Kent · London and the South East
Swanscombe Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
An experienced roof surveyor for pre-purchase roof surveys in Swanscombe. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us across London and South East England.
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
Landlord and commercial surveys in Swanscombe
Letting agents and landlords in Swanscombe book surveys as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photographs, which helps you plan work between tenancies.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Swanscombe: what you get
A RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey covers the whole building, so the roof is one item among many. Our survey is not a RICS survey, and it does not replace one. What it adds is a closer look at the roof alone, with photos and written recommendations you can act on. The two sit side by side if you want the fullest picture. We survey lead flashings and valleys, natural slate and the roof space, and people most often book us about quick fixes on flashings and valleys and sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes.
Smaller places like Swanscombe often have bungalows and cottages as well as houses, and many have been extended or had dormers added. Low roofs are easier to see from ground level, but dormer cheeks, valleys and flat-roofed additions still need close attention. The same goes for a purchase or a new roof around Swanscombe. Lead around a dormer and the edges of a flat roof are common places for snags and wear alike.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Where
- Swanscombe (DA9, DA10)
- Region
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
A survey visit follows a simple order: we listen to what’s been worrying you, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. Most visits take an hour or two at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. With a bit of garden around a house, as there often is around Swanscombe, the roof can be viewed from several angles. Mention any side of the property we can’t get to. Inside, the loft is looked at where it can be reached safely.
- 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.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
How to prepare
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Book a survey
A quick phone call is typically the easiest start: call 07833 053749 or email us, and we will ask about the building and what you need. The price is agreed before a date is set.
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What a survey costs
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- The size of the roof
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
Prices start from £150, with VAT included, for a Basic Survey. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400. We confirm the price for your survey before booking.
Getting in touch
Getting the details right at the start saves time. Please include:
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- The kind of building and roof involved
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email to find out.
Questions from Swanscombe
Will you come out to Swanscombe?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
How do I find out if my home in Swanscombe is listed?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it’s not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability.
Will you need to get into the loft?
Where possible, yes. The loft tells us a lot about the roof, and views from upper windows help too. Access is normally arranged through the agent or seller.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Someone needs to let us in if we’re looking inside or in the loft. Access is agreed with you as you book.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
Once your offer has been accepted, and before exchange. That gives you time to use the findings, whether that means asking questions or negotiating.
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Swanscombe
Swanscombe lies within about 4 miles of the sea, where wind off the sea can be strong. The weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead, as a small drone can’t fly safely in high wind or heavy rain. Listing and conservation areas can both shape what roof work is allowed on an older home. Your council and Historic England’s list will tell you where you stand, ideally before any re-roofing is planned.
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Mary, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are. For landlords with property near Greenhithe for Bluewater station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Swanscombe is about 3 miles east of Dartford, in Kent. In Swanscombe, as across Kent, every roof gets the same careful survey. We cover towns and villages across Kent, large and small. Maidstone is in our area too.
We work across DA9 and DA10 for pre-purchase roof surveys. Local streets include London Road, Craylands Square and High Street, and we cover them all. Being close to the A206 and A226, Swanscombe is simple for us to get to for pre-purchase roof surveys. If you’re just outside Swanscombe, we cover Greenhithe (1 mile north-west), Stone (1 mile west), Bean (1 mile south), West Thurrock (2 miles north) and Darenth (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Dartford (3 miles west), Sevenoaks (12 miles south), Gravesend (4 miles east), Northfleet (3 miles south-east), Swanley (6 miles south-west) and Kings Hill (13 miles south).
Landmarks near Swanscombe
Around Swanscombe, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Castle Hill Park, The Ebbsfleet Academy and The Pier Hotel, among other places. The nearest railway station is Greenhithe for Bluewater station, about 0.5 miles west. A little further out are Stone Castle (0.7 miles south-west) and Bluewater (1 mile south-west). The countryside around Swanscombe includes Sawyers Lake and Chafford Gorges Nature Park.
Tips that help
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Let us know your timetable
After you move in, keep the report somewhere safe. Work through the urgent items before anything else, and keep the photos to compare against later. The Premium Survey includes a 12-month follow-up.
Keep an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. Binoculars from ground level are enough for a first look.
Also near Swanscombe
Also in Swanscombe
What this survey cannot tell you
We only report whatever is safely visible on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. What our survey covers.
What we check
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
Leave it or get it looked at?
Without a survey, you’re relying on a glance from the pavement. That won’t show slipped slates on the rear slope, a worn valley or cracked flaunching. We fill that gap before you are tied in, with photos of anything that needs attention. Tradespeople may need to travel further to a smaller place like Swanscombe, so it helps to plan roof work rather than call someone out in a hurry. A survey gives you that notice.
There are three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, all including VAT. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
What you get with us
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Visits on any day of the week
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- Package prices that include VAT
See how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.