Kent · London and the South East
Thermal imaging roof survey in Forstal, Kent
A careful look at the roof at your property in Forstal, and put it all in a written report with photos.
- Water getting in at parapets and stacks
- Damp patches with no obvious cause
- Heat escaping through the roof
Thermal roof survey in Forstal
Thermal imaging is useful when a damp patch has no clear cause. Water can travel some distance under a roof covering before it shows inside, and temperature patterns can help us trace where it may have come from. We combine the images with a visual inspection and moisture readings, so no conclusion rests on one method alone. If you are worried about areas losing heat at the eaves and junctions and leaks far from where the stain appears, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Older buildings in small places like Forstal may be listed or in a conservation area. A look by drone or thermal camera does not touch 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.
We write the report in plain English, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Photographs show what each point refers to, and recommendations are put in order of urgency where relevant.
- Location
- Forstal (ME20)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
For landlords and managing agents
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, with the most urgent items set out first.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work.
What we look for on each type of roof
Pitched slate and tile roofs
Thermal images of a pitched roof can still show heat loss patterns and some damp areas. We explain what can and can’t be read from them.
Parapets, valleys and junctions
Damp at junctions can be hard to see by eye. We combine a close visual check with the thermal images.
Common roof problems in Forstal
Cold rooms under a roof, or high heating bills, lead some people to ask about heat loss. Missing or slipped insulation can stand out as temperature differences, particularly when there’s a clear difference between inside and outside.
Most people get in touch when they’ve noticed something like this:
- Missing or slipped insulation
- Cold spots on ceilings under the roof
- Damp around chimneys and parapets
- Wet insulation beneath the membrane
If you run a business near Fremlin Walk, thermal images can show trapped moisture across a wide commercial roof.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- Their track record with similar roofs
What this survey cannot tell you
Some things can’t be seen without opening up the roof, and that sets some limits:
- Insulation values or heat loss calculations
- Reliable images in rain, strong wind or on a wet roof surface
- The condition of timbers we can’t see
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and does not.
What we look at
- Commercial roofs
- Flat roofs
- Insulated roof spaces
- Ceilings below the roof
- Pitched roof slopes
- Loft conversions
What affects the cost of thermal roof surveys
We confirm the price for your survey before booking. These are the things that affect it:
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- How big the roof is
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
Thermal roof survey starts from £400, including VAT. The final price depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and the package you choose.
Getting in touch
To price your survey accurately, we’ll ask about:
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Any deadline, like an exchange date
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email whenever suits you.
What a thermal roof survey looks like in Forstal
With Starkey Castle about 4.4 miles north, Forstal sits in an area with a long building history. 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. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
The streets around a church such as Methodist Church Including Sunday School are often among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, steep roofs, tall chimneys and hidden valleys can be hard to see from ground level, and that’s where a view from above or with a thermal imager helps. If you look after a building such as St Peter's Church of England Primary School, thermal images can show where wet insulation sits under a big flat roof.
Forstal is about 3 miles north-west of Maidstone, in Kent. Forstal gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a close look at whatever is safely visible, photos and a clear written report. We cover towns and villages across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages.
Thermal roof surveys in ME20 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Streets in the area include Beddow Way and Forstal Road. We also cover Pratling Street (1 mile north-east), Eccles (1 mile north-west), New Hythe (2 miles west), Burham (2 miles north) and Larkfield (2 miles west). Further out, we also cover Maidstone (3 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (11 miles east), Dartford (15 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (13 miles west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (15 miles south-west) and Gravesend (10 miles north-west).
Landmarks near Forstal
Typical jobs here are in homes near Aylesford School, The Bush pub and Tyland Barn, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Aylesford station, roughly 1.2 miles west. A little further out are Medway megaliths (1 mile north) and Maidstone Hospital (2 miles south). Not far away are Boxley Hills and Burham Down.
FAQs for Forstal
Do you cover Forstal?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
How do I find out if my home in Forstal is listed?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Is thermal imaging included in your surveys?
Thermal imaging is included in our Premium Survey, from £400. That also includes a full inspection, a drone inspection where applicable, structural analysis and a same-day report.
How many surveys have you done?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years.
Does thermal imaging work on slate and tile roofs?
It can show heat loss and some damp, but it has more limits there. We explain what the images can and cannot tell you, and back them up with a visual inspection and moisture readings.
Can you do a thermal survey in any weather?
The results depend on the weather. Dry, calm weather after some sun gives the best chance of clear images. We record the conditions in the report, so you know how much weight to give the images.
Will I get photos?
Yes. We photograph the roof as we go, and they go into the written report alongside our recommendations.
Also in Forstal
How it works
Safety comes first on every visit. Everything that can be seen safely is inspected, and anything we can’t see is noted in the report. Most visits take roughly 1–2 hours for most houses, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. Older rural homes like those around Forstal can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. Each part is looked at from wherever it can be seen safely, and anything we cannot see is noted.
- We go through the roof, the problem and the weather expected on the day.
- We look over the roof from wherever it’s 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
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
Booking a survey
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You will know the price before anything is booked.