Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in St Margarets, Kent
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in St Margarets, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Get in touch for a price.
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in St Margarets
A RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey covers the whole building, so the roof is one item among many. Our survey isn’t a RICS survey, and it doesn’t replace one. What it adds is a closer look at the roof alone, with photos and written recommendations you can act on. You can have both. Common reasons to book are lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney and chimney mortar that has eroded, across chimney stacks, lead flashings and valleys and the roof space.
Somewhere as small as St Margarets, 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 are buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photos, emailed to you. It explains the condition of the roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Place
- St Margarets (DA4)
- Region
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Prices for pre-purchase roof surveys in St Margarets
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before you book. These are the things that affect it:
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- Height and safe access
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package you pick makes a difference too. The price is always agreed first.
Booking your survey
There is no need for technical words. Just tell us:
- Whether there is a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- Dates you are working to, such as exchange
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
Not sure which survey you need? It’s easiest to call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
How it works
We photograph the roof as we go, so you can see in the report what we found and where. We take close-ups from wherever is safe. A typical visit takes between one and two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Rural addresses near St Margarets can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- 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.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from ground level and from vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it is safe.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
Booking a survey
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
Advice
St Margarets questions
How do I find out if my home in St Margarets is listed?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Is St Margarets in the area you cover?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Do I need to be at home?
It depends on what we need to see. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in; we’ll agree the details as you book.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them.
What’s the best way to book?
It is easiest to ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Give us the address and a few details about the roof. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends.
What if it rains on the day?
It depends on the weather and the survey. Strong wind or heavy rain can make access unsafe and ground a drone, so we’d move the date with you.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. It is a dedicated roof survey, and you get a written report with photos. It is not a RICS survey and does not cover the rest of the house.
Surveys for landlords and agents in St Margarets
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on, photographs included.
Local roofs and buyers in St Margarets
Across Kent, older roofs are often handmade clay or peg tiles, and tile-hanging on upper walls is a familiar sight. The county’s older buildings also include oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new. Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
If you let a flat or house near Farningham Road station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full. For an older house near a landmark like Church of St Margaret of Antioch, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming. Lullingstone Castle lies about 4.5 miles south-west, so building around St Margarets goes back a long way. When you buy an older home, the roof’s age, past repairs and any listing all affect what you might spend later.
St Margarets is about 3 miles south-east of Dartford, in Kent. Bookings from St Margarets are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. St Margarets is one of the places in Kent where we work for pre-purchase roof surveys. There is also a page for Maidstone.
Surveys in DA4 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. We also cover South Darenth (1 mile south-west), Darenth (1 mile north), Green Street Green (1 mile east), Sutton at Hone (1 mile west) and Grubb Street (1 mile east). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (15 miles south-east), Dartford (3 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (9 miles south), Gravesend (5 miles east), Tonbridge (15 miles south) and Northfleet (4 miles north-east).
Landmarks near St Margarets
We work in homes and buildings around Darenth Country Park, Leigh Academy and Fox & Hounds pub. St Margarets’s nearest station is Farningham Road station, about 1.1 miles south-west of the centre. Nearby you will also find Stone Museum of Geology (2.5 miles north) and Darent Valley Hospital (1.7 miles north). Open spaces near St Margarets include Sawyers Lake and Wansunt Pit.
Nearby places to St Margarets
Also in St Margarets
What you can safely check yourself
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way. That part is for a survey.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Tips from our surveys
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Let us know your timetable
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Ask for loft access on the day
The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation to talk the findings through, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. If anything in the report isn’t clear, ask us.
Chimneys and flashings need watching. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. Binoculars from the ground are enough for a first look.
Why get it checked now?
A seller may honestly not know the state of the roof. The forms they complete only show what they’re aware of. Our survey shows you the roof as it is today, whatever anyone remembers. Outbuildings and barns around St Margarets are easy to forget, but a failed roof there can spoil what’s stored inside. It’s worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we can help you choose.
What you get with us
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- A photo-illustrated written report
- Surveys seven days a week
- An independent view of the roof
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or our case studies.