Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Sheldwich Lees, Kent
Know where you stand with the roof before you spend money on it. Pre-purchase roof surveys in Sheldwich Lees.
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
Why act early in Sheldwich Lees
Once you exchange, the roof’s problems become yours. Before it, you still have choices. A survey after you’ve moved in tells you the same things, but with far less room to act on them. Older and listed buildings around Sheldwich Lees may need consent and matching materials for repairs, so a defect found early gives time to plan the work properly.
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package you pick makes a difference too. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
What you get with us
- A written report with photos
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
Take a look at our cost guide and our case studies.
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Sheldwich Lees
Some roofs cannot be seen well from ground level or from windows. Our Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and, where applicable, a drone inspection, along with a same-day report. If airspace rules or the weather rule out a flight, we’ll say so and inspect from every other safe vantage point. We survey natural slate, lead flashings and valleys and chimney stacks, and common reasons people get in touch are chimney mortar that has eroded and slipped or missing slates and tiles.
For a small place like Sheldwich Lees, the visit is planned like any other: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed ahead of time. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them 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 on weekdays and at weekends.
Nothing in the report is left vague: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, along with how urgent it is.
- Location
- Sheldwich Lees (ME13)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Places near Sheldwich Lees
What else we do in Sheldwich Lees
When to book a survey in Sheldwich Lees
Viewings rarely include a proper look at the roof. You walk round the rooms, but the roof stays out of sight, and a quick glance from the street misses a lot. Fresh decoration can also cover the marks an old leak left behind, so a closer look is worth having before you commit.
Typical things we’re asked to look at include:
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
Landlords with a home close to Selling station may find that a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
What a survey costs
Not every roof costs the same to survey, for these reasons:
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- The shape of the roof and its details
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so they’re priced to match. You will know the figure before booking.
Booking your survey
When you call or email, these details help:
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- What made you get in touch
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
When you are ready to go ahead, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date.
Honest limits
No survey can tell you everything, and we’d rather be clear about that before booking. Bear these in mind:
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will tell you. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What this survey covers
- The roof space
- Gutters and downpipes
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
What we do, step by step
You do not need to do much on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we’ll get on with the inspection. The survey itself takes roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. Somewhere as small as Sheldwich Lees, access is frequently the only tricky part. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it’s safe.
- You get a photo-illustrated written report and recommendations before you exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
Book a survey
We confirm the price for your survey before booking, so you know where you stand. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. To book, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Related advice
FAQs for Sheldwich Lees
Do you cover Sheldwich Lees?
Yes, Sheldwich Lees is within the area we cover. We work right across London and the South East. You can call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and some details.
How do I find out if my home in Sheldwich Lees is listed?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it helps and it is safe, yes. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we’re allowed to reach.
Do you go up on the roof?
Only where it’s safe to do so. Much of the inspection is done from ground level, from windows and from the roof space. On Premium, a drone is used where it applies.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
It typically takes about 1–2 hours for most houses, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
How do I arrange a pre-purchase roof survey in Sheldwich Lees?
To book, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address, the type of property and what’s prompted the survey. We’ll confirm the price and agree a day with you.
Tips from our surveys
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Check we’ll be able to get into the roof space
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
We email the report to you, with photos of each finding. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Each defect is explained in plain words, with recommendations prioritised by urgency where relevant.
Keep an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. Binoculars from ground level are enough for a first look.
Sheldwich Lees homes and their roofs
Belmont House and Gardens, about 1.7 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Sheldwich Lees. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. 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’re buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest.
Take an older house close to Church of St James: a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Sheldwich Lees is about 3 miles south of Faversham, in Kent. In Sheldwich Lees, as across Kent, every roof gets the same careful survey. Sheldwich Lees is one of the towns and villages in Kent where we work. We also survey roofs in Canterbury.
We cover every part of the ME13 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Sheldwich (1 mile north-west), Badlesmere (1 mile south), North Street (1 mile north), Throwley (1 mile west) and Throwley Forstal (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Ashford (9 miles south), Canterbury (8 miles east), Sittingbourne (8 miles north-west), Whitstable (8 miles north-east), Faversham (3 miles north) and Herne Bay (13 miles north-east).
What’s near Sheldwich Lees
The closest station to Sheldwich Lees is Selling station, about 2.4 miles east. Well-known places in the area include Tower keep castle at Chilham (3.7 miles south-east).