Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Sandgate, Kent
Wondering about the roof at a property in Sandgate? You can book a pre-purchase roof survey in Sandgate and across Kent.
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
What we do, step by step
Safety comes first on every visit. Everything that can safely be seen is inspected, and anything we can’t see is noted in the report. The survey typically takes about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. Cottages and farmhouses around Sandgate often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- 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.
Before we arrive
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Getting a price
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just phone 07833 053749 or email us when you are ready.
Related advice
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Sandgate
The best time to book is once your offer has been accepted and before you exchange contracts. That’s when the findings are most useful, while you are not yet committed. We survey on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when a sale is moving quickly. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. We survey flat-roofed extensions and dormers, the roof space and clay and concrete tiles, and common reasons people get in touch are a ridge or slope that dips and gutters that overflow or drip at the joints.
Somewhere as small as Sandgate, older cottages, farmhouses and converted buildings often sit beside a few newer homes. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
We write the report in plain English, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photo where possible, and recommendations are put by urgency where it matters.
- Place
- Sandgate (CT20, CT50)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips that help
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Ask the agent to check the loft hatch can be opened
If the report shows work is needed, you can raise it with the seller or agent. You might ask for the work to be done before completion, or ask to adjust the price. The outcome is between you and the seller, and we can’t promise any result.
Every so frequently, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Watch for stains, damp timbers and chinks of daylight. Take photos so you can show whoever looks at it.
What we’re asked to look at in Sandgate
Flat roofs turn up on extensions, dormers, porches and garages. A felt roof often lasts around 15 to 20 years, and standing water, blisters and splits are typical signs of ageing. A buyer can easily miss them, especially when they’re only visible from an upper floor.
Here are some of the things we see frequently:
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
If you live in an older home near Church of St Paul, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Whether VAT is added on top
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
More services for Sandgate
Different roofs, different checks
Clay and concrete tiles
Concrete interlocking tiles are common on post-war and newer homes. They’re heavy and hard-wearing, but they weather and can crack, and low-pitched roofs need their laps to be right.
Chimney stacks
Leaning stacks, loose pots and eroded mortar are common findings. We note them with photos so you can ask about them.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Sandgate
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the addresses.
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf. Access is agreed with the tenant in advance.
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Sandgate
Sandgate is within about 1 mile of the coast, where wind off 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 high wind or heavy rain. The wider area around Sandgate has a long history of building, with Acrise Place about 4.4 miles north. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
For landlords with property near Folkestone West station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Sandgate is about 1 mile south-west of Folkestone, in Kent. From houses to flats and shops in Sandgate, the roof can be surveyed. Sandgate is one of the towns and villages in Kent where we work. For surveys nearby, see our Canterbury page.
Every address in CT20 and CT50 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys. We cover properties on East Road, Gough Road and Castle Road. Other places close to Sandgate include Cheriton (1 mile north), Seabrook (1 mile west), Folkestone (1 mile north-east), Newington (2 miles north-west) and Peene (2 miles north-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Ashford (13 miles west), Canterbury (14 miles north), Dover (8 miles north-east), Deal (15 miles north-east), Hythe (3 miles west) and Tower Hamlets (8 miles north-east).
What’s near Sandgate
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Lower Leas Coastal Park, Ship Inn and School of English Studies, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Folkestone West station, roughly 0.8 miles north-east. Well-known places in the area include Folkestone Museum (1.6 miles east) and Sandgate Castle (within half a mile east). The countryside around Sandgate includes Sugar Loaf Hill.
What a survey costs
Survey packages start from £150, including VAT. The price for your roof depends on:
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- The size of the roof
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- Which survey package you book
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, with VAT included, and we will tell you which fits.
What we need to know
Here’s what helps us most when you contact us:
- The address and postcode of the property
- Dates you’re working to, like exchange
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
Booking is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and give us some details about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Common questions in Sandgate
Do you cover smaller places like Sandgate?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Is the coastal weather around Sandgate hard on roofs?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, while strong wind lifts anything already loose.
How long will you be at the property?
Allow roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. We will confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
What’s the best way to book?
It is easiest to phone 07833 053749 or email us. Let us know the address and a little about the roof, and we will take it from there. Surveys run seven days a week.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it is not a RICS home survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Where it is applicable and safe, yes. We fly a sub-250g drone and we are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). It’s included in the Drone Roof Survey and, where it applies, the Premium Survey.
Do you need access inside the house?
If it can be arranged, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If we can’t get in, the report says so.