Kent · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Winterbourne, Kent
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Winterbourne, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Get in touch for a price.
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Blocked or leaking gutters
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Winterbourne
Older homes often have roofs that have been patched over the years. Slates slip when their nails corrode, lead valleys and flashings wear, and chimney pointing crumbles. Most of it can’t be seen from the street. Our survey picks it out, with photos so you can see it for yourself. We explain each finding in plain English, so it is clear what it means for your purchase. Typical surveys look at loose pots and cracked flaunching and lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney, across gutters and downpipes, the roof space and lead flashings and valleys.
For a small place like Winterbourne, the visit is planned like any other: 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. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
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.
- Place
- Winterbourne (ME13)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What this survey cannot tell you
No survey can tell you everything, and it is better to know them up front. Keep these in mind:
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will suggest the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Winterbourne
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Natural slate
Places near Winterbourne
More services for Winterbourne
Common questions in Winterbourne
Is the coastal weather around Winterbourne hard on roofs?
Generally, yes: wind and salt air take more of a toll near the sea. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it typically shows, and Winterbourne is within about 5 miles of the coast.
Will you come out to Winterbourne?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Do you need access inside the house?
Ideally, yes. We look in the loft space where there’s safe access, and views from upper windows help too. The agent or seller can arrange entry.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. You might ask for work to be done, ask questions or ask for a change to the price. What the seller agrees to is their decision.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day. Let us know your preferred days when you book.
What insurance do you have?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and details are available on request.
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.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Winterbourne: local notes
Winterbourne lies within about 5 miles of the sea, and wind near the sea can be strong. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or a downpour, so the weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead. If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
The streets around a church like Christ Church are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are. For landlords with property near Selling station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Winterbourne is about 4 miles south-east of Faversham, in Kent. We survey roofs in Winterbourne and the rest of Kent, as part of our work across London and South East England. Our area takes in places right across Kent.
All of ME13 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. If you’re just outside Winterbourne, we cover Hickmans Green (1 mile north-west), Oversland (1 mile south-west), South Street (1 mile west), Boughton under Blean (1 mile north) and Crouch (1 mile west). Within a short drive, we also cover Ashford (11 miles south), Canterbury (5 miles east), Sittingbourne (11 miles north-west), Whitstable (6 miles north-east), Faversham (4 miles north-west) and Herne Bay (9 miles north-east).
Near you in Winterbourne
In Winterbourne, that means homes and buildings near The Queens Head pub and Mount Ephraim Gardens. The nearest railway station is Selling station, roughly 1 mile south-west. A little further out are Chilham Castle (2.9 miles south) and Eastbridge Hospital of St Thomas the Martyr (5.1 miles east). The countryside around Winterbourne includes Blean Woods RSPB Reserve.
Why act early in Winterbourne
Even if you go ahead regardless, knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan. You’ll know which jobs are urgent and which can wait, so you can plan work before small faults get bigger. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Winterbourne, driving rain gets into any weakness, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
Price depends partly on the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, inc. VAT. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Why book us in Winterbourne
- An independent view of the roof
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
See what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.
Practical tips
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- Let us know your timetable
- Check we will be able to get into the loft space
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
Your report arrives by email, with photographs of what we found. 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.
After you move in, have leaves and moss cleared from gutters and valleys, particularly after autumn. Blocked gutters cause much of the damp we see. Use a gutter contractor rather than going up a ladder yourself.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, putting the urgent items at the top.
How the survey works
When we arrive, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that’s worrying you. We then inspect everything that can safely be seen, from ground level, from windows, in the loft space and by drone where it applies. The survey typically takes between one and two hours at a typical home, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Around Winterbourne, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the roof 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.
- You get a photo-illustrated written report and recommendations before you exchange.
How to prepare
- Tell us where we can park nearby
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
Getting a price
Booking is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or email us, let us know about the property and we’ll suggest the right survey. The price is agreed up front.