Kent · London and the South East
Roof survey in Cotman's Ash, Kent
A careful look at the roof at your property in Cotman's Ash, and put it all in a photo-illustrated written report.
- Condensation or damp timbers in the loft
- Gutters that overflow in heavy rain
- Gaps in the roof where coverings have gone
Questions from Cotman's Ash
How do I find out if my home in Cotman's Ash is listed?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Do you cover smaller places like Cotman's Ash?
Yes, Cotman's Ash is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Do I need to be at home?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the roof space, someone has to give us access; we will agree the details when you book.
When will the report arrive?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Each report includes photographs.
How experienced are you?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, over more than 20 years.
Is your survey a structural engineer’s report?
No. If we see signs that need an engineer, such as serious sagging, we’ll say so. Our survey isn’t a structural engineer’s report.
Can you inspect a terraced or semi-detached roof?
Yes, we can. We survey the parts of the roof you have access to. Where a defect looks to be on the neighbour’s side, the report says so.
Roof surveys for homes and businesses in Cotman's Ash
The report is written for you, in plain language. Every issue comes with photos and a written recommendation, and where it’s relevant we say what’s urgent and what can wait. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. Premium adds thermal imaging, a drone inspection where it applies and a same-day report. Reports are sent by email. We survey chimney stacks, natural slate and clay and concrete tiles, and the problems we are asked to look at most are blocked, sagging or leaking gutters and slipped, cracked or missing slates and tiles.
Somewhere as small as Cotman's Ash, homes are frequently older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often with chimneys that have stood a long time. Each needs checking in its own way, and thatch is a specialist material we report on as far as it can be seen. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs often need the most attention.
It isn’t only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Place
- Cotman's Ash (TN15)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Towns and villages near Cotman's Ash
More services for Cotman's Ash
Checking the roof from ground level
A lot can be seen from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
How the survey works
You do not need to do much on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we will take it from there. A typical survey takes between one and two hours for an ordinary house roof, and longer if there are extensions, dormers or several chimneys. Older roofs in small places like Cotman's Ash can have low, tight loft spaces, so it helps to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- You tell us the address, the type of roof and what’s worrying you.
- A visit is booked for a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- Outside, we inspect from the ground, windows and other safe vantage points, and from the roof where safe.
- We then look in the loft for damp, staining and the condition of the underlay.
- You receive the report with photos and recommendations, prioritised by urgency.
Getting ready for the survey
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
Arrange a survey
To get a price for roof surveys in Cotman's Ash, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. A few details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.
Advice
Landlord and commercial surveys in Cotman's Ash
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To discuss a number of properties, call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the addresses.
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work with less disruption.
Tips that help
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Mention any flat roofs as well as the main roof
- Keep the report with your property records
- Gather any paperwork for past roof work
- Keep a record of damp patches and dates
If you need work done, the report gives roofers a clear brief. They’ll see each defect and its location, which makes quotes easier to compare.
Keep the loft space ventilated. A stuffy loft collects condensation, and it can wet timbers and insulation. Check insulation doesn’t block the airflow at the eaves.
What we’re asked to look at in Cotman's Ash
A chimney stack takes more weather than almost any other part of a roof. Mortar crumbles, the flaunching around the pots cracks and stacks can lean. Damp on a chimney breast inside often starts at the top of the stack.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Leaking gutter joints and downpipes
- Loose chimney pots
- Lifted, split or missing lead flashings
- Loose ridge or hip tiles
For an older house near a landmark like Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs.
What to check before booking
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Which limits apply to the survey
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Cotman's Ash
About 3.4 miles north-west lies Lullingstone Castle, a reminder of how long the area around Cotman's Ash has been built on. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. If your survey includes the drone, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
If you look after a building such as Kemsing Primary School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale. Living close to Kemsing Down is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
Cotman's Ash is about 3 miles north-east of Sevenoaks, in Kent. Bookings from Cotman's Ash are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Across Kent, we cover Cotman's Ash. For surveys nearby, see our Maidstone page.
Roof surveys in TN15 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Other places close to Cotman's Ash include Woodlands (1 mile north-east), Heaverham (1 mile south-east), Knatts Valley (1 mile north), Romney Street (1 mile north-west) and Kemsing (1 mile south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (13 miles east), Dartford (9 miles north), Sevenoaks (3 miles south-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (13 miles south), Gravesend (10 miles north-east) and Tonbridge (8 miles south).
Near you in Cotman's Ash
Around Cotman's Ash, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Rising Sun pub and Kemsing Down. Cotman's Ash’s nearest station is Kemsing station, about 1.4 miles south. Well-known places in the area include Kemsing Castle Bank (0.9 miles south-west) and Sevenoaks Hospital (2.8 miles south-west). The countryside around Cotman's Ash includes Dryhill Nature Reserve.
What we cannot see
Every survey has limits, and it’s better to know them up front. Bear these in mind:
- How the roof will behave in every kind of weather
- Whether the roof structure meets design loads
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll recommend the right survey before you book. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Chimney stacks
- Flat roofs
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Ridges, hips and valleys