Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Lydden, Kent
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Lydden, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Lydden
A RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey covers the whole building, so the roof is one item among many. Our survey is not a RICS survey, and it doesn’t replace one. What it adds is a closer look at the roof alone, with photos and written recommendations you can act on. The two sit side by side. If you are worried about gutters that overflow or drip at the joints and damp timbers or stains in the loft, we can find out what’s behind it.
Somewhere as small as Lydden, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings often sit beside a few newer homes. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
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
- Lydden (CT15)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
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.
Towns and villages near Lydden
More services for Lydden
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, phone 07833 053749 or email us with the addresses.
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too. Bigger roofs take more time, and they’re priced for the size.
FAQs for Lydden
Is Lydden within the area you cover?
Yes, Lydden is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Lydden?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Do you go up on the roof?
Where it is safe, yes. Much of the inspection is done from ground level, from windows and from the loft space. On Premium, a drone is used where it applies.
Will you need to get into the loft?
Where possible, yes. We look in the loft space where there’s safe access, and views from upper windows help too. The agent or seller can arrange entry.
Are you insured?
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.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Just tell us the days that suit you.
How soon is the report ready?
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 exchange date and we will help you choose.
Tips from our surveys
There is plenty you can do without going near the roof. Here’s what helps most:
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Mention any deadline when you get in touch
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
You may want to pass the report to your solicitor or conveyancer so they can raise enquiries with the seller’s side. Past repairs, re-roofing and any records of that work are all fair questions, particularly where we have found patch repairs.
Keep the loft ventilated. Poor ventilation lets condensation build up, wetting timbers and insulation. Keep insulation clear of eaves vents so air can move.
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Lydden
Blocked or leaking gutters do damage that isn’t obvious at first. Water spilling over a gutter soaks brickwork and can rot fascias and rafter ends. Valley and parapet gutters can overflow inside the house. We check them as part of the survey.
Problems we come across often include:
- Old water stains in the loft space
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Mary Church of St Mary Virgin, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Questions to ask before you book
- What happens after the report arrives
- Whether the price includes VAT
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
What we do, step by step
When we arrive, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you’d like to know. After that, we look at everything we can see safely, using the ground, windows, the loft and a drone where applicable. The survey normally takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Somewhere like Lydden needs a little journey planning: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. The roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from the loft where there is safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from ground level and from vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it’s safe.
- You get a report with photographs and recommendations before you exchange.
Before the survey
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
Booking a survey
If you’re buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email whenever suits you.
Read more
Leave it or get it looked at?
It is tempting to skip the roof to keep a sale moving. Weekend visits are available as well as weekdays, and the Premium Survey report arrives the same day, which helps it fit around your exchange date. Older cottages and farmhouses around Lydden can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it’s left.
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the size and height of the roof, access and which survey you book.
Why us?
- 20+ years’ experience
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- Drones and thermal imaging where it applies
Read how roof surveys are priced and our case studies.
Lydden homes and their roofs
Lydden lies within about 4 miles of the sea, so there is more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, and loose ridges, slates and tiles are the first to lift in a gale, which is worth knowing before you buy or pay for new work. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If you own a rental within reach of Kearsney station, it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
Lydden is about 3 miles north-west of Dover, in Kent. We survey roofs in Lydden and the rest of Kent. Lydden is one of the places in Kent where we work. We also survey roofs in Canterbury.
Here we cover the CT15 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on St Marys Rise, Canterbury Road and The Close or anywhere close by, we can help. We also cover the places around Lydden: Coldred (1 mile north), Ewell Minnis (1 mile south-west), Temple Ewell (1 mile south-east), Halfway Street (1 mile north-west) and Wolverton (2 miles south). Larger places within reach include Canterbury (11 miles north-west), Dover (3 miles south-east), Folkestone (6 miles south-west), Ramsgate (14 miles north-east), Deal (8 miles north-east) and Herne Bay (15 miles north).
Local landmarks in Lydden
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Sladden Wood and Hope Inn. The closest station to Lydden is Kearsney station, about 1.6 miles south-east. Well-known places in the area include Dover Transport Museum (2.3 miles south-east) and Dover Castle (4.3 miles south-east). Open spaces near Lydden include Dover Western Heights.