Medway · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Rochester, Medway
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat across Rochester, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Call or email for a price.
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Rochester
We survey roofs for buyers in Rochester and across London and South East England. From terraced and semi-detached homes to detached houses and flats, we follow the same careful process. We tell you what’s sound, what needs attention and how urgent it is. We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and have 20+ years’ experience. To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email. If you’re worried about standing water on a flat extension roof and flashings that have lifted or split, we can find out what’s behind it, on natural slate, lead flashings and valleys and clay and concrete tiles alike.
Most homes in a town like Rochester are houses, so the roof normally belongs to the property you are buying or paying for. That makes the roof’s condition a straightforward money question: better found before exchange or final payment than after. With photos and written recommendations, you have clear points to take back to the seller or the roofer.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photos, sent by email. It explains the condition of the roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Location
- Rochester (ME2, ME1, ME3, ME4)
- Wider area
- Medway
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Rochester: local notes
Rochester lies within about 3 miles of the sea, and wind near the sea can be strong. The weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead, as a small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or a downpour. Rochester is about 3 miles from Rochester Airport. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
With Restoration House about 0.4 miles south-east, the area around Rochester has a long history. Older homes in the area can come with listed status or conservation area rules, which affect re-roofing, so check with the council before you buy. Take an older house close to Church of St Nicholas: the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Rochester is about 27 miles east of London, in Medway. We survey roofs in Rochester across London and South East England. Rochester is one of the towns and villages in Medway where we work for pre-purchase roof surveys. We also survey roofs in Maidstone.
All of ME2, ME1, ME3 and ME4 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We cover properties on High Street, Gundolph Square and Station Road. Being close to the A2 and A226, Rochester is simple for us to get to for pre-purchase roof surveys. We also cover Strood (1 mile west), Borstal (1 mile south-west), Cuxton (2 miles south-west), Lower Bush (3 miles west) and North Halling (3 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Gillingham (4 miles east), Chatham (3 miles south-east), Rainham (5 miles south-east), Park Wood (5 miles south-east), Lordswood (4 miles south-east) and Twydall (4 miles east). Rochester is one of the larger places we cover in Medway.
Near you in Rochester
We work in homes and buildings around Former Ordnance Store At Chatham Gun Wharf, Fort Pitt Grammar School and Broomhill Park, among other places. You’ll also find Temple School (1.2 miles north) and Royal Crown Hotel (within half a mile east). There’s a railway station in Rochester itself: Rochester station. Well-known places in the area include Rochester Castle (within half a mile east) and Huguenot Museum (within half a mile east). The countryside around Rochester includes Gad's Hill and Rede Common.
Places near Rochester
What else we do in Rochester
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, so a survey has limits:
- A structural engineer’s report
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll suggest the right survey before booking. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What we check
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
What we do, step by step
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so the report shows exactly what we saw. We take close-ups from wherever is safe, including by drone where it is applicable and the weather allows. Most surveys take an hour or two at most homes, or half a day or so for a commercial building. In Rochester, parking is rarely complicated, though it helps to know about driveways or restrictions. The inspection covers what can be seen safely from outside, from windows and from the loft space.
- 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.
- 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.
Before we arrive
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Keep pets in another room
Arrange a survey
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Advice
Rochester questions
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Rochester, take more of a battering?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there is more wind, and more salt in the air. Exposed details like ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch.
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Rochester?
Typically it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. Rochester is about 3 miles from Rochester Airport, so the Drone Safety Map is checked for restrictions around it before we fly. The flight also waits for calm, dry weather.
Do I need to be at home?
Not necessarily. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
Are you insured?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Do you cover Rochester for pre-purchase roof surveys?
Yes, we do. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Rochester, and the service is the same as everywhere else we work.
Do you go up on the roof?
When conditions and the roof make it safe, yes. 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.
How quickly will I get the report?
That depends on which survey you choose: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Tell us your exchange date and we will help you choose.
What you can safely check yourself
It helps to keep a record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry.
A lot can be seen from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Rochester
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, and the report can go to both. Access is agreed with the tenant in advance.
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Tell us about it when you book and we’ll plan the survey around it.
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
To price your survey, we look at:
- Which survey package you book
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report is not charged as an extra. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
Helping us price your survey
What helps most when you contact us:
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- What kind of property and roof it is
- When you need the report by
- Anything about access we should know
Unsure which package suits your roof? It’s easiest to phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
What we are asked to look at in Rochester
Rear extensions, dormers and garages often have flat roofs. A felt roof frequently lasts around 15 to 20 years, and standing water, blisters and splits are typical signs of ageing. A buyer can easily miss them, because many can only be seen from an upstairs window.
Problems we come across often include:
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
Landlords with a home close to Rochester station may find that the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Before booking anyone
- Are they insured for the work?
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one