Kent · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Headcorn
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Headcorn from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before you book. These are the things that affect it:
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
To find out what your survey will cost, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and a few details. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Helping us price your survey
You don’t need to know any roofing terms. Just tell us:
- The type of building and roof, like pitched or flat
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
Booking is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and give us a few details about the property and we will explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Headcorn
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 the chain is moving fast. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. If you’ve noticed gutters choked with leaves and moss and bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Houses in smaller places like Headcorn can stand more in the open than those in a built-up town, so their roofs may take more wind and driving rain. Loose ridge tiles, lifted coverings and tired flashings are the kind of things that show it. For a purchase or a new roof, those exposed edges are checked closely. Wind lifts anything already loose, so a small fault on an exposed roof does not stay small for long.
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.
- Where
- Headcorn (TN27)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
DIY checks: what’s safe
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Don’t go up yourself.
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Headcorn
Older buildings may be listed or sit in a conservation area. Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the council can say whether a street is in a conservation area. In either case, a change of roofing material may need consent. Many older homes in Kent have handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles held by pegs through two holes, and tile-hanging on their upper walls. The county’s older buildings also include oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. Whether you’re buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds.
For an older house near a landmark such as St Peter's and St Paul's Church, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Headcorn is about 8 miles south-east of Maidstone, in Kent. In Headcorn, as across Kent, every roof gets the same careful survey. We cover towns and villages across Kent. Our Maidstone page covers surveys nearby.
We survey roofs across the TN27 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. We cover properties on Station Road, High Street and Knight's Way. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Hearnden Green (1 mile north-west), Southernden (2 miles north-east), Swift's Green (2 miles east), Lashenden (2 miles south) and Smarden Bell (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Maidstone (8 miles north-west), Ashford (11 miles east), Sittingbourne (13 miles north), Tonbridge (15 miles west), Faversham (15 miles north-east) and Kings Hill (12 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Headcorn
We work in homes and buildings around The Kings Arms Inn And Shop Adjoining To Right, among other places. Headcorn has its own railway station: Headcorn station. A little further out are Sutton Valence Castle (3.2 miles north-west) and Benenden Hospital (5.8 miles south).
What we do, step by step
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from each safe vantage point, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. It usually takes about one to two hours for a house, or half a day or so for a commercial building. Being in a smaller place like Headcorn doesn’t change how the visit works: we look from the ground, from windows, from the loft and from the roof where it’s safe. Point out any stains, cracks or loose pieces you’ve spotted.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- 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.
How to prepare
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Check we can get to the back of the property
Arrange a survey
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine. To get started, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Related advice
What a pre-purchase roof survey does not cover
Before booking, it is worth knowing what a survey will not do:
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- Whether timbers meet design loads
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will suggest the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Headcorn
Is my home in Headcorn listed or in a conservation area?
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.
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Headcorn?
Normally it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. Headcorn is about 2 miles from Headcorn Aerodrome, so the Drone Safety Map is checked for restrictions around it before we fly. Strong wind or a downpour also stops a small drone flying, and the rest of the survey does not depend on the drone.
How many surveys have you done?
We’ve been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
When is the best time to have the roof checked when buying?
Once your offer has been accepted, and before exchange. That way you can still act on what we find.
Does the weather affect the survey?
Some surveys depend on the weather more than others. Drones cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. If the conditions aren’t right, we’ll talk to you about another date.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing aren’t part of what we do. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
They do different things. A home survey looks at the whole property, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Our survey complements a RICS survey and doesn’t replace one.
Nearby places to Headcorn
More services for Headcorn
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Headcorn?
Patch repairs are common on roofs of every age. Bitumen over flashings, mortar fillets in place of lead and odd replacement tiles can point to a problem that keeps coming back. Our report records them so you can ask the seller what was done and when.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
Landlords with a home close to Headcorn station may find that a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
What to check before booking
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- What experience they bring
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
Different roofs, different checks
Chimney stacks
We inspect the outside of the stack, and it is not a flue or gas safety check. We’ll say if the flue needs a specialist.
Flat roofs
Many homes have a flat roof somewhere, frequently over an extension. Felt often lasts around 15 to 20 years, EPDM rubber 30 to 50 and GRP up to about 30. We look for signs of age and failure.