Medway · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Higham, Medway
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in Higham, with photos and a written report.
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
What happens if roof problems are left?
A slow leak can go unnoticed for months. By the time a stain shows, timber or plaster may already be damp. Finding the cause at the survey stage lets you deal with it as soon as you move in. Older cottages and farmhouses around Higham can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it is left.
For a price for your roof in Higham, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Why us?
- Clear package prices, inc. VAT
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- An independent view of the roof
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
Take a look at our cost guide and our case studies.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Higham: what you get
If you are buying a flat, the roof may well be shared. Depending on the lease, roof repairs may fall to the building owner or a management company, with costs often passed on through the service charge. We inspect what access allows us to see safely, and the report gives you clear points to raise with your solicitor or the managing agent. Where the building has a flat roof, it’s checked as far as access allows. If you are worried about worn or lifted lead flashings and gaps where slates or tiles have come loose, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on lead flashings and valleys, chimney stacks and clay and concrete tiles alike.
Older buildings in small places like Higham may be listed or in a conservation area. If so, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so check with the council before work starts. Whether you’re buying or signing off new roofing, it is worth knowing where you stand. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
Findings are set out part by part, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets. You’ll see the good as well as the bad.
- Where
- Higham (ME3, DA12)
- Region
- Medway
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Nearby places to Higham
Also in Higham
What we look for on each type of roof
Clay and concrete tiles
Concrete interlocking tiles are common on post-war and newer homes. They’re heavy and hard-wearing, but they weather and can crack, and low-pitched roofs need their laps to be right.
Flat roofs
Repeated coatings on a flat roof can mask what’s underneath. We say when the covering would need opening up to know more.
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Higham
Do you cover smaller places like Higham?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Is my home in Higham listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
It is your choice, but the two do different jobs. A home survey looks at the whole property, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Ours sits alongside a RICS survey rather than replacing it.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. It’s a dedicated roof survey, with a written report and photos. It does not cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning, with whoever owns or manages the building. Let us know about it when booking and we’ll explain what’s needed.
What’s the best way to book?
To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address, the type of property and what’s prompted the survey. We’ll confirm the price and find a day that suits.
Do I need to be at home?
Someone needs to let us in if we’re looking inside or in the loft. Access is agreed with you when you book.
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Higham
Higham lies within about 4 miles of the sea, where wind off the sea can be strong. The weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead, as a small drone can’t fly safely in high wind or heavy rain. If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
Temple Manor, about 2.3 miles south-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Higham. Buying a period property here means asking about the roof’s age and repairs, and about any listing or conservation area. Take an older house close to Church of St John: the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light. Landlords with a home close to Higham station may find that it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
Higham is about 2 miles north-west of Rochester, in Medway. Whether the building in Higham is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, the roof can be surveyed on a weekday or at the weekend. We cover towns and villages across Medway, from the larger towns to small villages. Maidstone is in our area too.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: ME3 and DA12. We offer pre-purchase roof surveys to properties on Villa Road, Darby Gardens and Ash Crescent. Other places close to Higham include Gadshill (1 mile south), Lower Higham (1 mile north), Shorne (1 mile west), Shorne Ridgeway (1 mile south-west) and Mockbeggar (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Gillingham (6 miles south-east), Chatham (5 miles south-east), Rainham (8 miles south-east), Luton (5 miles south-east), Park Wood (8 miles south-east) and Lordswood (7 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in Higham
Typical jobs here are in homes near Rede Common, Sir John Falstaff Public House and Strood Academy, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Higham station, roughly 0.9 miles north-east of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Rochester Castle (2.6 miles south-east) and French Hospital (2.8 miles south-east). The countryside around Higham includes Gad's Hill and Rede Common.
What affects the price in Higham
Survey packages start from £150, inc. VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Roof area
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
Every price we give includes VAT, and the report is not charged as an extra. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
What to let us know when you get in touch
When you call or email, these details help:
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- When you need the report by
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- What’s prompted the survey
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or email us to find out.
Practical tips
Small things make a difference. Our tips:
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
You may want to pass the report to your solicitor or conveyancer so questions can go to the seller’s solicitor. It can prompt questions about past roof work and any paperwork for it, especially where we have found patch repairs.
Every so often, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Damp patches, daylight through the roof or water stains on timbers are worth noting. Take photos so you can show whoever looks at it.
What we do, step by step
A survey visit follows a simple order: we listen to what’s been worrying you, inspect the roof from each safe vantage point, take photos as we go and make notes for the report. Most visits take an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Older roofs in small places like Higham can have low, tight loft spaces, so it helps to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- 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.
- Inside, we check the loft space and look at the roof from windows.
- You get a report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.
Before we arrive
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
Getting a price
If you’re buying, it’s useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply ring 07833 053749 or send us an email whenever suits you.
Related advice
When you need someone else
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, so a survey has limits:
- The condition of the rest of the house (that’s a RICS home survey)
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book. What a survey covers and does not.
Roof types and parts we check
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys