Kent · London and the South East
Reading Street Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Reading Street, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
Pre-purchase roof survey in Reading Street: what you get
Buying a flat brings its own roof questions. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that is often not the individual flat owner. We inspect what access allows us to see safely, and the report helps you ask your solicitor or the managing agent the right questions. If the building has a flat roof, we look at that too where access allows. Typical surveys look at gutters choked with leaves and moss and sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes, on gutters and downpipes, lead flashings and valleys and the roof space.
For a small place like Reading Street, the visit is planned like any other: 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. Whether you’re buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Visits can be booked seven days a week.
You receive the findings by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Where
- Reading Street (TN30)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Practical tips
Small things make a difference, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Our tips:
- Mention any deadline when you contact us
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- Ask the agent to make sure the loft hatch can be opened
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
You may want to pass the report to your solicitor or conveyancer so they can raise enquiries with the seller’s side. It can prompt questions about past roof work and any paperwork for it, particularly where we have found patch repairs.
Check the roof from the garden and the street after a storm. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Dealing with them early keeps water out.
Reading Street questions
Do you cover Reading Street?
Yes, Reading Street is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Reading Street?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Only where it’s safe to do so. Much of the inspection is done from ground level, from windows and from the loft space. The Premium Survey adds a drone inspection where applicable.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes, you can. 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.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We carry out surveys seven days a week. To find a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
Does the weather affect the survey?
It can, depending on the survey. Drones can’t fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. If the conditions are not right, we will talk to you about another date.
What we’re asked to look at in Reading Street
Chimneys take the worst of the weather. Mortar erodes, the flaunching around the pots cracks and the flashings work loose. On terraced and semi-detached homes, a stack may be shared with next door, which matters if work is needed.
Most people get in touch when they’ve noticed one of these:
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Mary, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether the price includes VAT
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
What happens on the day
We check the roof from outside and, where it’s relevant and there’s safe access, from inside the roof space too. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement. All in, the survey usually takes about 1–2 hours at a typical home, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Cottages and farmhouses around Reading Street frequently have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can be seen safely.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you are buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Getting ready for the survey
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Leave side gates unlocked
Arrange a survey
To get a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Reading Street, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Some details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.
Related advice
For landlords and managing agents
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which helps when tenants work during the week.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, with the report sent to whoever needs it. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Towns and villages near Reading Street
More services for Reading Street
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Reading Street: local notes
Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. Across Kent, older roofs are often handmade clay or peg tiles, and tile-hanging on upper walls is a familiar sight. The county’s older buildings also include oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. Whether you are buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds.
For landlords with property near Appledore (Kent) station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one. Smallhythe Place, about 1.8 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Reading Street. If you are buying an older home nearby, it’s worth knowing whether it’s listed or in a conservation area before you plan any re-roofing.
Reading Street is about 9 miles south-west of Ashford, in Kent. We cover Reading Street and the rest of Kent. Across Kent, we cover Reading Street and the places around it. We also survey roofs in Maidstone.
We work across TN30 for pre-purchase roof surveys. Other places close to Reading Street include Stone Corner (1 mile south-west), Acton (2 miles south-west), Appledore Heath (2 miles east), Leigh Green (2 miles north-west) and Stone in Oxney (2 miles south-east). We also work in nearby towns like Ashford (9 miles north-east), Hythe (15 miles east), Tenterden (3 miles north-west), Kennington (11 miles north-east), New Romney (10 miles south-east) and Staplehurst (12 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Reading Street
The closest station to Reading Street is Appledore (Kent) station, roughly 3.3 miles east. A little further out are Smallhythe Place (1.8 miles west). Open spaces near Reading Street include Orlestone Forest.
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Roof area
To find out what your survey will cost, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and tell us about the roof. We will confirm the figure before booking.
What we need to know
If you can, have these to hand when you get in touch:
- The property’s address and postcode
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- Anything about access we should know
To book a survey, call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
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.