Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Preston, Kent
Pre-purchase roof surveys across Preston, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
Questions from Preston
Do you carry out roof surveys in Preston?
Yes, Preston is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Do you cover smaller places like Preston?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
When will the report arrive?
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 as you book.
What’s the best way to book?
It’s easiest to call 07833 053749 or email us. Give us the address and some details about the roof. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Do you need access inside the house?
Where we can, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If we cannot get in, the report says so.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes. You might ask for work to be done, ask questions or ask for a change to the price. The outcome is between you and the seller.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Preston
The roof is one of the most expensive parts of a home to repair, and one of the hardest for a buyer to see. A pre-purchase roof survey looks at it closely before you’re tied in. We check the coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters, and the loft space where it’s safe to get in. The findings come in a written report with photos. We survey gutters and downpipes, clay and concrete tiles and natural slate, and the problems we are asked to look at most are loose pots and cracked flaunching and lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney.
Being in a small place like Preston makes no difference to the inspection itself: it just means planning the journey and access beforehand. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages with roofs you’d like looked at when booking, so the visit can be planned around them. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Visits can be booked seven days a week.
Report times depend on the survey you book: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Place
- Preston (CT3)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
DIY checks: what’s safe
You can learn a lot from the ground. 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. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
For landlords and managing agents
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, phone 07833 053749 or email us with the addresses.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed in advance. Surveys run on any day of the week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
What we cannot see
Our survey isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- A structural engineer’s report
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will tell you before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Preston
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
The survey, step by step
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from every safe viewpoint, take photos as we go and record our findings for the written report. It usually takes about one to two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Somewhere as small as Preston, access is frequently the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
How to prepare
- Keep pets in another room
- Let us know about parking near the property
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
Book a survey
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We will confirm the price before booking.
Related advice
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Preston: local notes
The wider area around Preston has a long history of building, with Goodnestone Park about 4 miles south. Older homes in the wider area frequently 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. 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. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about.
If you own a rental within reach of Adisham station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Preston is about 6 miles south-east of Herne Bay, in Kent. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Preston for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Preston is one of the places in Kent we cover. We also survey roofs in Canterbury.
All of CT3 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys. We cover properties on The Street, The Forstal and Park Lane. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Grove (1 mile north-west), West Stourmouth (1 mile north), East Stourmouth (1 mile north-east), Upstreet (2 miles north-west) and Ware (2 miles east). We also work in nearby towns such as Canterbury (6 miles west), Margate (9 miles north-east), Dover (12 miles south), Folkestone (15 miles south), Ramsgate (8 miles east) and Broadstairs (10 miles north-east).
Near you in Preston
Around Preston, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Grove Ferry Picnic Area. The closest station to Preston is Adisham station, roughly 4.3 miles south of the centre. A little further out are St Martins Hospital (5.3 miles west). The countryside around Preston includes Monk's Wall nature reserve.
Places near Preston
Other services in Preston
Why it is worth a survey now in Preston
It’s tempting to skip the roof to keep a sale moving. Weekend visits are available as well as weekdays, and a Premium report comes the same day, so it can fit around a tight timetable. In a place like Preston, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all with VAT included. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
What you get with us
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- Packages from £150, including VAT
- Surveys seven days a week
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
Take a look at our cost guide or what we found on two real jobs.
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Preston
Patch repairs are common on roofs of every age. Bitumen painted over a flashing, mortar where lead should be, or a few tiles that don’t match can point to a problem that keeps coming back. Our report records them so you can ask the seller what was done and when.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Mildred, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
What to check before booking
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Their insurance cover
- Is VAT included in the price?