Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Herne Common, Kent
Not sure what state the roof is in? You can book a pre-purchase roof survey in Herne Common and across Kent.
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in Herne Common
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. The main factors are:
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Roof area
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how it can be reached and seen safely. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
Booking your survey
We will typically ask about:
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- The kind of building and roof involved
- What made you get in touch
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine; never climb up to get a better view. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Herne Common
Buying a flat brings its own roof questions. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that’s often not the individual flat owner. We check as much of the roof as access safely allows, and the report gives you clear points to raise with your solicitor or the managing agent. If the building has a flat roof, we check that too where access allows. We survey the roof space, lead flashings and valleys and natural slate, and common reasons people get in touch are worn or lifted lead flashings and loose pots and cracked flaunching.
Somewhere as small as Herne Common, 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. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid, 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.
The written findings come by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Location
- Herne Common (CT6)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey changes by roof type
Gutters and parapets
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter, usually to the back of the house. If yours does, we check that gutter and where it drains.
Flat roofs
Ponding, blistering, splits and worn upstands are the usual warning signs. We check outlets too, since a blocked one leaves water sitting on the roof.
Questions from Herne Common
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Herne Common?
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.
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Herne Common?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there’s more wind, and more salt in the air. Exposed details such as ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch, and Herne Common is within about 3 miles of the coast.
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, including flight restriction zones near airports. We are a CAA-registered drone operator.
Do you cover Herne Common for pre-purchase roof surveys?
Yes. We cover Herne Common and the rest of Kent. To book, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. It is a dedicated roof survey, with a written report and photographs. It doesn’t cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
Will you need to get into the loft?
Where we can, yes. From the roof space we can see staining, timbers and underlay. If we can’t get in, the report says so.
Do you go up on the roof?
Only where it is safe. We also inspect from ground level, upper windows and the roof space.
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Herne Common?
Patch repairs are common on roofs of every age. Bitumen painted over a flashing, mortar where lead should be, or a few tiles that do not match can be signs that something has leaked before. We note what we see so you can ask about it.
People usually book a survey after spotting one of these:
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
Landlords with a home close to Herne Bay station may find that a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- Will the report include photos?
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
How the survey works
Safety comes first on every visit. Everything that can safely be seen is inspected, and if part of the roof cannot be seen, the report says so. Most visits take roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Rural addresses near Herne Common can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- You book once your offer is accepted and tell us the address and your timetable.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller.
- We look at the roof from ground level, from windows, from the loft space and from the roof where safe.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- Your report arrives by email, with photos and recommendations prioritised by urgency.
Getting ready for the survey
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Keep pets in another room
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Arrange a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will explain the options and the price.
Related advice
Useful tips for Herne Common property owners
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Do not leave it until just before exchange
- Share the report with your solicitor
Once the home is yours, the report becomes a maintenance list. Work through the urgent items before anything else, and use the photos as a record of how the roof looked when you bought. The Premium Survey includes a 12-month follow-up.
Chimneys and flashings need watching. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. A pair of binoculars from the garden shows a lot.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are frequently out of sight.
Herne Common homes and their roofs
The coast is about 3 miles or less from Herne Common, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Corroded clips and nails and lifted ridge pieces are typical of exposed roofs near the sea, 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.
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Church of St Martin, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Herne Common is about 2 miles south of Herne Bay, in Kent. From houses to flats and shops in Herne Common, the roof can be surveyed. Our area takes in places right across Kent, large and small.
Every address in CT6 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Whether your property is on Canterbury Road, Nightingale Road and Falcon Close or a nearby road, we can survey it. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Bullockstone (1 mile north-west), Herne (1 mile north-east), Hicks Forstal (1 mile south), Eddington (1 mile north) and Hunters Forstal (1 mile north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Canterbury (5 miles south), Margate (12 miles east), Ramsgate (12 miles east), Broadstairs (13 miles east), Whitstable (4 miles west) and Deal (15 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in Herne Common
Around Herne Common, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Curtis Wood and Herne Bay High School, among other places. Herne Common’s nearest station is Herne Bay station, roughly 1.4 miles north of the centre. A little further out are Whitstable and Tankerton Hospital (3.4 miles west) and Tankerton Castle (4 miles west). For a walk, there’s West Blean and Thornden Woods.