Kent · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Wateringbury
Find out what’s going on with the roof before you spend money on it. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Wateringbury, with photographs and a clear written report.
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
What we’re asked to look at in Wateringbury
Asbestos was banned in UK construction in 1999. It’s frequently found in cement sheets, soffits and flue pipes. We do not carry out asbestos surveys, but we flag materials that might so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check before anything is disturbed.
We’re often asked to look at:
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
If you live in an older home near Church of St John the Baptist, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- What the survey won’t cover
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Whether you get a written report with photos
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Wateringbury
Buying a flat brings its own roof questions. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that’s often not the individual flat owner, with costs often passed on through the service charge. We check as much of the roof as access safely allows, 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. We survey the roof space, natural slate and flat-roofed extensions and dormers, and common reasons people get in touch are quick fixes on flashings and valleys and cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing.
Some older homes in villages like Wateringbury are listed or sit in a conservation area. If so, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so check with the council before work starts. For a buyer or someone with a newly finished roof, it is worth knowing which applies, as well as what condition the roof is in. There are about 500,000 listed buildings and around 10,000 conservation areas in England.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photos, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Location
- Wateringbury (ME18)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Local roofs and buyers in Wateringbury
If the drone is used for your survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. The wider area around Wateringbury has a long history of building, with Old Soar Manor about 4.4 miles west. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Landlords with a home close to Wateringbury station may find that a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Wateringbury is about 5 miles west of Maidstone, in Kent. We cover Wateringbury and the rest of Kent. Our area takes in places right across Kent, large and small.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: ME18. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Glebe Meadow, Allington Gardens and Hanbury Close or a nearby road, we can survey it. We also cover the places around Wateringbury: Nettlestead (1 mile south-west), Red Hill (1 mile north-east), Teston (1 mile east), Kings Hill (1 mile north-west) and West Farleigh (1 mile east). We also work in nearby towns such as Maidstone (5 miles east), Sittingbourne (15 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (10 miles west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (11 miles south-west), Gravesend (12 miles north) and Tonbridge (7 miles south-west).
Around Wateringbury
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Wateringbury pub. There is a railway station in Wateringbury itself: Wateringbury station. Other landmarks nearby include Oakwood Hospital (2.9 miles east) and Teapot Island (2.2 miles south).
What we look for on each type of roof
Natural slate
Slate is common on Victorian and Edwardian houses. We check for slipped, cracked and missing slates, and for clips or tingles that show past repairs.
Lead flashings and valleys
Many leaks start at a flashing, so they get close attention in a pre-purchase survey. Any that need attention are photographed and explained.
Useful tips for Wateringbury property owners
Getting the most from a pre-purchase roof survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Some tips:
- Ask for loft access on the day
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
With Standard, you get a follow-up consultation, while Premium includes a consultation in person. If anything in the report is not clear, ask us.
Every so often, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Watch for stains, damp timbers and chinks of daylight. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
What this survey can’t tell you
It’s a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will tell you before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
For landlords and managing agents
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Wateringbury. To discuss a property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed beforehand. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which helps when tenants work during the week.
The survey, step by step
Safety comes first on every visit. Everything that can safely be seen is inspected, and anything we cannot see is noted in the report. The survey normally takes about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, and longer for a large or complex roof. For a village or hamlet like Wateringbury, the journey is planned in advance: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. On the day, we inspect whatever is safely visible, inside and out.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed beforehand.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it’s safe.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
How to book
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just ring 07833 053749 or send us an email when you’re ready.
Related advice
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Wateringbury
Do you carry out roof surveys in Wateringbury?
Yes, Wateringbury is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Wateringbury as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Do you cover smaller places like Wateringbury?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
Once your offer has been accepted, and before exchange. That gives you time to use the findings.
What’s the best way to book?
To book, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and tell us the address and what you’d like to know. We will confirm the price and find a day that suits.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tell us which days suit you when booking.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
It depends on the roof and how confident you want to be. A home survey may recommend further investigation of the roof, and our survey gives you that closer look. It does not stand in for a RICS survey.
Are you insured?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.