Kent · London and the South East
Yelsted Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
An experienced roof surveyor for pre-purchase roof surveys in Yelsted. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us.
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
Pre-purchase roof survey in Yelsted: 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 cannot say how a seller will respond, but you’ll be negotiating from a clear picture rather than a hunch. It can also help you decide whether the purchase is still right for you. We survey clay and concrete tiles, lead flashings and valleys and chimney stacks, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney and signs of past leaks inside the loft.
In a village or hamlet like Yelsted, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Whether you are buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
The report records the roof as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, for example when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Location
- Yelsted (ME9)
- Region
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
When we arrive, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you need to know. We then inspect everything that can be seen safely, using the ground, windows, the loft and a drone where it applies. The survey typically takes about one to two hours at a typical home, and longer for a large or complex roof. Around Yelsted, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it’s useful to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it is safe.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- We look at the roof from ground level, from windows, from the loft space and from the roof where safe.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- We email a written report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Before the survey
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
Getting a price
Booking is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or email us, let us know about the property and we will suggest the right survey. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Advice
Places near Yelsted
More services for Yelsted
When you need someone else
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
- Asbestos testing of any kind
- Whether timbers meet design loads
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will tell you. What a survey covers and does not.
Roof types and parts we check
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
Yelsted: your questions answered
Do you cover smaller places like Yelsted?
Yes, Yelsted is covered. Our area covers London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Yelsted?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
Allow an hour or two at most homes; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. We’ll give you an idea of timing as you book.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
It depends on the roof and how confident you want to be. Home surveys sometimes suggest a closer look at the roof, and our survey gives you that closer look. It does not stand in for a RICS survey.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it’s applicable and safe, yes. We are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where applicable.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. The report sets out what we found, with photos, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. How the seller responds is up to them.
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. Access is typically arranged through the agent or seller.
Tips from our surveys
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner:
- Mention any deadline when you contact us
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Check we’ll be able to get into the loft space
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
With the findings in hand, you can talk to the seller or their agent. Some buyers ask for repairs before completion, others ask for a change to the price. What happens next is your decision and the seller’s, and we can’t promise any result.
Every so frequently, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Damp patches, daylight through the roof or water stains on timbers are worth noting. Take photos so you can show whoever looks at it.
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Yelsted
Yelsted is within about 5 miles of the coast, and wind near the sea can be strong. The weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead, as a small drone can’t fly safely in high wind or heavy rain. Handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles hung on pegs through two holes, are typical of older Kent buildings. You will also find oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses among the county’s older buildings. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most.
In and around Yelsted, as anywhere, a roof is easiest to deal with when its problems are found early.
Yelsted is about 3 miles south-east of Gillingham, in Kent. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Yelsted for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings. Our Kent coverage includes Yelsted. Our Maidstone page covers surveys nearby.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in ME9 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Whether your property is on Yelsted Road and Yelsted Lane or anywhere close by, we can survey it. We also cover Stockbury (1 mile east), Meresborough (1 mile north), Hartlip (1 mile north-east), Lower Hartlip (2 miles north-east) and Rainham (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (6 miles south-west), Sittingbourne (5 miles east), Gravesend (12 miles north-west), Faversham (12 miles east), Northfleet (14 miles north-west) and Minster (10 miles north-east).
What’s near Yelsted
Around Yelsted, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Leigh Academy Rainham and Stockbury Hill Wood, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Rainham (Kent) station, roughly 2.5 miles north. A little further out are KIMS hospital (4 miles south-west). Not far away are Detling Hill.
Roof by roof
Flat roofs
Many homes have a flat roof somewhere, often over an extension. Felt roofs often last around 15 to 20 years, rubber longer and GRP up to about 30. We look for signs of age and failure.
Chimney stacks
Chimney stacks take the brunt of the weather. We check the pots, the flaunching, the pointing and the flashings, as far as we can see them safely.
Common roof problems in Yelsted
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 can affect how any work is arranged.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
If you let a flat or house near Rainham (Kent) station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Before you book anyone
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Whether VAT is added on top
- Are they insured for the work?
Why it’s worth a survey now in Yelsted
Small roof defects let water in slowly. Damp can spread into timbers and ceilings before anyone sees a mark. Spotting it before you buy means you know about it from day one. For older village homes like those around Yelsted, the right replacement materials are not always easy to find quickly. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the size and height of the roof, access and which survey you book.
Why book with us
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Prices that include VAT
- Plain-English reports with photos
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
See what a roof survey costs and our case studies.