Medway · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Lordswood, Medway
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Lordswood, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Lordswood
A RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey covers the whole building, so the roof is one item among many. We don’t offer a RICS home survey, and ours is not a substitute for one. What it adds is a closer look at the roof alone, with photographs of what we find and written recommendations. You can have both if you want the fullest picture. If you are worried about damp timbers or stains in the loft and slipped or missing slates and tiles, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Smaller places like Lordswood often have bungalows and cottages as well as houses, and many have been extended or had dormers added. Low roofs are easier to see from the ground, but dormer cheeks, valleys and flat-roofed additions still need close attention. The same goes for a purchase or a new roof around Lordswood. Lead around a dormer and the edges of a flat roof are common places for snags and wear alike.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent.
- Location
- Lordswood (ME5, ME7)
- Wider area
- Medway
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we do, step by step
There isn’t much for you to do on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, like stains, drips or loose pieces, and we’ll take it from there. A typical survey takes about one to two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Being in a smaller place like Lordswood doesn’t change how the visit works: we look from the ground, from windows, from the loft and from the roof where it is safe. It helps to show us anything you’ve already noticed.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed beforehand.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- Inside, we check the roof space and look at the roof from windows.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
Arrange a survey
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just call 07833 053749 or use the contact form when you’re ready.
Related advice
Landlords, agents and block managers in Lordswood
We survey roofs for landlords and agents as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photos, useful for planning maintenance.
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.
Useful tips for Lordswood property owners
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Check we’ll be able to get into the loft space
- Book once your offer is accepted
We email the report to you, with photos of each finding. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Each defect is explained in plain words, and recommendations are ranked by urgency where that helps.
Keep an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Watch for gaps in the pointing, cracked flaunching and loose lead. Binoculars from ground level are enough for a first look.
Why it’s worth a survey now in Lordswood
Leaving it means judging the roof from the street. That rarely shows the back slope, the valleys or the top of the chimney. A survey fills that gap before you commit, with photos of anything that needs attention. On a bungalow or cottage around Lordswood, the roof sits close to the rooms below, so a small leak can mark a ceiling within a few storms. Finding the cause first saves a second job inside.
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where applicable, from £400 including VAT. We’ll tell you which package suits the questions you have.
What you get with us
- 98% of customers satisfied
- Package prices that include VAT
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
See what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Buying a home or a new roof in Lordswood
Lordswood lies within about 5 miles of the sea, where wind off the sea can be strong. A small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, so the weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead. Lordswood is about 3 miles from Rochester Airport. Where the drone is part of the survey, the Drone Safety Map is checked for restrictions first.
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near St David's Church, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them. Landlords with a home close to Chatham station may find that a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in. Historic houses such as Restoration House, about 3.9 miles north-west, show how far back building around Lordswood goes. Buying a period property here means asking about the roof’s age and repairs, and about any listing or conservation area.
Lordswood is about 2 miles south of Chatham, in Medway. In Lordswood, as across Medway, every roof gets the same careful survey. Our Medway coverage includes Lordswood.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: ME5 and ME7. Local streets include Hall Road, Rover Road and Gould Road, and we cover them all. If you’re just outside Lordswood, we cover Lidsing (1 mile south-east), Walderslade (1 mile west), Dunn Street (1 mile south-east), Bredhurst (1 mile east) and Hempstead (2 miles north-east). Further out, we also cover Gillingham (3 miles north-east), Rochester (4 miles north-west), Rainham (3 miles north-east), Strood (5 miles north-west), Twydall (3 miles north-east) and Hoo St Werburgh (6 miles north). As one of the bigger places in Medway, Lordswood has homes, rented property and businesses of every kind.
Near you in Lordswood
Around Lordswood, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Greenacre Academy, South Wood and The Harrow pub. Lordswood’s nearest station is Chatham station, roughly 3.2 miles north of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Pentagon Shopping Centre (3.4 miles north) and Medway Maritime Hospital (3 miles north). Open spaces near Lordswood include Burham Down and Boxley Hills.
How the survey changes by roof type
Flat roofs
Many homes have a flat roof somewhere, frequently over an extension. Felt roofs frequently last around 15 to 20 years, rubber longer and GRP up to about 30. We check how the covering is wearing.
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.
Lordswood: your questions answered
How do I find out if my home in Lordswood is listed?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Lordswood, take more of a battering?
Places near the sea get more wind and more salt in the air than inland, and both are hard on roofs. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling are not something we do. The report may flag materials that could contain asbestos on buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
We’re covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
Book as soon as your offer is agreed. The report is most useful before exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Surveys run on any day of the week. To find a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
How quickly will I get the report?
That depends on which survey you choose: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Let us know your timetable when you book.