Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Ham, Kent
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Ham and the rest of Kent. Surveys run on any day of the week.
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Ham
With a written roof report, you can go back to the seller or agent with specifics. You might ask about past repairs, ask for work to be done before completion or think again about your offer. What the seller agrees to is up to them, but you will be negotiating from a clear picture rather than a hunch. It also helps you decide whether to go ahead at all. We survey chimney stacks, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and gutters and downpipes, and people most frequently book us about old water stains in the roof space and gutters that overflow or drip at the joints.
Somewhere as small as Ham, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings often sit beside a few newer homes. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent, whichever applies.
- Where
- Ham (CT14)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What we look for on each type of roof
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.
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings close the gaps at chimneys, walls and abutments. We check whether they’ve lifted, split or been replaced with mortar or bitumen.
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Ham
Ham lies within about 4 miles of the sea, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Corroded clips and nails and lifted ridge pieces are typical of exposed roofs near the sea, so exposed details get a proper look whether you’re buying or signing off new work. Handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles hung on pegs through two holes, are typical of older Kent buildings. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. Whether you’re buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds.
Walmer Castle lies about 4.4 miles south-east, so building around Ham goes back a long way. Buying a period property here means asking about the roof’s age and repairs, and about any listing or conservation area. If you let a flat or house near Sandwich station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Ham is about 3 miles north-west of Deal, in Kent. Bookings from Ham are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Our Kent coverage includes Ham and the places around it. You can also see our page for Canterbury.
Every address in CT14 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Statenborough (1 mile north-west), Felderland (1 mile north), Worth (1 mile north-east), Marley (1 mile south-east) and Finglesham (1 mile south-east). Larger places within reach include Canterbury (11 miles west), Margate (10 miles north), Dover (8 miles south), Folkestone (13 miles south-west), Ramsgate (7 miles north-east) and Broadstairs (9 miles north-east).
Local landmarks in Ham
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Ham Fen, Sandwich Technology School and The Blue Pigeons pub and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Sandwich station, roughly 1.7 miles north. A little further out are Sandown Castle (3.1 miles east) and The Precinct Toy Collection (2.1 miles north). Not far away are Monk's Wall nature reserve.
Questions from Ham
Is the coastal weather around Ham hard on roofs?
It can do. Ham is within about 4 miles of the sea, and coastal roofs tend to see faster wear on metal parts and more wind lifting loose pieces.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Ham?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it helps and it is safe, yes. Flights depend on the weather on the day and airspace rules. We are a CAA-registered drone operator.
Will you climb onto the roof?
When conditions and the roof make it safe, yes. We also inspect from ground level, upper windows and the roof space, and a drone is part of the Premium Survey where applicable.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it isn’t a RICS home survey. It complements one rather than replacing it.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Someone needs to let us in if we are looking inside or in the loft. Access is agreed with you when booking.
Towns and villages near Ham
What else we do in Ham
Why it is worth a survey now in Ham
Small roof defects let water in slowly. Damp can spread into timbers and ceilings before anyone sees a mark. Spotting it before you buy means you know about it from day one. Outbuildings and barns around Ham are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
All our prices include VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the price for your survey before booking.
Why book with us
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- A written report with photos
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
See what a roof survey costs and our case studies.
Honest limits
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
How the survey works
A survey visit follows a simple order: we listen to what’s been worrying you, inspect the roof from each safe vantage point, take photographs as we go and record our findings for the written report. It usually takes roughly 1–2 hours for a house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Older roofs in small places like Ham can have low, tight loft spaces, so it is useful to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it’s safe.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from the ground, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it is safe.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- We email a written report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Before the survey
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
How to book
Most bookings start with a short call: call 07833 053749 or send us an email, and we will ask about the building and what you need. The price is agreed before a date is set.
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What we’re asked to look at in Ham
Most viewings never get near 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, which is why buyers book a closer look before committing.
Things that frequently lead to a survey include:
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
The streets around a church such as Church of St George are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Questions to ask before booking
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Their insurance cover
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. That comes down to:
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how it can be reached and seen safely. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT.
Booking your survey
If you can, have these to hand when you contact us:
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
Once you know what you need, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email. From there it’s a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day, weekday or weekend.