Kent · London and the South East
Tankerton Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Find out what’s going on with the roof before you decide what to do next. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Tankerton.
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
Practical tips
Most of what helps is simple and safe from ground level. Our suggestions:
- Ask for loft access on the day
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Request records of any re-roofing
The report gives any roofer you ask to quote a clear brief. The photos show the defects and where they are, so each quote covers the same ground.
Every so frequently, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Damp patches, daylight through the roof or water stains on timbers are worth noting. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Tankerton
A Basic Survey starts from £150, while Standard starts from £250 and Premium from £400, including VAT. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check. Premium goes further, with thermal imaging, a drone where it applies and a same-day report. Choose the level that suits the home you are buying. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. We survey the roof space, chimney stacks and lead flashings and valleys, and people most often book us about blistered or split felt on a flat roof and old water stains in the roof space.
In a smaller place like Tankerton, some houses face open ground, so their roofs may take more wind and driving rain. Loose ridge tiles, lifted coverings and tired flashings are the kind of things that show it. Whether you’re buying or signing off new work, those edges deserve a close look. On an exposed roof, a loose ridge or verge soon becomes a bigger job.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets. It records what’s sound as well as what isn’t.
- Place
- Tankerton (CT5)
- Region
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Should I look at the roof myself first?
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That part is for a survey.
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight.
What this survey can’t tell you
In fairness, a roof survey has limits:
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will tell you. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- The roof space
- Gutters and downpipes
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Tankerton
Is my home in Tankerton listed or in a conservation area?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Is Tankerton within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Can you survey in bad weather?
It can, depending on the survey. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. We’ll rearrange with you if the weather is not right.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. We look at the parts we’re given access to, and the report makes that clear.
What’s the best way to book?
The quickest way is to phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. Give us the address and some details about the roof, and we will take it from there. We survey on any day of the week.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
It is your choice, but the two do different jobs. A RICS home survey covers the whole building, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Ours sits alongside a RICS survey rather than replacing it.
When will the report arrive?
It depends on the package: within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. Tell us your exchange date and we will help you choose.
Towns and villages near Tankerton
More services for Tankerton
Landlords, agents and block managers in Tankerton
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To discuss a number of properties, phone 07833 053749 or email us with the addresses.
Letting agents and landlords in Tankerton book surveys as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photographs, useful for planning maintenance.
Buying a home or a new roof in Tankerton
Tankerton lies within about 1 mile of the sea, where wind off the sea can be strong. A small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, so the weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead. If the drone is used for your survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
If you let a flat or house near Whitstable station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Tankerton is about 1 mile north-east of Whitstable, in Kent. Bookings from Tankerton are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Our area takes in places right across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Canterbury.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: CT5. Local streets include Gann Road, Clare Road and Athol Road, and we cover them all. If you are just outside Tankerton, we cover Swalecliffe (1 mile east), Chestfield (1 mile south-east), Whitstable (1 mile south-west), Radfall (2 miles south-east) and West End (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Canterbury (6 miles south), Margate (15 miles east), Sittingbourne (14 miles west), Faversham (8 miles south-west), Herne Bay (4 miles east) and Minster (11 miles west).
Landmarks near Tankerton
We work in homes and buildings around The Whitstable School and Monument Public House, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Whitstable station, roughly 0.7 miles south-west. Other landmarks nearby include Whitstable and Tankerton Hospital (under half a mile south-east) and Tankerton Castle (0.5 miles west). For a walk, there’s West Blean and Thornden Woods.
The survey, step by step
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 photos go into the written report. The visit typically takes between one and two hours for most houses, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. In a smaller place like Tankerton, as anywhere, the forecast plays a part: drone flights and thermal imaging need the right conditions, while a look from ground level and the loft can go ahead in most weather.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us 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.
- Inside, we check the loft space and look at the roof from windows.
- You get a report with photos and recommendations before you exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Arrange a survey
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: ring 07833 053749 or send us an email. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.
Related advice
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Tankerton
A chimney stack stands out in the wind and rain and they’re often the least maintained part of a roof. Mortar erodes, the flaunching around the pots cracks and the flashings work loose. A stack may be shared with the neighbours, which matters if work is needed.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
Take an older house close to Church of All Saints: the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos