Kent · London and the South East
Lenham Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Lenham, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
Lenham questions
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Lenham?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Is Lenham in the area you cover?
Yes, Lenham is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Lenham as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it is applicable. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, including flight restriction zones near airports. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.
How experienced are you?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, over more than 20 years.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. It is a dedicated roof survey, with a written report and photographs. It isn’t a RICS survey and does not cover the rest of the house.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling aren’t something we do. Where a material might contain it, like old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll explain what’s needed.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Lenham: what you get
Buying a home is a big commitment, and the roof is one of the costliest parts to put right. Our pre-purchase roof survey gives you a close look at it before you’re committed. We check the coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters, plus the loft where there’s safe access. The findings come in a written report with photos. If you’ve noticed standing water on a flat extension roof and worn or lifted lead flashings, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Smaller places like Lenham often have bungalows and cottages as well as houses, and many have been extended or had dormers added. Even on a low roof, dormers, valleys and flat-roofed additions need a careful look. The same goes for a purchase or a new roof around Lenham. Lead around a dormer and the edges of a flat roof are common places for snags and wear alike.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- Lenham (ME17)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Buying a home or a new roof in Lenham
Older houses across Kent frequently 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. The covering on a house you’re buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest. If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near St Mary's Church, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light. Leeds Castle lies about 3.6 miles west, so building around Lenham goes back a long way. Older homes in the area can come with listed status or conservation area rules, which affect re-roofing, so check with the council before you buy.
Lenham is about 7 miles south of Sittingbourne, in Kent. We survey roofs in Lenham and the rest of Kent. Lenham is one of the places in Kent we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. Maidstone is in our area too.
Surveys in ME17 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. You will find streets such as High Street, Mitchell Close and Hatch Road, and we cover them all. If you are just outside Lenham, we cover Leadingcross Green (1 mile south), Woodside Green (1 mile north-east), West Street (1 mile north-east), Lenham Forstal (2 miles south-east) and Lenham Heath (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (8 miles west), Ashford (9 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (7 miles north), Faversham (9 miles north-east), Minster (13 miles north) and Kings Hill (13 miles west).
Local landmarks in Lenham
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Kiln Wood, The Red Lion pub and The Lenham School, among other places. Lenham has its own railway station: Lenham station. Other landmarks nearby include Coldbridge Castle (2.7 miles south) and The Dog Collar Museum (3.6 miles west).
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Lenham
Slates and tiles can outlast the nails, battens and underlay that hold them. Natural slate can last 100 years or more, yet the nails holding it rust and let slates slide. That kind of wear is common on older roofs and easy to miss from ground level.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
If you let a flat or house near Lenham station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Questions to ask before booking
- How soon the report will arrive
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Whether the price includes VAT
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
Before and after the survey
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
- Ask for loft access on the day
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
After you move in, keep the report somewhere safe. Work through the urgent items before anything else, and keep the photographs to compare against later. The Premium Survey includes a 12-month follow-up.
Keep the loft ventilated. Condensation in a roof space can look like a leak and can damage timbers over time. Keep insulation clear of eaves vents so air can move.
Checking the roof from ground level
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Do not go up yourself.
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That is where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
What happens on the day
Every roof is different, but as a rough guide the survey takes roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. You are welcome to ask questions while we are there. A visit to a smaller place like Lenham is no different on the day: we look from ground level, from windows, from the loft and from the roof where it is safe. It is useful to show us anything you’ve already noticed.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- We agree a time and how we’ll get in, including the loft.
- The roof is inspected from every safe vantage point, inside and out.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- Your report arrives by email, with photos and recommendations prioritised by urgency.
Preparing for the visit
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Book a survey
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form to find out.
Related advice
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What a survey costs
Survey packages start from £150, including VAT. The price for your roof depends on:
- Which survey package you book
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- The size of the roof
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package you pick makes a difference too. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
Helping us price your survey
You do not need to know any roofing terms. It’s enough to let us know:
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- The address and postcode of the property
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings close the gaps at chimneys, walls and abutments. We look for lead that has lifted, split or been patched over.
Gutters and parapets
Hidden gutters behind parapets send water indoors when they block. We check their linings and outlets from wherever is safe.