Kent · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Harvel
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Harvel, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
What happens on the day
A survey visit follows a simple order: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. Most visits take between one and two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. In a small place like Harvel, access is usually the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from ground level and from 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.
Getting ready for the survey
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Check we can get to the back of the property
Booking a survey
We survey roofs on weekdays and at weekends. To arrange a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or email us.
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Pre-purchase roof survey in Harvel
Book after your offer is accepted and before exchange. That is when the findings are most useful, while you’re not yet committed. We survey seven days a week, which helps when the chain is moving fast. The report comes within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. We survey clay and concrete tiles, natural slate and chimney stacks, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are old water stains in the roof space and quick fixes on flashings and valleys.
In a village or hamlet like Harvel, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photos, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Place
- Harvel (DA13)
- Region
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Harvel?
Slates and tiles can outlast the nails, battens and underlay that hold them. Natural slate can last 100 years or more, but corroded nails let slates slip. It’s a frequent finding on older houses and easy to miss from ground level.
It is worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
If you own a rental within reach of Sole Street station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
What to check before booking
- When you will get the report
- Whether VAT is added on top
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Will the report include photos?
Harvel homes and their roofs
Older houses across Kent often have handmade clay or peg tiles, and many have tile-hung walls. Oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of the county’s older buildings too. The covering on a house you are buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest. About 3.4 miles north-east lies Cobham College, a reminder of how long the area around Harvel has been built on. 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.
Take an older house close to Church of Our Lady of the Meadow: older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Harvel is about 6 miles south of Gravesend, in Kent. Roofs in Harvel get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Kent. We cover towns and villages across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. There’s also a page for Maidstone.
Every address in DA13 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys. We offer pre-purchase roof surveys to properties on St Francis Road, Hart Lane and Harvel Street. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Priestwood Green (1 mile north), Culverstone Green (1 mile south-west), Priestwood (1 mile north), South Street (1 mile north-west) and Vigo Village (1 mile south). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (9 miles south-east), Dartford (9 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (9 miles south-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (15 miles south), Gravesend (6 miles north) and Tonbridge (11 miles south).
Around Harvel
In Harvel, that means homes and buildings near Meopham School and Trosley Country Park. For rail, the closest station is Sole Street station, roughly 2.7 miles north. Nearby you will also find Leybourne Castle (3.6 miles south-east) and Coldrum Long Barrow (1.6 miles south). For a walk, there’s Ranscombe Farm.
Why it is worth a survey now in Harvel
Leaving it means judging the roof from the street. That will not show slipped slates on the rear slope, a worn valley or cracked flaunching. A survey fills that gap before you commit, with photos of anything that needs attention. For an older or listed building in a place like Harvel, repairs may need matching materials and consent, so a defect found early gives time to plan the work properly.
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we can help you choose.
Why book us in Harvel
- Surveys seven days a week
- Drones and thermal imaging where applicable
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- A report with photographs
See how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
Towns and villages near Harvel
Other services in Harvel
Roof by roof
Chimney stacks
Leaning stacks, loose pots and eroded mortar are common findings. We photograph them so you can raise them before exchange.
Flat roofs
Standing water, blisters, splits and tired upstands all point to wear. We look at outlets too, since a blocked one leaves water sitting on the roof.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed ahead of time. Surveys run on any day of the week, which can make access easier.
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work with less disruption.
Common questions in Harvel
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Harvel?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Is Harvel in the area you cover?
Yes, Harvel is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Harvel as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Do I need to be at home?
Not necessarily. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Can you survey in bad weather?
It can, depending on the survey. Drones can’t fly safely in strong wind or a downpour, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. We will rearrange with you if the weather isn’t right.
Do you go up on the roof?
Where it’s safe, yes. Much of the inspection is done from ground level, from windows and from the loft space. On Premium, a drone is used where applicable.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day, which suits people who work during the week. Let us know your preferred days when you book.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
After your offer is accepted and before you exchange contracts. That gives you time to use the findings, whether that means asking questions or negotiating.
DIY checks: what’s safe
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.