Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Penshurst, Kent
Wondering about the roof at a property in Penshurst? You can book a pre-purchase roof survey in Penshurst and across Kent, with plain-English findings.
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Penshurst
Buying a home is a big commitment, and the roof is one of the costliest parts to put right. Our pre-purchase roof survey gives you a proper look at it before you’re committed. We check the coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters, and the loft space where it’s safe to get in. You get a written report with photos. We survey clay and concrete tiles, natural slate and the roof space, and the problems we are asked to look at most are ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof and gutters choked with leaves and moss.
For a small place like Penshurst, the visit is planned like any other: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed ahead of time. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages with roofs you’d like looked at as you book. Whether you are buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photographs, sent by email. It explains the condition of the roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Where
- Penshurst (TN11)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What you can safely check yourself
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Why act early in Penshurst
A slow leak can go unnoticed for months. Damp can spread into timbers and ceilings before anyone sees a mark. Finding the cause at the survey stage means you know about it from day one. In a place like Penshurst, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. It is worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
There are three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Why book us in Penshurst
- Over 20 years’ experience
- A report with photographs
- 98% of clients satisfied
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
See how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
How it works
A survey visit follows a simple order: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. Most visits take about one to two hours at a typical home, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. In a hamlet or village like Penshurst, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- The roof is inspected from every safe vantage point, inside and out.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- Your report arrives by email, with photos and recommendations prioritised by urgency.
How to prepare
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
Book a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
Related advice
Towns and villages near Penshurst
What else we do in Penshurst
Penshurst homes and their roofs
The wider area around Penshurst has a long history of building, with Penshurst Place about 0.4 miles north-east. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
If you let a flat or house near Penshurst station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Penshurst is about 5 miles north-west of Royal Tunbridge Wells, in Kent. We provide pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Penshurst and nearby. We cover towns and villages across Kent. Our Crawley page covers surveys nearby.
We work across the TN11 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. You’ll find streets such as High Street, The Warren and Beckets Field. If you’re just outside Penshurst, we cover Chiddingstone Hoath (2 miles west), Walter's Green (2 miles south), Chiddingstone Causeway (2 miles north), Fordcombe (2 miles south) and Teasley Mead (3 miles south-west). Further out, we also cover Sevenoaks (8 miles north), Royal Tunbridge Wells (5 miles south-east), Tonbridge (5 miles north-east), Kings Hill (12 miles north-east), Paddock Wood (9 miles east) and Southborough (4 miles east).
Landmarks near Penshurst
We work in homes and buildings around Chiddingstone Castle Park and Gardens and The Leicester Arms Hotel and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Penshurst station, roughly 1.8 miles north. A little further out are Tonbridge Cottage Hospital (4.2 miles east) and Chiddingstone Castle (1.8 miles north-west). Open spaces near Penshurst include Broadwater Warren RSPB Reserve and Barden Lake.
Before and after the survey
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
You may want to pass the report to your solicitor or conveyancer so questions can go to the seller’s solicitor. Past repairs, re-roofing and any records of that work are all fair questions.
After strong winds, look at the roof from ground level. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.
For landlords and managing agents
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords. Bigger roofs take more time, so they’re priced to suit.
Letting agents and landlords in Penshurst book surveys as well as homeowners. A written report with photos gives you a clear record of the roof, which helps you plan work between tenancies.
Penshurst questions
Is my home in Penshurst listed or in a conservation area?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Do you cover Penshurst?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
How many surveys have you done?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, across 20+ years of surveying roofs.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Someone needs to let us in if we are looking inside or in the loft. We’ll talk about access when you book.
Can you survey in bad weather?
A survey can usually go ahead in light rain, and it can even help show where water is getting in. Heavy rain or strong wind can ground a drone and make the roof unsafe, so we will agree a new date if the weather is not suitable.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
Only where it’s safe. Many roofs can be seen well from windows, vantage points and the loft, and a drone is part of the Premium Survey where it applies.
What we’re asked to look at in Penshurst
Gutter problems often look minor from the street. 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.
People typically book a survey after spotting one of these:
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Church of St John the Baptist, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
What to check before booking
- What the survey won’t cover
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- How long the report takes to arrive