Kent · London and the South East
Henhurst Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Henhurst and the rest of Kent. We survey seven days a week.
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
Buying a home or a new roof in Henhurst
Henhurst lies within about 4 miles of the sea, so there’s more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, and loose ridges, slates and tiles are the first to lift in a gale, which is worth knowing before you buy or pay for new work. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
Cobham College lies about 1 mile south-east, so building around Henhurst goes back a long way. If you are buying an older home nearby, it is worth knowing whether it’s listed or in a conservation area before you plan any re-roofing. If you let a flat or house near Sole Street station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Henhurst is about 2 miles south of Gravesend, in Kent. We cover Henhurst and the rest of Kent, as part of our work across London and South East England. Our area takes in places right across Kent, large and small. For surveys nearby, see our Maidstone page.
We work across DA12 for pre-purchase roof surveys. Other places close to Henhurst include Singlewell or Ifield (1 mile north-west), Istead Rise (1 mile west), Gravesend (2 miles north), Denton (2 miles north) and Northfleet Green (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (11 miles south-east), Dartford (8 miles west), Sevenoaks (12 miles south-west), Tonbridge (15 miles south), Northfleet (3 miles north-west) and Swanley (9 miles west).
Landmarks near Henhurst
Around Henhurst, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Jeskyns, The George Inn and Thamesview School, among other places. The nearest railway station is Sole Street station, roughly 1.3 miles south of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Gravesham Museum (2.8 miles north) and Gravesham Community Hospital (3 miles north). The countryside around Henhurst includes Sawyers Lake and Gad's Hill.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Henhurst
Many older houses carry decades of roof repairs. Slates slip when their nails corrode, lead valleys and flashings wear, and chimney pointing crumbles. Most of it can’t be seen from the street. Our survey picks it out, with photographs that show you exactly where. We explain each finding in plain English, so you know what it means for the house you are buying. We survey chimney stacks, gutters and downpipes and the roof space, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are blocked or leaking gutters and loose pots and cracked flaunching.
In a village or hamlet like Henhurst, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. 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, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
It isn’t only a list of defects. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, so you can plan your next steps.
- Location
- Henhurst (DA12)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What you can safely check yourself
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: 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.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Roof by 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.
Chimney stacks
A leaning stack, cracked flaunching or crumbling pointing can all need work. We note them with photos so you can ask about them.
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Henhurst?
Chimneys take the worst of the weather and they’re frequently the least maintained part of a roof. Mortar erodes, the flaunching around the pots cracks and the flashings work loose. A stack may be shared with the neighbours, which matters if work is needed.
People normally book a survey when they’ve noticed one of these:
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
Take an older house close to Church of St Margaret: ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Before you book anyone
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Will the report include photos?
- Their track record with similar roofs
- How long the report takes to arrive
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. Notes and photographs go into the written report. It usually takes an hour or two at most homes, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Rural addresses near Henhurst can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- 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.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it is safe.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
How to prepare
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Booking a survey
Most bookings start with a short call: phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Advice
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Let us know about it when you book and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Towns and villages near Henhurst
Other services in Henhurst
Common questions in Henhurst
How do I find out if my home in Henhurst is listed?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Do you cover smaller places like Henhurst?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
What’s the best way to book?
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know the address and what you need to know. We will confirm the price and agree a day with you.
Will you need to get into the loft?
If it can be arranged, yes. From the loft space we can see staining, timbers and underlay. If access isn’t possible, we note it in the report.
Do you go up on the roof?
When conditions and the roof make it safe, yes. We also inspect from ground level, upper windows and the loft space, and a drone is part of the Premium Survey where it applies.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. You need the report before you exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. It’s a dedicated roof survey, and you get a written report with photos. It does not cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
When you need someone else
Our survey isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Gutters and downpipes
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys