Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in St Michaels, Kent
Need a pre-purchase roof survey in St Michaels? We can help, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
How the survey works
The aim of the visit is simple: to see as much of the roof as can safely be seen and record it clearly. Notes and photographs go into the written report. It typically takes about 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Somewhere as small as St Michaels, access is often the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you are buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- 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
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Let us know about parking before the day
Arrange a survey
We survey roofs seven days a week. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Advice
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in St Michaels
With a written roof report, you can go back to the seller or agent with specifics. You might ask about past repairs, ask for work to be done before completion or think again about your offer. What the seller agrees to is up to them, but you’ll be negotiating from a clear picture rather than a hunch. It also helps you decide whether to go ahead at all. We survey lead flashings and valleys, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and the roof space, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are roof slopes that look uneven or sagging and signs of past leaks inside the loft.
Some older homes in villages like St Michaels are listed or sit in a conservation area. That can affect what materials a new roof may use, so check with the council and Historic England’s list. Whether you’re buying or signing off new roofing, it is worth knowing where you stand. England has around 10,000 conservation areas and about 500,000 listed buildings.
The report records the roof as we found it on the day. It is useful right away, and a good reference for later, like when you want to compare after future work.
- Where
- St Michaels (TN30)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
St Michaels: your questions answered
Is my home in St Michaels listed or in a conservation area?
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.
Do you carry out roof surveys in St Michaels?
Yes, St Michaels is within the area we cover. We survey roofs across London and South East England. You can phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and some details, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. Buyers use the findings to ask questions, ask for repairs before completion or ask for a price change. The outcome is between you and the seller.
How soon is the report ready?
That depends on which survey you choose: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Let us know your exchange date and we will help you choose.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the roof space, someone has to give us access.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Common roof problems in St Michaels
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.
It’s worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
The streets around a church like Church of St Michael are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
What to check before booking
- How soon the report will arrive
- What insurance they carry
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
Roof by roof
Gutters and parapets
Hidden gutters behind parapets send water indoors when they block. We check their linings and outlets from wherever is safe.
Flat roofs
Flat roofs on extensions, dormers and garages are easy to forget about. Felt often lasts around 15 to 20 years, EPDM rubber 30 to 50 and GRP up to about 30. We look for signs of age and failure.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, with the report sent to whoever needs it. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To discuss a number of properties, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in St Michaels
Many older homes in Kent have handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles held by pegs through two holes, and tile-hanging on their upper walls. The county’s older buildings also include oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most. If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
Smallhythe Place, about 3.3 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around St Michaels. When you buy an older home, the roof’s age, past repairs and any listing all affect what you might spend later.
St Michaels is about 8 miles south-west of Ashford, in Kent. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in St Michaels can all book pre-purchase roof surveys, with a written report and photographs every time. Our area takes in places right across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Our Maidstone page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in TN30 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Local streets include Ox Lane, Swain Road and Grange Road, and we cover them all. Being close to the A28, St Michaels is easy for us to reach for pre-purchase roof surveys. Close by, we survey roofs in London Beach (1 mile north), Tenterden (1 mile south), Broad Tenterden (2 miles south), Parkgate (2 miles west) and Clapper Hill (3 miles west). Further out, we also cover Maidstone (14 miles north-west), Ashford (8 miles north-east), Foley Park (15 miles north-west), Paddock Wood (15 miles north-west), Bearsted (14 miles north-west) and Park Wood (12 miles north-west).
What’s near St Michaels
Typical jobs here are in homes near Turners Field and Homewood School and the streets around them. Other landmarks nearby include Tenterden and District Museum (1.3 miles south) and Romden Castle (4.3 miles north).
What you can safely check yourself
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
What a survey costs
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. That comes down to:
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. The price is always agreed first.
Booking your survey
We’ll typically ask about:
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- The address and postcode of the property
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or email us and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.