates slip. That kind of wear is common on older roofs.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
If you live in an older home near Church of St Stephen, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs frequently have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
What to check before booking
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Their insurance cover
- Whether the price includes VAT
Useful tips for Hales Place property owners
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
If the report shows work is needed, you can raise it with the seller or agent. Some buyers ask for repairs before completion, others ask for a change to the price. What happens next is your decision and the seller’s.
Look in the loft now and then, with care and a good torch. Damp patches, daylight through the roof or water stains on timbers are worth noting. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
Common questions in Hales Place
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Hales Place?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, while strong wind lifts anything already loose.
Is Hales Place within the area you cover?
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.
Does someone need to be in?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the loft space, someone has to give us access, while outside access can be discussed when you book.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes. Buyers use the findings to ask questions, ask for repairs before completion or ask for a price change. What the seller agrees to is their decision, so we cannot promise any saving.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is often shared, so the freeholder or managing agent needs to agree access. We inspect only the parts we’re allowed to reach.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it’s applicable. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years.
What happens on the day
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so the report shows exactly what we saw. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available. Most surveys take about one to two hours for a house, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. A visit to Hales Place is planned like any other: the time, the access and where to park are agreed ahead of time. Weekday and weekend visits are both possible. Tell us about any garages, outbuildings or extensions you want included.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed ahead of time.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from ground level and from vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Getting a price
We survey roofs on any day of the week. To find a date that works for you, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.