Kent · London and the South East
Hicks Forstal Roof Survey
A careful look at the roof at your property in Hicks Forstal, with photos and a written report.
- Loose chimney pots
- Blocked, sagging or leaking gutters
- Standing water on a flat roof
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with the building owner or managing agent. Tell us about it when you book and we’ll plan the survey around it.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, putting the urgent items at the top.
How a roof survey works in Hicks Forstal
We inspect what can be seen safely: from ground level, from windows, from the loft space and from the roof where conditions allow. Premium adds thermal imaging, plus a drone inspection where applicable, which helps with tall or steep roofs. You don’t need to do anything except give us access. Everything we see is photographed for the report. We survey chimney stacks, natural slate and lead flashings, and people most often book us about crumbling chimney pointing or cracked flaunching and debris building up in roof valleys.
Older buildings in small places like Hicks Forstal may be listed or in a conservation area. If yours is, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so the council is the place to check. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are often matched when work is done.
What you get is a clear record of the roof on the day we saw it. It is useful right away, and a good reference for later, for example when you want to check whether anything has changed.
- Where
- Hicks Forstal (CT3)
- Region
- Kent
- Price
- 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
Different roofs, different checks
Clay plain and peg tiles
Clay tiles are common on older South East homes. When pegs or battens rot, tiles slip.
Chimney stacks
Each chimney’s pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings are checked, as far as we can safely see them. We note any lean or loose pots.
Tips that help
There is plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Look for debris in the garden after high winds
- Move stored items away from the loft hatch
- Leave roof access to professionals
- Ask about a flat roof on an extension or garage too
Where it helps, we say which items are urgent. Some things need prompt attention, others can be planned for. That helps you decide what to do first.
Keep the roof space ventilated. Condensation builds up when air can’t move, which can dampen timbers and insulation over time. Keep insulation clear of eaves vents.
What we can’t see
To be straight with you, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Asbestos testing of any kind
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll recommend the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
Roof types and parts we check
- Ridges, hips and valleys
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- Flat roofs
- Lead flashings
- Clay and concrete tiles
Can I check my roof myself?
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. Don’t go up yourself.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
What a roof survey looks like in Hicks Forstal
Hicks Forstal lies within about 3 miles of the sea, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
Anyone responsible for a site like Spires Academy will know that long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. If you live near a park such as Curtis Wood, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching. For landlords with property near Sturry station, a dated record of the roof is useful when planning maintenance across a let.
Hicks Forstal is about 2 miles south of Herne Bay, in Kent. If you are in Hicks Forstal, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Our Kent coverage includes Hicks Forstal and the places around it.
Surveys in CT3 are booked the same way as anywhere else. If you’re just outside Hicks Forstal, we cover Calcott (1 mile south-west), Herne Common (1 mile north), Knave's Ash (1 mile east), Herne (1 mile north) and Bullockstone (1 mile north-west). Larger places within reach include Canterbury (4 miles south-west), Margate (12 miles east), Dover (15 miles south-east), Ramsgate (12 miles east), Broadstairs (13 miles east) and Whitstable (4 miles west).
Around Hicks Forstal
We work in homes and buildings around Curtis Wood. Hicks Forstal’s nearest station is Sturry station, roughly 2.2 miles south. Other landmarks nearby include St Martins Hospital (3.9 miles south) and Canterbury Castle (4.6 miles south-west). For a walk, there’s West Blean and Thornden Woods.
Places near Hicks Forstal
Other services in Hicks Forstal
How it works
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from each safe vantage point, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. It typically takes an hour or two for an ordinary house roof, and longer if there are extensions, dormers or several chimneys. Older roofs in small places like Hicks Forstal can have low, tight loft spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- We start by hearing what you’d like checked and why.
- We arrange a day that suits you, including weekends.
- The roof is inspected from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it’s safe.
- Every part of the roof is checked and photographed.
- Your report arrives by email, with recommendations prioritised by urgency.
Before the survey
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
Booking a survey
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We’ll confirm the price before booking.
Related advice
Questions from Hicks Forstal
Is Hicks Forstal within the area you cover?
Yes. Hicks Forstal is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there as you book.
Is the coastal weather around Hicks Forstal hard on roofs?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, while strong wind lifts anything already loose.
Will the report say how many years my roof has left?
Not as a figure. The report explains the condition of each part and the signs of wear, and we say what needs attention and how urgently.
How quickly will I get the report?
That depends on which survey you choose: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. We send it by email.
How many surveys have you done?
We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys, across 20+ years of surveying roofs, and 98% of clients are satisfied.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day, which suits people who work during the week. Just say which days work for you.
Are you insured?
We are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.