Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Ulcombe, Kent
Find out the condition of the roof at your property in Ulcombe from an independent roof surveyor. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
Buying a home or a new roof in Ulcombe
Historic houses such as Leeds Castle, about 2.5 miles north, show how far back building in the area around Ulcombe goes. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters. Handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles hung on pegs through two holes, are typical of older Kent buildings. The county’s older buildings also include oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. The covering on a house you’re buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest.
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near All Saints Church, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Ulcombe is about 6 miles south-east of Maidstone, in Kent. Bookings from Ulcombe 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. There is also a page for Maidstone.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: ME17. That includes homes and businesses on The Street and Chapmans Place. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Fairbourne Heath (1 mile north-east), Eastwood (1 mile south-east), Kingswood (1 mile north-west), Chartway Street (1 mile north-west) and Broadstone (1 mile south-east). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (6 miles north-west), Ashford (11 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (10 miles north-east), Faversham (13 miles north-east), Kings Hill (11 miles west) and Davington (13 miles north-east).
What’s near Ulcombe
Around Ulcombe, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Harrow Public House, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Harrietsham station, roughly 2.5 miles north-east. Nearby you will also find Sutton Valence Castle (2 miles west) and The Dog Collar Museum (2.3 miles north).
Pre-purchase roof survey in Ulcombe: what you get
With a written roof report, you can go back to the seller or agent with specifics. You can ask about the roof’s history, ask for repairs before completion or rethink the price. We can’t say how a seller will respond, but you’ll be asking from facts rather than guesses. It also helps you decide whether to go ahead at all. If you’re worried about worn or lifted lead flashings and cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Being in a small place like Ulcombe makes no difference to the inspection itself: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed ahead of time. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages with roofs you’d like looked at when you book, so the visit can be planned around them. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Visits can be booked on any day of the week.
If any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. That way, it is clear what was covered and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Place
- Ulcombe (ME17)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Towns and villages near Ulcombe
Also in Ulcombe
What happens on the day
Once we’ve finished looking, we write up our findings in a report with photographs. On timing, most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours for most houses, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. In a small place like Ulcombe, access is usually the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- You book once your offer is accepted and tell us the address and your timetable.
- We agree a time and how we will get in, including the loft.
- The roof is inspected from every safe vantage point, inside and out.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- We email a written report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
How to prepare
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Book a survey
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the details.
Related advice
Common roof problems in Ulcombe
Slates and tiles can outlast the nails, battens and underlay that hold them. Natural slate can last 100 years or more, yet the nails holding it rust and let slates slide. It’s a frequent finding on older houses and easy to miss from the ground.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Flashings that have lifted or split
Landlords with a home close to Harrietsham station may find that a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- How long the report takes to arrive
- What follow-up you get after the report
FAQs for Ulcombe
Is Ulcombe within the area you cover?
Yes. Ulcombe is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. We work right across London and South East England. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route as you book.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Ulcombe?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Do you go up on the roof?
Where it is safe, yes. We inspect from the ground, from windows and vantage points, from the loft and from the roof itself where safe. The Premium Survey adds a drone inspection where it applies.
How do I arrange a pre-purchase roof survey in Ulcombe?
The quickest way is to call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. Give us the address and some details about the roof, and we will suggest the right survey. We survey on weekdays and at weekends.
When is the best time to have the roof checked when buying?
Book as soon as your offer is agreed. The report is most useful before exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the loft space, someone has to give us access, while outside access can be discussed as you book.
Before and after the survey
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
- Do not leave it until just before exchange
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
With the findings in hand, you can talk to the seller or their agent. You might ask for the work to be done before completion, or ask to adjust the price. The outcome is between you and the seller, and we cannot promise any result.
Keep an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Watch for gaps in the pointing, cracked flaunching and loose lead. Binoculars from ground level are enough for a first look.
What affects the price in Ulcombe
Our packages start from £150, inc. VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- Height and safe access
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all including VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Helping us price your survey
A little information up front helps. It’s useful to include:
- What’s prompted the survey
- Dates you are working to, such as exchange
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
You can call us seven days a week. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
For landlords and managing agents
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client, photographs included.
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Tell us about it when booking and we’ll plan the survey around it.
When you need someone else
Every survey has limits, and it is better to know them up front. Bear these in mind:
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers