Kent · London and the South East
Larkfield Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Larkfield, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Larkfield
Many older houses carry decades of roof repairs. Corroded nails let slates slide, valley linings wear thin and chimney mortar erodes. Most of it can’t be seen from the street. We look closely and record what we see, with photographs that show you exactly where. We explain each finding in plain English, so it’s clear what it means for your purchase. Typical surveys look at roof slopes that look uneven or sagging and gutters that overflow or drip at the joints, across natural slate, lead flashings and valleys and chimney stacks.
In a village or hamlet like Larkfield, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. 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.
What you get is a clear record of the roof on the day we saw it. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, for instance when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Place
- Larkfield (ME20, ME19)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Common roof problems in Larkfield
Buildings put up or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos. Cement roof sheets, soffits and flue pipes are typical places to find it. We don’t test for it or carry out asbestos surveys, but we flag materials that might so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check before anything is disturbed.
It’s worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Old water stains in the loft space
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Flashings that have lifted or split
If you live in an older home near Church of the Holy Trinity, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
What to check before booking
- Whether the price includes VAT
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
Why act early in Larkfield
When a chain is moving fast, a roof survey can feel like one more delay. We visit on any day of the week, and the Premium Survey report arrives the same day, which helps it fit around your exchange date. Matching old materials, like handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. That is one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where applicable) come with the Premium Survey, from £400 with VAT included. We can help you choose the package that fits what you want to find out.
Why us?
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- Plain-English reports with photos
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
Read how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
Local roofs and buyers in Larkfield
Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. The wider area around Larkfield has a long history of building, with Starkey Castle about 4.3 miles north. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Landlords with a home close to New Hythe station may find that a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Larkfield is about 4 miles north-west of Maidstone, in Kent. Larkfield gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photos and a written report. Larkfield is one of the towns and villages in Kent where we work.
We cover every part of ME20 and ME19 for pre-purchase roof surveys. You will find streets like Martin Square, London Road and New Hythe Lane, all of which we cover. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Lunsford (1 mile north), Leybourne (1 mile west), New Hythe (1 mile north-east), Birling (2 miles north-west) and Snodland (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (4 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (13 miles east), Dartford (14 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (11 miles west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (14 miles south-west) and Gravesend (9 miles north).
Local landmarks in Larkfield
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Malling School, The Malling School and Leybourne Lakes Country Park. The closest station to Larkfield is New Hythe station, about 1 mile north-east. A little further out are Fremlin Walk (3.9 miles south-east) and Leybourne Castle (0.9 miles west). Not far away are Burham Down and Blue Bell Hill.
What else we do in Larkfield
Common questions in Larkfield
Do you cover Larkfield?
Yes. Our area covers London and South East England, and Larkfield is part of that. Just ring 07833 053749 or email us and let us know about the property.
Is my home in Larkfield listed or in a conservation area?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Ideally, yes. The loft tells us a lot about the roof, and views from upper windows help too. Access is typically arranged through the agent or seller.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day, which suits people who work during the week. Just say which days work for you.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. The report is most useful before exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
Will you climb onto the roof?
When conditions and the roof make it safe, yes. Many roofs can be seen well from windows, vantage points and the loft, and a drone is part of the Premium Survey where applicable.
Can you survey in bad weather?
It can, depending on the survey. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. If the conditions are not right, we will talk to you about another date.
Practical tips
There’s plenty you can do without going near the roof. Here’s what helps most:
- Let us know your timetable
- Ask the agent to check the loft hatch can be opened
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
The report gives any roofer you ask to quote a clear brief. They’ll see exactly what we found, and where, so each quote covers the same ground.
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. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
The survey, step by step
We look at the roof from outside and, where it is relevant and there’s safe access, from inside the roof space too. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement, as far as the space allows. All in, the survey typically takes about 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Somewhere like Larkfield needs a little journey planning: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- 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.
Before the survey
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
Booking a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We’ll explain the options and the price.
Related advice
Should I look at the roof myself first?
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
What affects the price in Larkfield
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. That comes down to:
- House, block, shop or office
- Height and safe access
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Which survey package you book
Every price we give includes VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the price for your roof before you book.
What we need to know
Some details help us recommend the right survey and price. When you get in touch, it is useful to mention:
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- The address and postcode of the property
- Whether there is a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or email us.