Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in St Lawrence, Kent
Find out what’s going on with the roof before you spend money on it. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in St Lawrence, with photos and a clear written report.
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
Pre-purchase roof survey in St Lawrence
Our packages start with the Basic Survey from £150, with the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all including VAT. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check. Premium goes further, with thermal imaging, a drone where it applies and a same-day report. Pick the one that fits the property. All three include a photo-illustrated written report and recommendations. We survey chimney stacks, natural slate and the roof space, and people most often book us about lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney and cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing.
Bungalows, chalet bungalows and older cottages are common in smaller places like St Lawrence, many of them extended or given dormers over the years. Even on a low roof, dormers, valleys and flat-roofed additions need a careful look. The same goes for a purchase or a new roof around St Lawrence. Lead around a dormer and the edges of a flat roof are common places for snags and wear alike.
If any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You’ll know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Location
- St Lawrence (CT11, CT12)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we do, step by step
We’ll ask a few questions first, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. Then the inspection 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. A visit to a smaller place like St Lawrence is no different on the day: we look from the ground, from windows, from the loft and from the roof where it is safe. Point out any stains, cracks or loose pieces you’ve spotted.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it’s safe.
- You get a written report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.
Before the survey
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
How to book
Photos help, if you have them. Take them safely from ground level or a window, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To get started, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Related advice
What we can’t see
No survey can tell you everything, and it’s better to know them up front. Bear these in mind:
- A structural engineer’s report
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. The full list of what we check.
What we look at
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
Useful tips for St Lawrence property owners
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Mention any deadline when you contact us
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- Ask the agent to check the loft hatch can be opened
With the findings in hand, you can talk to the seller or their agent. You might ask for the work to be done before completion, or ask to adjust the price. What happens next is your decision and the seller’s, and we cannot promise any result.
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. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in St Lawrence
Do roofs near the sea, like those around St Lawrence, take more of a battering?
It can do. Within about 1 mile of the sea, as St Lawrence is, metal fixings wear faster and gales find any loose ridge or slate.
Will you come out to St Lawrence?
Yes, St Lawrence is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. We look at the parts we’re given access to, and the report makes that clear.
Do you need access inside the house?
Where possible, yes. The loft tells us a lot about the roof, and upstairs windows give useful views. Access is usually arranged through the agent or seller.
When will the report arrive?
Premium reports arrive the same day, Standard reports within 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Reports are emailed, with photographs.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
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.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Where it is applicable and safe, yes. We are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where it applies.
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- Roof area
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where it applies, from £400 inc. VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you need to know.
Booking your survey
Getting the details right at the start saves time. It is useful to include:
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
- When you need the report by
- The property’s address and postcode
We confirm the price for your survey before booking, so you know where you stand. Prices start from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
When to book a survey in St Lawrence
Blocked or leaking gutters do damage that is not obvious at first. Overflowing water soaks walls and can rot the timber behind. Valley and parapet gutters can overflow inside the house. We check them as part of the survey.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Flashings that have lifted or split
Landlords with a home close to Ramsgate station may find that a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Before booking anyone
- What the survey won’t cover
- Their insurance cover
- Their report turnaround times
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
St Lawrence homes and their roofs
St Lawrence lies within about 1 mile of the sea, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, and strong wind lifts anything already loose on a roof, so exposed details get a proper look whether you are buying or signing off new work. About 4.1 miles north-west lies Quex Park, a reminder of how long the area around St Lawrence has been built on. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Laurence, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
St Lawrence is about 1 mile west of Ramsgate, in Kent. If you are in St Lawrence, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: a call or an email, a price, then a date. We cover towns and villages across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Canterbury.
We survey roofs across CT11 and CT12 for pre-purchase roof surveys. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Park Road, Saxon Road and Downs Road or a nearby road, we can help. With the A255 close by, St Lawrence is easy for us to reach. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Ramsgate (1 mile east), Northwood (1 mile north), Upton (2 miles north-east), St Peter's (2 miles north) and Broadstairs (2 miles north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Canterbury (14 miles west), Margate (3 miles north), Dover (14 miles south), Deal (8 miles south), Herne Bay (12 miles west) and Tower Hamlets (15 miles south).
Local landmarks in St Lawrence
We work in homes and buildings around Chatham House Grammar School, Churchill House School With Railed Area and The Admiral Fox pub and the streets around them. St Lawrence has its own railway station: Ramsgate station. A little further out are Westwood Cross (1.5 miles north) and Ramsgate General Hospital (0.6 miles south-east). Not far away are Sandwich and Pegwell Bay.
Places near St Lawrence
Other services in St Lawrence
Landlords, agents and block managers in St Lawrence
Landlords, agents and building managers in St Lawrence and across Kent can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, putting the urgent items at the top.