Kent · London and the South East
Elham Thermal Roof Survey
Thermal imaging to find moisture and heat loss patterns in a roof for Elham and the rest of Kent. We survey on any day of the week.
- Stains that keep coming back
- Water getting in at parapets and stacks
- Leaks far from where the stain appears
Thermal roof survey in Elham
Thermal imaging is a useful tool, but it has limits. It shows surface temperature, and things like sun, shade, reflections and wind all affect the readings. We back up the images with moisture readings and a careful look at the roof. Our report says plainly what the camera picked up and how sure we can be. Where something cannot be confirmed, we say what would help next. If you’re worried about water getting in at parapets and stacks and moisture around outlets and upstands, we can find out what’s behind it.
Older buildings in small places like Elham may be listed or in a conservation area. Neither a drone survey nor a thermal survey involves any work on the roof, so it’s a gentle way to see the condition of an old roof. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, so check with the council first.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent, whichever applies.
- Place
- Elham (CT4)
- Region
- Kent
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Different roofs, different checks
Parapets, valleys and junctions
Junctions where roofs meet walls, parapets and valleys are common places for water to get in. The camera can help show damp around these junctions.
Loft insulation
From inside the loft, thermal imaging can show gaps in insulation and cold spots. We look where there’s safe access.
What a thermal roof survey looks like in Elham
The wider area around Elham has a long history of building, with Acrise Place about 1.4 miles south-east. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. Older houses across Kent often have handmade clay or peg tiles, and many have tile-hung walls. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. Older coverings on steep or tall roofs are hard to judge from below, so close-up aerial photos and thermal images help.
Anyone responsible for a site like Elham Church of England Primary School will know that big roofs are where photos from the air and thermal images show the most at once.
Elham is about 5 miles north-west of Folkestone, in Kent. We provide thermal roof surveys for homes and businesses in Elham and the surrounding area. Elham is one of the places in Kent where we work. For surveys nearby, see our Canterbury page.
Surveys in CT4 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. We offer thermal roof surveys to properties on High Street, Pound Lane and Vicarage Lane and the roads around them. We also cover Swingfield Minnis (2 miles east), Densole (3 miles south-east), Selsted (3 miles east), Breach (3 miles north-east) and Lodge Lees (3 miles north-east). Further out, we also cover Ashford (11 miles west), Canterbury (9 miles north), Dover (8 miles east), Folkestone (5 miles south-east), Whitstable (14 miles north) and Deal (13 miles east).
Around Elham
Around Elham, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The King's Arms and the streets around them. The closest station to Elham is Sandling station, roughly 4.7 miles south-west. Other landmarks nearby include Royal Victoria Hospital (5.3 miles south-east) and Elham Valley Countryside Centre And Railway Museum (3.7 miles south). The countryside around Elham includes Cheriton Hill.
FAQs for Elham
Is Elham within the area you cover?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
How do I find out if my home in Elham is listed?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Can a thermal camera see water?
Not directly. It shows temperature, and wet materials frequently behave differently from dry ones. That is why we check any patterns with moisture readings.
Does thermal imaging work on slate and tile roofs?
It can help, but the results are often less clear than on a flat roof. Slates and tiles over a ventilated space can mask what’s below, so we also look from the loft where it is safe.
Are you structural engineers?
No. Our survey is not a structural engineer’s report, and it does not include calculations. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we’ll recommend one.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We’ve been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
Are you insured?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability.
Honest limits
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:
- Seeing water directly, as the camera shows temperature, not moisture
- A formal energy assessment
- A structural engineer’s assessment
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will point you to the right survey. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Flat roofs
- Pitched roof slopes
- Insulated roof spaces
- Commercial roofs
- Loft conversions
- Ceilings below the roof
Do you need a thermal roof survey in Elham?
Buyers sometimes want more than a visual look at the roof. The Premium Survey brings thermal imaging and a drone inspection where applicable, with a report the same day, which helps when timescales are tight.
Here are some of the things we see frequently:
- Water that travels before it shows
- Wet insulation beneath the membrane
- Gaps in loft insulation
- Wet areas near outlets and upstands
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Church of St Mary the Virgin, older roofs can be steep and hard to see from the street, which is where photos from the air and thermal images help.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- What follow-up you get after the report
- Their report turnaround times
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
Practical tips
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Our tips:
- Move stored items away from the loft hatch
- Don’t climb onto the roof to look for leaks yourself
- Talk to us about the weather when booking
- Keep a record of when stains appear
The report explains the conditions on the day and how they affected the images. That way you know how much weight to give each finding.
Check that loft insulation is laid evenly and hasn’t been pushed aside. Gaps frequently appear after work in the loft.
Why it’s worth a survey now in Elham
Trapped water can harm decks, timbers and ceilings the longer it stays. Looking now, while the damage may still be limited, keeps more options open. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Elham, driving rain gets into any weakness, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
Our price is from £400, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we’ll tell you which fits.
Why us?
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- 20+ years’ experience
- Surveys on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
Read what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
Places near Elham
What else we do in Elham
How it works
After the inspection, everything we found is written up as a photo-illustrated written report, sent to you by email. As for time on site, most surveys take an hour or two for most homes, plus time to check any thermal findings with moisture readings. Older roofs in small places like Elham can have low, tight loft spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it is safe.
- We go through the roof, the problem and the weather expected on the day.
- We look over the roof from wherever it is safe.
- Thermal images are taken across the roof and, where there’s safe access, in the loft.
- Patterns that stand out are checked with moisture readings.
- The report pairs each thermal image with a photo and explains what it suggests.
Preparing for the visit
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
Booking a survey
Most bookings start with a short call: phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. The price is agreed before a date is set.