Kent · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Hersden
Find out the condition of the roof at your property in Hersden from an independent roof surveyor. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Old water stains in the loft space
How the survey works
A survey visit follows a simple order: we listen to what’s been worrying you, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. Most visits take about one to two hours for a house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Parking around Hersden is usually easier than in a town centre, but mention lanes, gates or long drives. Low roofs on bungalows can often be seen well from ground level, and the loft shows the rest.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the roof space is agreed in advance.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from ground level and from 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
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
Book a survey
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Advice
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Hersden
Tall, steep or hidden roofs are hard to judge from the street. Our Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and, where it applies, a drone inspection, and the report arrives the same day. Where a flight is not possible, because of airspace rules or the weather, we tell you and inspect from every other safe vantage point. We survey natural slate, chimney stacks and the roof space, and common reasons people get in touch are slipped or missing slates and tiles and roof slopes that look uneven or sagging.
Houses in smaller places like Hersden 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. Whether you are buying or signing off new work, those edges deserve a careful look. Wind lifts anything already loose, so a small fault on an exposed roof doesn’t stay small for long.
The report records the roof as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later.
- Location
- Hersden (CT3)
- Region
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we cannot see
No survey can tell you everything, and it is better to know them up front. Bear these in mind:
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll recommend the right survey. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Gutters and downpipes
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
Before and after the survey
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Do not leave it until just before exchange
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Request records of any re-roofing
We email the report to you, with photos of each finding. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Findings are set out in plain English, with recommendations prioritised by urgency where relevant.
Do not block the vents at the eaves. Poor ventilation lets condensation build up, wetting timbers and insulation. Avoid packing insulation into the eaves so tightly that air cannot flow.
FAQs for Hersden
Is the coastal weather around Hersden hard on roofs?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there’s more wind, and more salt in the air. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it usually shows.
Is Hersden within the area you cover?
Yes, Hersden is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. It is a roof survey by an experienced roof surveyor, and you get a written report with photos. It doesn’t cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
It’s your choice, but the two do different jobs. A home survey looks at the whole property, while ours looks only at the roof, in more detail. Ours sits alongside a RICS survey rather than replacing it.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes, you can. You’ll have photos and a written description of each defect, which you can share with the seller or agent. We can’t promise how the seller will respond.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Let us know about it when you book and we’ll plan the survey around it.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Where possible, yes. The loft tells us a lot about the roof, and upstairs windows give useful views. The agent or seller can arrange entry.
Hersden homes and their roofs
The coast is about 5 miles or less from Hersden, so there is more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces. 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. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most.
If you own a rental within reach of Sturry station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Hersden is about 4 miles south of Herne Bay, in Kent. Roofs in Hersden get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Kent. Hersden is one of the places in Kent where we work.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in CT3 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on The Firs, The Sycamores and Chequer Tree Close or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Westbere (1 mile south-west), Stodmarsh (1 mile south-east), Hoath (1 mile north), Knave's Ash (1 mile north) and Sturry (2 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover Canterbury (4 miles south-west), Margate (11 miles north-east), Dover (14 miles south-east), Ramsgate (11 miles east), Broadstairs (12 miles east) and Whitstable (6 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Hersden
We work in homes and buildings around Frank Montgomery School, Spires Academy and Ye Olde Yew Tree Inn. The closest station to Hersden is Sturry station, about 1.9 miles south-west. Other landmarks nearby include Canterbury Castle (4.5 miles south-west) and St Martins Hospital (3.4 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include West Blean and Thornden Woods.
Places near Hersden
What else we do in Hersden
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. That comes down to:
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- The size of the roof
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all including VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
What to let us know when you contact us
We’ll typically ask about:
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
- Anything about access we should know
Most bookings start with a short call: call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. The price is agreed before a date is set.
When to book a survey in Hersden
Viewings rarely include a proper look at the roof. You walk round the rooms, but the roof stays out of sight. Fresh decoration can also cover the marks an old leak left behind, so a closer look is worth having before you commit.
Here are some of the things we see frequently:
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
The streets around a church like Church of All Saints are often 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 you book
- What the survey will not cover
- Are they insured for the work?
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
Can I check my roof myself?
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.