Kent · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in West Hougham
Pre-purchase roof surveys across West Hougham, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
About our pre-purchase roof survey in West Hougham
A Basic Survey starts from £150, with the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check. Premium adds thermal imaging, a drone inspection where applicable and an in-person consultation. Pick the one that fits the property. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. If you are worried about chimney mortar that has eroded and signs of past leaks inside the loft, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
In a village or hamlet like West Hougham, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
Nothing in the report is left vague: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, and where it can wait, that is said too.
- Location
- West Hougham (CT15)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
West Hougham homes and their roofs
West Hougham is within about 1 mile of the coast, where wind off the sea can be strong. The weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead, as a small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or a downpour. Across Kent, older roofs are often handmade clay or peg tiles, and tile-hanging on upper walls is a familiar sight. 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.
Acrise Place, about 4.7 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around West Hougham. Older homes in the area can come with listed status or conservation area rules, which affect re-roofing, so check with the council before you buy. If you let a flat or house near Kearsney station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
West Hougham is about 3 miles south-west of Dover, in Kent. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in West Hougham and the surrounding area. Our area takes in places right across Kent. Our Canterbury page covers surveys nearby.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in CT15 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. That includes homes and businesses on The Street, Lady Garne Road and Mill Lane. We also cover Satmar (1 mile south-west), Church Hougham (1 mile east), South Alkham (1 mile north-west), Capel-le-Ferne (1 mile south-west) and Alkham (1 mile north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Canterbury (13 miles north-west), Dover (3 miles north-east), Folkestone (4 miles south-west), Deal (10 miles north-east), Hythe (7 miles south-west) and Tower Hamlets (3 miles east).
Local landmarks in West Hougham
Typical jobs here are in homes near East Cliff and Warren Country Park and Astor College for the Arts, among other places. West Hougham’s nearest station is Kearsney station, about 2.7 miles north-east. Nearby you will also find Crabble Corn Mill (2.7 miles north-east) and Buckland Hospital (2.7 miles north-east). The countryside around West Hougham includes Dover Western Heights and Sugar Loaf Hill.
For landlords and managing agents
Where a roof is shared: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll plan the survey around it.
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, including offices, shops and units. Larger roofs take longer, so they’re priced to suit.
What we cannot see
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will tell you. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
West Hougham questions
Does being near the coast affect roofs in West Hougham?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there’s more wind, and more salt in the air. Exposed details such as ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch.
Is West Hougham within the area you cover?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Where it helps and the rules allow, yes. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
How do I book a survey in West Hougham?
Just phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address. We’ll ask a few questions, confirm the price and agree a date, weekday or weekend.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes. You will have photos and a written description of each defect, which you can share with the seller or agent. We cannot promise how the seller will respond.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime. Let us know your preferred days when you book.
Places near West Hougham
What else we do in West Hougham
Tips from our surveys
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner:
- Do not leave it until just before exchange
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Mention any deadline when you get in touch
- Share the report with your solicitor
We email the report to you, with photos of each finding. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Findings are set out in plain English, with recommendations prioritised by urgency where relevant.
Keep an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. Binoculars from the ground are enough for a first look.
What we are asked to look at in West Hougham
Chimneys take the worst of the weather. 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:
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near St Mary's Church, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Questions to ask before booking
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- What follow-up you get after the report
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
What a survey costs
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package matters as well. The price is always agreed first.
Helping us price your survey
To price your survey accurately, we will ask about:
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- Anything about access we should know
To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. We’ll confirm the price before booking.
How the survey works
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from each safe vantage point, take photos as we go and make notes for the report. Most visits take an hour or two for most houses, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. For a village or hamlet like West Hougham, the journey is planned ahead of time: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. The roof is looked at from ground level, from windows, from the loft where there’s safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- After your offer is agreed, you book and share your timetable.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from 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.
Before we arrive
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Getting a price
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or send us an email to find out.