Kent · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Old Romney
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Old Romney, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
Should I look at the roof myself first?
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That is where a survey comes in.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Old Romney
Buying a home is a big commitment, and the roof is one of the costliest parts to put right. A pre-purchase roof survey looks at it closely before you are tied in. We look at the slates or tiles, the ridges and valleys, the flashings, the chimneys and the gutters, plus the loft where there’s safe access. You get a report with photographs. We survey lead flashings and valleys, natural slate and chimney stacks, and people most often book us about bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs and chimney mortar that has eroded.
Some older homes in villages like Old Romney 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. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
The report is written in plain words, so you do not need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photo where possible.
- Where
- Old Romney (TN29)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What we are asked to look at in Old Romney
Chimneys take the worst of the weather and they’re often the least maintained part of a roof. Pointing crumbles, flaunching cracks and flashings lift. On terraced and semi-detached homes, a stack may be shared with next door, which can affect how any work is arranged.
People normally book a survey after spotting one of these:
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
The streets around a church such as Church of St Clement are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Questions to ask before booking
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- What they will not be able to tell you
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
Buying a home or a new roof in Old Romney
Old Romney is within about 4 miles of the coast, where wind off the sea can be strong. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, so the weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead. Listing and conservation areas can both shape what roof work is allowed on an older home. Your council and Historic England’s list will tell you where you stand.
If you own a rental within reach of Appledore (Kent) station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Old Romney is about 10 miles south-west of Hythe, in Kent. If you are in Old Romney, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Our Kent coverage includes Old Romney. Canterbury is in our area too.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: TN29. If you’re just outside Old Romney, we cover Ivychurch (2 miles north), New Romney (2 miles east), Brenzett (2 miles north-west), Lydd (3 miles south) and Brookland (3 miles west). Further out, we also cover Ashford (10 miles north), Folkestone (14 miles north-east), Hythe (10 miles north-east), Hawkinge (14 miles north-east), Tenterden (10 miles north-west) and Cheriton (13 miles north-east).
Around Old Romney
Old Romney’s nearest station is Appledore (Kent) station, about 4.5 miles north-west of the centre. A little further out are Brenzett Aeronautical Museum (1.9 miles north-west) and Romney 'castle' (within half a mile north-east). Open spaces near Old Romney include Burnthouse Pen and Dungeness National.
What we do, step by step
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. Then the inspection itself takes roughly 1–2 hours for a house, or half a day or so for a commercial building. Older rural homes like those around Old Romney can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen.
- You book once your offer is accepted and tell us the address and your timetable.
- We agree a time and how we’ll get in, including the loft.
- We inspect the roof from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it’s safe.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Before the survey
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
How to book
Once you know what you need, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.
Read more
Roof by roof
Flat roofs
Flat roofs on extensions, dormers and garages are easy to forget about. Felt roofs often 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
Concrete interlocking tiles are common on post-war and newer homes. They wear slowly, but surfaces erode and edges crack.
Leave it or get it looked at?
Sellers are not always aware of roof problems. The forms they complete only show what they’re aware of. An independent look tells you how the roof is now, whatever anyone remembers. Older and listed buildings around Old Romney may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so leaving a defect until it is urgent leaves less time to plan.
Every price we give includes VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Prices start from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
What you get with us
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- An independent look at the roof
- Surveys seven days a week
- Prices that include VAT
Read what a roof survey costs or two real surveys.
What this survey cannot tell you
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- Whether timbers meet design loads
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will tell you. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
Also near Old Romney
More services for Old Romney
FAQs for Old Romney
How do I find out if my home in Old Romney is listed?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Is the coastal weather around Old Romney hard on roofs?
Often, yes. Old Romney is within about 4 miles of the sea, and coastal roofs tend to see faster wear on metal parts and more wind lifting loose pieces.
How experienced are you?
We have completed more than 5,000 surveys, across 20+ years of surveying roofs, and 98% of clients are satisfied.
When will the report arrive?
That depends on which survey you choose: within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Let us know your timetable when booking.
Do you need access inside the house?
Where we can, yes. From the roof space we can see staining, timbers and underlay. If access isn’t possible, we note it in the report.
Do you go up on the roof?
Where it is safe, yes. We inspect from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the loft and from the roof itself where safe. On Premium, a drone is used where applicable.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes. Buyers use the findings to ask questions, ask for repairs before completion or ask for a price change. What the seller agrees to is their decision, so we cannot promise any saving.