Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Lilyvale, Kent
Pre-purchase roof surveys across Lilyvale, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. You get a clear report with photos.
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
Questions from Lilyvale
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Lilyvale?
We cannot confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Do you cover Lilyvale?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Lilyvale as anywhere else.
Do you need access inside the house?
If it can be arranged, yes. From the roof space we can see staining, timbers and underlay. If access is not possible, we note it in the report.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes, you can. The report sets out what we found, with photos, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. We cannot promise how the seller will respond.
How quickly will I get the report?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. We send it by email with photos included.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it is not a RICS home survey. It complements one rather than replacing it.
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Lilyvale
A Basic Survey starts from £150, with the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check. Premium adds thermal imaging, a drone inspection where applicable and an in-person consultation. Pick the one that fits the property. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. We’re frequently asked to look into lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney and cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing, on gutters and downpipes, natural slate and chimney stacks.
In a village or hamlet like Lilyvale, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
The report records the roof as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later.
- Where
- Lilyvale (TN25)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Lilyvale: local notes
Historic houses like Westenhanger Castle, about 2.7 miles south-east, show how far back building in the area around Lilyvale goes. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Church of St Mary, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Lilyvale is about 5 miles east of Ashford, in Kent. Wherever you are in Lilyvale, we can carry out pre-purchase roof surveys at your property. Lilyvale is one of the towns and villages in Kent we cover. You can also see our page for Canterbury.
All of TN25 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys. We also cover the places around Lilyvale: Brabourne Lees (1 mile north-west), Stone Hill (1 mile south-east), Smeeth (1 mile north-west), Ridgeway (1 mile west) and Bircholt Forstal (1 mile north). Further out, we also cover Ashford (5 miles west), Canterbury (12 miles north), Dover (14 miles east), Folkestone (8 miles east), Faversham (14 miles north) and Hythe (5 miles south-east).
What’s near Lilyvale
The nearest railway station is Westenhanger station, roughly 2.9 miles south-east. Nearby you will also find Lympne Castle (3.6 miles south-east) and William Harvey Hospital (3.4 miles north-west). Open spaces near Lilyvale include Tolsford Hill and Hatch Park.
Checking the roof from ground level
You can learn a lot from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Never climb onto the roof to look.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Places near Lilyvale
Also in Lilyvale
Roof by roof
Clay and concrete tiles
Clay and concrete tiles commonly last 50 years or more. Cracked, slipped or missing tiles are noted, and for mismatched replacements that point to past repairs.
Flat roofs
A flat roof that has been coated over several times may hide problems underneath. We say when the covering would need opening up to know more.
What affects the price in Lilyvale
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Which survey package you book
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- Roof area
Prices start from £150, including VAT, for a Basic Survey. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, both including VAT. We confirm the price for your roof before you book.
Getting in touch
The more you let us know, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, tell us:
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- What made you get in touch
- When you need the report by
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
Unsure which package suits your roof? It is easiest to ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
What we are asked to look at in Lilyvale
Buildings put up or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos. It is often found in cement sheets, soffits and flue pipes. We do not 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.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
If you let a flat or house near Westenhanger station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
What to check before booking
- Their insurance cover
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
Practical tips
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Share the report with your solicitor
- Mention any deadline when you contact us
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Don’t leave it until just before exchange
With Standard, you get a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. If anything in the report isn’t clear, ask us.
Look in the loft now and then, with care and a good torch. Watch for stains, damp timbers and chinks of daylight. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
The survey, step by step
We check the roof from outside and, where it’s relevant and there’s safe access, from inside the roof space too. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging. All in, the survey usually takes an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. For a village or hamlet like Lilyvale, the journey is planned beforehand: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- We agree a time and how we will get in, including the loft.
- The roof is inspected from every safe viewpoint, inside and out.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- We email a report with photographs and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Before the survey
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Find any records of previous roof work
Book a survey
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know where you stand. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. To book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.