Kent · London and the South East
Warden Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat across Warden, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Call or email for a price.
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
Checking the roof from ground level
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.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Warden
Tall, steep or hidden roofs are hard to judge from the street. Our Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and, where it applies, a drone inspection, and the report arrives the same day. Where a flight isn’t possible, because of airspace rules or the weather, we tell you and look from ground level, windows and the loft instead. We survey chimney stacks, natural slate and lead flashings and valleys, and people most frequently book us about flashings that have lifted or split and standing water on a flat extension roof.
For a small place like Warden, the visit is planned like any other: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed in advance. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages with roofs you’d like looked at as you book, so the visit can be planned around them. Buyers and owners of new roofs get the same approach as anywhere. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
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.
- Place
- Warden (ME12)
- Region
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Also near Warden
What else we do in Warden
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Where a roof is shared: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Let us know about it when booking and we’ll plan the survey around it.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.
Roof by roof
Natural slate
Many older homes in London and South East England have slate roofs. We check for slipped, cracked and missing slates, plus the metal clips that show earlier patching.
Clay and concrete tiles
Tiled roofs frequently last half a century or longer. We check for slipped, cracked and missing tiles, along with odd replacement tiles that hint at earlier leaks.
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Warden
Warden lies within about 1 mile of the sea, where wind off the sea can be strong. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, so the weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead. Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it’s listed or in a conservation area. Listed building consent covers changes to a listed building’s special interest, and an Article 4 direction can bring extra controls in a conservation area.
In and around Warden, as anywhere, a roof is easiest to deal with when its problems are found early.
Warden is about 4 miles east of Minster, in Kent. We visit Warden as part of our work across Kent, for homes and businesses alike. We cover towns and villages across Kent, large and small. We also survey roofs in Canterbury.
Surveys in ME12 are booked the same way as anywhere else. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Melody Close, Imperial Drive and Waterside View or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Bay View (1 mile south-west), Mud Row (1 mile west), Leysdown-on-Sea (1 mile south-east), Eastchurch (2 miles west) and Minster (4 miles west). We also work in nearby towns such as Canterbury (12 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (9 miles south-west), Whitstable (7 miles south-east), Faversham (6 miles south), Herne Bay (10 miles east) and Davington (6 miles south).
Warden: your questions answered
Is the coastal weather around Warden hard on roofs?
Places near the sea get more wind and more salt in the air than inland, and both are hard on roofs. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, while strong wind lifts anything already loose.
Do you cover smaller places like Warden?
Yes, Warden is covered. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
Do I need to be at home?
Not always. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
Surveys run on any day of the week. To arrange a date, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
Allow about one to two hours at a typical home, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. We will give you an idea of timing when you book.
Are you insured?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and details are available on request.
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Warden
A chimney stack stands out in the wind and rain. 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.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
Whether the property is in Warden itself or nearby, the inspection covers whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
What to check before booking
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
What we do, step by step
It is useful to start with what’s prompted the survey: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. That way we can focus on what matters to you. The visit typically takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. Older rural homes like those around Warden can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- We agree a time and how we’ll get in, including the loft.
- We look at the roof from ground level, from windows, from the loft space and from the roof where safe.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- We email a written report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Before the survey
- Keep pets in another room
- Tell us where we can park nearby
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
Arrange a survey
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. You will know the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- The condition of the rest of the house (that’s a RICS home survey)
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will point you to the right survey before booking. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks