Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in St Margaret's at Cliffe, Kent
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in St Margaret's at Cliffe, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
About our pre-purchase roof survey in St Margaret's at Cliffe
If you’re buying a flat, the roof may well be shared. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that is often not the individual flat owner, with costs often passed on through the service charge. We look at as much of the roof as access safely allows, and the report helps you ask your solicitor or the managing agent the right questions. Where the building has a flat roof, it is checked as far as access allows. We survey flat-roofed extensions and dormers, lead flashings and valleys and chimney stacks, and people most often book us about chimney mortar that has eroded and a ridge or slope that dips.
In a smaller place like St Margaret's at Cliffe, homes are mostly houses and bungalows, from older cottages to more recent builds. In older homes, the slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens and underlay holding them. For a purchase or a newly replaced roof, what’s under the coverings matters as much as what’s on top. Older roofs frequently have bitumen felt under the coverings, as breathable membranes only arrived in the late 1990s.
Where we cannot see part of the roof, the report says so. That way, it’s clear what was covered and what wasn’t.
- Location
- St Margaret's at Cliffe (CT15)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips from our surveys
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Let us know your exchange date when booking
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- Check we’ll be able to get into the loft space
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.
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.
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in St Margaret's at Cliffe
St Margaret's at Cliffe is within about 1 mile of the coast, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, and strong wind lifts anything already loose on a roof. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
With Walmer Castle about 3.5 miles north, the area around St Margaret's at Cliffe has a long history. When you buy an older home, the roof’s age, past repairs and any listing all affect what you might spend later. For landlords with property near Martin Mill station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
St Margaret's at Cliffe is about 3 miles east of Dover, in Kent. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in St Margaret's at Cliffe for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Across Kent, we cover St Margaret's at Cliffe and the places around it. We also survey roofs in Canterbury.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in CT15 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Whether your property is on High Street, Station Road and Chapel Lane or anywhere close by, we can survey it. We also cover West Cliffe (1 mile west), Martin Mill (2 miles north-west), East Langdon (2 miles north-west), Martin (2 miles north-west) and Ringwould (2 miles north). We also work in nearby towns like Canterbury (15 miles north-west), Dover (3 miles west), Folkestone (10 miles south-west), Ramsgate (13 miles north), Broadstairs (15 miles north) and Deal (4 miles north).
What’s near St Margaret's at Cliffe
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Duke of York's Royal Military School and The White Cliffs pub and the streets around them. St Margaret's at Cliffe’s nearest station is Martin Mill station, about 1.6 miles north-west of the centre. A little further out are St Margaret's Museum (0.6 miles south-east) and Dover Castle (2.8 miles south-west). Open spaces near St Margaret's at Cliffe include Dover Western Heights.
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 between one and two hours on an ordinary house, and more on a big or complicated roof. Parking around St Margaret's at Cliffe is usually easier than in a town centre, but mention lanes, gates or long drives. Low roofs on bungalows can often be seen well from the ground, and the loft shows the rest, while taller roofs may need other vantage points or the drone where applicable.
- 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
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Let us know where we can park nearby
How to book
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to ring 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Read more
Common roof problems in St Margaret's at Cliffe
Many roofs have had quick fixes over the years. Bitumen over flashings, mortar fillets in place of lead and odd replacement tiles can be signs that something has leaked before. We note what we see so you can ask about it.
Look out for signs like these:
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near Church of St Margaret, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
What to check before booking
- Are they insured for the work?
- What the survey won’t cover
- What happens after the report arrives
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
Checking the roof from the ground
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
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What we cannot see
No survey can tell you everything, and it’s better to know them up front. Keep these in mind:
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll suggest the right survey before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Natural slate
St Margaret's at Cliffe questions
Do you cover smaller places like St Margaret's at Cliffe?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. Our area covers London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Does being near the coast affect roofs in St Margaret's at Cliffe?
Places near the sea get more wind and more salt in the air than inland, and both are hard on roofs. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, while strong wind lifts anything already loose.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
After your offer is accepted and before you exchange contracts. That way you can still act on what we find.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. It’s a dedicated roof survey, with a written report and photographs. It doesn’t cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
How do I arrange a pre-purchase roof survey in St Margaret's at Cliffe?
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and tell us the address and what you need to know. We’ll confirm the price and agree a day with you.
What insurance do you have?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and details are available on request.
How experienced are you?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years.
Roof by roof
Gutters and parapets
Hidden gutters behind parapets send water indoors when they block. Where we can see them safely, we check the linings and outlets.
Flat roofs
Flat roofs on extensions, dormers and garages are easy to forget about. Felt roofs frequently last around 15 to 20 years, rubber longer and GRP up to about 30. We check how the covering is wearing.