Kent · London and the South East
Shalmsford Street Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Shalmsford Street, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photos.
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
Pre-purchase roof surveys for Shalmsford Street homes and businesses
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Shalmsford Street
A roof report gives you something solid to take back to the seller or the agent. You can ask about the roof’s history, ask for repairs before completion or rethink the price. What the seller agrees to is up to them, but you will be negotiating from a clear picture rather than a hunch. It can also help you decide whether the purchase is still right for you. If you’re worried about flashings that have lifted or split and standing water on a flat extension roof, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Around Shalmsford Street, you’ll mostly find houses and bungalows of different ages. Older roofs may still have their original slates or clay tiles, with fixings and underlay that have done a long stint. For a purchase or a newly replaced roof, what’s under the coverings matters as much as what’s on top. Older roofs often have bitumen felt under the coverings, as breathable membranes only arrived in the late 1990s.
We keep jargon out of it: where something needs attention, it says so plainly.
- Where
- Shalmsford Street (CT4)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Buying a home or a new roof in Shalmsford Street
Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. Older houses across Kent frequently have handmade clay or peg tiles, and many have tile-hung walls. Oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of the county’s older buildings too. The covering on a house you are buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest.
If you let a flat or house near Chartham station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Shalmsford Street is about 3 miles south-west of Canterbury, in Kent. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Shalmsford Street for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings. Shalmsford Street is one of the towns and villages in Kent we cover.
All of CT4 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We offer pre-purchase roof surveys to properties on Old Church Road, Pomfret Road and Summer Piece Grove. Other places close to Shalmsford Street include Chartham (1 mile north), Mystole (1 mile west), Garlinge Green (1 mile south), Chartham Hatch (1 mile north) and Thanington (2 miles north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Ashford (10 miles south-west), Canterbury (3 miles north-east), Dover (14 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (14 miles north-west), Folkestone (13 miles south-east) and Whitstable (7 miles north).
Local landmarks in Shalmsford Street
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Artichoke Inn and Broadham Down and the streets around them. Shalmsford Street’s nearest station is Chartham station, roughly 0.5 miles north. Well-known places in the area include Chilham Castle (2.6 miles west) and Whitefriars Shopping Centre (3.3 miles north-east). Not far away are Blean Woods RSPB Reserve.
Different roofs, different checks
Chimney stacks
A leaning stack, cracked flaunching or crumbling pointing can all need work. We note them with photos so you can ask about them.
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings close the gaps at chimneys, walls and abutments. We look for lead that has lifted, split or been patched over.
Nearby places to Shalmsford Street
More services for Shalmsford Street
FAQs for Shalmsford Street
Do you carry out roof surveys in Shalmsford Street?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photographs, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Shalmsford Street?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Do you go up on the roof?
Where it’s safe, yes. We inspect from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the loft and from the roof itself where safe. On Premium, a drone is used where applicable.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day. Just say which days work for you.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
They do different things. A RICS home survey covers the whole building, while ours looks only at the roof, in more detail. Our survey complements a RICS survey and does not replace one.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes. Buyers use the findings to ask questions, ask for repairs before completion or ask for a price change. What the seller agrees to is their decision, so we can’t promise any saving.
What if it rains on the day?
It can, depending on the survey. Drones can’t fly safely in strong wind or a downpour, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. If the conditions are not right, we’ll talk to you about another date.
Useful tips for Shalmsford Street property owners
Small things make a difference, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Some pointers:
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Ask for loft access on the day
Your report arrives by email, with photos of what we found. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Findings are set out in plain English, with recommendations prioritised by urgency where relevant.
After you move in, have leaves and moss cleared from gutters and valleys, especially after autumn. Blocked gutters cause much of the damp we see. Use a gutter contractor rather than going up a ladder yourself.
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Shalmsford Street
Many roofs have had quick fixes over the years. 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. We note what we see so you can ask about it.
Typical things we are asked to look at include:
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Church of St Mary, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Before booking anyone
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Will the report include photos?
Landlord and commercial surveys in Shalmsford Street
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which helps when tenants work during the week.
We survey roofs for letting agents and landlords as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photos.
What happens on the day
Photographs are taken throughout the visit, so the report shows exactly what we saw. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available, including by drone where it is applicable and the weather allows. A typical visit takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. A visit to a smaller place like Shalmsford Street is no different on the day: outside, inside and from any safe vantage point, in that order. It’s useful to show us anything you’ve already noticed.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you are buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Before we arrive
- Keep pets in another room
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
Getting a price
Most bookings start with a short call: call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Advice
Honest limits
Our survey isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll point you to the right survey before you book. What our survey covers.
Roofs we survey in Shalmsford Street
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes