Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Milstead, Kent
Find out what’s going on with the roof before you spend money on it. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Milstead.
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Blocked or leaking gutters
Why get it checked now?
Sellers are not always aware of roof problems. Their answers on the property forms only cover what they know about. Our survey shows you the roof as it is today. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Milstead, driving rain gets into any weakness, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
What you get with us
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- Visits on any day of the week
- Package prices that include VAT
- Every finding written up with photos
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or our case studies.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Milstead: what you get
The best time to book is once your offer has been accepted and before you exchange contracts. That’s when the findings are most useful, because nothing is binding yet. Visits run on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when a sale is moving quickly. The report comes within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. If you’ve noticed gaps where slates or tiles have come loose and patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on lead flashings and valleys, natural slate and the roof space alike.
Some older homes in villages like Milstead are listed or sit in a conservation area. If so, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so check with the council before work starts. For a buyer or someone with a newly finished roof, it is worth knowing which applies, as well as what condition the roof is in. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Location
- Milstead (ME9)
- Region
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
We will ask a few questions first, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. The inspection then takes about 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Older rural homes like those around Milstead can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Getting ready for the survey
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Arrange a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? It’s easiest to phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Advice
Tips from our surveys
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Mention any deadline when you contact us
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
The report gives any roofer you ask to quote a clear brief. They’ll see exactly what we found, and where, which makes quotes easier to compare.
Every so often, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Watch for stains, damp timbers and chinks of daylight. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
Milstead homes and their roofs
Milstead lies within about 5 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. Many older homes in Kent have handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles held by pegs through two holes, and tile-hanging on their upper walls. You will also find oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses among the county’s older buildings. Whether you’re buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds.
If you own a rental within reach of Sittingbourne station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Milstead is about 3 miles south of Sittingbourne, in Kent. Wherever you are in Milstead, we can come and survey your property. Milstead is one of the towns and villages in Kent where we work. We also survey roofs in Maidstone.
Every address in ME9 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Frinsted Road, Manor Road and Horn Hill or a nearby road, we can survey it. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Hollybushes (1 mile south-east), Bluetown (1 mile south-east), Frinsted (1 mile south-west), Wichling (2 miles south-east) and Doddington (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Maidstone (9 miles west), Ashford (12 miles south-east), Canterbury (15 miles east), Sittingbourne (3 miles north), Whitstable (14 miles east) and Faversham (7 miles east).
Near you in Milstead
Typical jobs here are in homes near Cromers Wood. For rail, the closest station is Sittingbourne station, roughly 3.2 miles north of the centre. A little further out are Sittingbourne Heritage Museum (3 miles north) and Newnham Castle (3.2 miles east).
When you need someone else
A survey is a close look at the roof, but it can’t do everything. Its limits include:
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Asbestos testing of any kind
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book. What a survey covers and does not.
Roof types and parts we check
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
What we are asked to look at in Milstead
Asbestos was banned in UK construction in 1999. Cement roof sheets, soffits and flue pipes are typical places to find it. We do not test for it or carry out asbestos surveys, but our report flags materials that could contain it and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before work starts.
Problems we come across frequently include:
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
Take an older house close to Church of St Mary and the Holy Cross: a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Before booking anyone
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Will the report include photos?
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- Their report turnaround times
Questions from Milstead
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Milstead?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Do you cover smaller places like Milstead?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Just let us know the days that suit you.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes. You’ll have photos and a written description of each defect, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. How the seller responds is up to them.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. 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.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
After your offer is accepted and before you exchange contracts. That way you can still act on what we find, whether that means asking questions or negotiating.
Are you insured?
We’re covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, for every survey we carry out.
Different roofs, different checks
Natural slate
Slate is common on Victorian and Edwardian houses. We look for slates that have slid, cracked or gone, and for clips or tingles that show past repairs.
Lead flashings and valleys
Lead flashings seal the joints where a roof meets a wall or chimney. We look for lead that has lifted, split or been patched over.