Medway · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Stoke, Medway
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Stoke from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Stoke
Buying a flat brings its own roof questions. Depending on the lease, roof repairs may fall to the building owner or a management company. We inspect what access allows us to see safely, 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. If you’ve noticed slates or tiles that have slipped or gone and signs of past leaks inside the loft, we can find out what’s behind it, on chimney stacks, natural slate and lead flashings and valleys alike.
Being in a small place like Stoke makes no difference to the inspection itself: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed in advance. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages with roofs you’d like looked at when booking, so the visit can be planned around them. Whether you are buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Visits can be booked on weekdays and at weekends.
The report is written in plain words, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Photos show what each point refers to, and recommendations are put by urgency where it matters.
- Place
- Stoke (ME3)
- Region
- Medway
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
The survey, step by step
Every roof is different, but as a rough guide the survey takes about one to two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. You are welcome to ask questions while we’re there. Rural addresses near Stoke can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
How to prepare
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
Arrange a survey
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know where you stand. Our price is from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
What else we do in Stoke
Buying a home or a new roof in Stoke
The coast is about 1 mile or less from Stoke, so there’s more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, and strong wind lifts anything already loose on a roof, so exposed details get a close look whether you are buying or signing off new work. Older houses across Kent often have handmade clay or peg tiles, and many have tile-hung walls. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. Whether you are buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds.
Take an older house close to Church of St Peter and St Paul: the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Stoke is about 5 miles north of Gillingham, in Medway. Wherever you are in Stoke, we can come and survey your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Our Medway coverage includes Stoke and the places around it. For surveys nearby, see our Maidstone page.
Here we cover the ME3 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Streets in the area include Vicarage Lane and Vicarage Close, and we cover them all. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Middle Stoke (1 mile east), Lower Stoke (1 mile north-east), North Street (1 mile south-west), Tunbridge Hill (1 mile south-west) and St Mary Hoo (1 mile north-west). Larger places within reach include Gillingham (5 miles south), Chatham (7 miles south-west), Rochester (7 miles south-west), Rainham (6 miles south), Strood (7 miles south-west) and Luton (6 miles south-west).
Near you in Stoke
In Stoke, that means homes and buildings near The White Horse pub and the streets around them. Other landmarks nearby include Medway Maritime Hospital (5.7 miles south-west) and Upnor Castle (4.8 miles south-west). Not far away are Bishop Saltings.
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Stoke
Is my home in Stoke listed or in a conservation area?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Do you cover smaller places like Stoke?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where applicable and safe. We fly a sub-250g drone and we’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where applicable.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, if whoever owns or manages the building agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we are allowed to reach, and the report makes that clear.
Do you need to go inside the property?
If it can be arranged, yes. From the roof space we can see staining, timbers and underlay. If access isn’t possible, we note it in the report.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing aren’t part of what we do. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, like cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before any work.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it is not a RICS home survey. It complements one rather than replacing it.
Common roof problems in Stoke
Rear extensions, dormers and garages frequently have flat roofs. Felt flat roofs often last around 15 to 20 years, and ponding, blisters and splits are common signs of age. A buyer can easily miss them, especially when they’re only visible from an upper floor.
Common reasons to book include:
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
Around Stoke, as everywhere, small roof faults are simplest to sort before they let water in.
Before you book anyone
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- What they will not be able to tell you
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
All our prices include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- Height and safe access
Every price we give includes VAT. Our price is from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for the job before booking.
Booking your survey
Before you get in touch, it helps to have:
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- What’s prompted the survey
You can call us seven days a week. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or email us.
DIY checks: what’s safe
It helps to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
A lot can be seen from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client.
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Stoke. To discuss a property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
How the survey changes by roof type
Natural slate
Older slate roofs often have bitumen felt under them, and very old ones may have none. From inside the loft space, we report what we can see of it.
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings are a common source of leaks, so we look at each one closely. We photograph any that need work.