Kent · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in St Michaels
Find out what’s going on with the leaking roof before you decide what to do next. We carry out roof leak investigations in St Michaels.
- Drips from nail tips in a cold loft
- Ceiling stains that grow after rain
- Damp patches next to the stack
Common questions in St Michaels
Is my home in St Michaels listed or in a conservation area?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Is St Michaels in the area you cover?
Yes, St Michaels is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in St Michaels as anywhere else.
Will you check the loft?
If it’s needed and safe to reach, yes. We look for staining, damp, daylight and signs of movement, as far as the space allows.
Will you go up on the roof?
Not always. Some roofs are too steep or fragile to walk on safely. We use safe viewpoints, the loft space and a drone where it applies, and the report records anything we couldn’t see.
What do I do with the report?
You’ll receive the report by email, and what you do next is up to you: use it with a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling are not something we do. Where a material might contain it, like old cement sheets on a building from before 2000, the report flags it, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it’s disturbed.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. We’re experienced roof surveyors, and our survey covers the roof rather than the whole building. For the rest of the building, a RICS home survey is a separate job.
Roof leak investigation in St Michaels: what you get
Some leaks only appear in certain weather. Wind-driven rain, an overflowing gutter or snow melt may be what triggers it. Notes on when it leaks, and what the weather was doing, help us, along with any photos you’ve taken. We look for the clues it leaves behind, like tide marks, stained timbers and damp underlay. Moisture readings show where materials are still wet. If you’ve noticed water marks that spread in wet weather and wet patches high on an inside wall, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Many homes in small places like St Michaels face open ground, where storms hit ridges, verges and chimneys hardest. Damp in old stone, brick or timber walls is slow to dry out, which makes finding the cause quickly worthwhile. A record with photographs is useful if you need to show the damage to anyone else.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Location
- St Michaels (TN30)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings
Wherever a roof meets a wall or stack, a flashing keeps rain out. Lifted, split or slipped lead is a common cause.
Parapet and box gutters
Hidden gutters run behind parapets or between roofs. A blocked outlet sends water over the lining and into the building.
Nearby places to St Michaels
Also in St Michaels
Honest limits
To be straight with you, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Water from pipes, tanks or heating systems
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- A structural engineer’s report
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- The roof space
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Slate and tile slopes
- Rooflights and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- Flat roof details
- Lead flashings
What a survey costs
Prices vary from roof to roof, and it comes down to:
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Basic, Standard or Premium
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included.
Booking your survey
The more you tell us, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, let us know:
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
Not sure which survey you need? It’s easiest to call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Signs you need a roof leak investigation in St Michaels
Many leaks begin at a flashing. Lead or mortar closes the gap wherever a roof meets a wall, chimney or dormer. When lead lifts or splits, or a mortar fillet cracks, rain runs straight in, often well away from where it shows.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Damp patches next to the stack
- Damp walls below an overflowing gutter
- Water that shows only in certain storms
- Drips in the loft during heavy rain
For hotels and guest houses around St Michaels, a roof problem found early is far less disruptive than one found by a guest, so it pays to find faults before guests do.
Questions to ask before you book
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- What happens after the report arrives
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Is VAT included in the price?
Why it’s worth a survey now in St Michaels
Leaks tend to get worse, not better. Wind lifts loose slates further and gaps widen. Tracing it now lets you plan the work rather than react to it. In a small place like St Michaels, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
A Basic Survey starts from £150, with VAT included. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400. We confirm the price for the job before you book.
Why book with us
- 98% of customers satisfied
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- A photo-illustrated written report
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
Read our cost guide and what we found on two real jobs.
What we do, step by step
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. Then the inspection itself takes roughly 1–2 hours for a house, and more on a big or complicated roof. Cottages and farmhouses around St Michaels often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- We help you choose the package that suits the leak.
- We agree a date, including weekends.
- The investigation works from the stain back to the roof.
- Where it’s useful and included, we take moisture readings and use thermal imaging.
- You get photos, the likely cause and clear recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Let us know where we can park nearby
How to book
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just ring 07833 053749 or send us an email when you are ready.
Advice
St Michaels roofs and the weather
Historic houses such as Smallhythe Place, about 3.3 miles south, show how far back building in the area around St Michaels goes. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Across Kent, older roofs are frequently handmade clay or peg tiles, and tile-hanging on upper walls is a familiar sight. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. Different coverings let water in at different points, which shapes where the search starts.
Take a building like St Michael's Church of England Primary School: tracing a leak on a big roof starts with where the water appears and works back. If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Church of St Michael, leaks on older roofs often start at lead flashings, valleys or around old chimney stacks.
St Michaels is about 8 miles south-west of Ashford, in Kent. Wherever you are in St Michaels, we can carry out roof leak investigations at your property. We cover towns and villages across Kent. There’s also a page for Maidstone.
Roof leak investigations in TN30 are booked the same way as anywhere else. If you need a roof leak investigation at a property on Ox Lane, Swain Road and Grange Road or a nearby road, we can survey it. Main roads around St Michaels include the A28, which makes travel easy. If you are just outside St Michaels, we cover London Beach (1 mile north), Tenterden (1 mile south), Broad Tenterden (2 miles south), Parkgate (2 miles west) and Clapper Hill (3 miles west). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (14 miles north-west), Ashford (8 miles north-east), Foley Park (15 miles north-west), Paddock Wood (15 miles north-west), Bearsted (14 miles north-west) and Park Wood (12 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in St Michaels
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Turners Field and Homewood School, among other places. Other landmarks nearby include Tenterden and District Museum (1.3 miles south) and Romden Castle (4.3 miles north).