Southampton · London and the South East
Thermal imaging roof survey in Freemantle, Southampton
Thermal imaging to find moisture and heat loss patterns in a roof in Freemantle. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Damp that repairs haven’t cured
- Water that travels before it shows
- Water getting in at parapets and stacks
How a thermal roof survey works in Freemantle
Thermal imaging can also show where a roof is losing heat. Missing or slipped insulation and gaps at the eaves often show up as temperature differences. The difference shows most clearly when it’s warm inside and cold outside. The report shows the images and explains what they may mean. We do not give energy ratings or heat loss calculations. We survey insulated roof spaces, commercial roofs and loft conversions, and common reasons people get in touch are cold spots on ceilings under the roof and damp around roof outlets and upstands.
Even in a smaller place like Freemantle, there may be airfields or restrictions nearby, so the Drone Safety Map is checked before any flight. Open ground can mean stronger wind, which also affects whether a small drone can fly, while thermal imaging also works best with little wind. Neighbours’ privacy is part of planning each flight, along with the airspace and the weather.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- Freemantle (SO15, SO16, SO17)
- Wider area
- Southampton
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
How it works
Once we have finished looking, we write up our findings as a report with photographs, sent to you by email. On timing, most surveys take an hour or two at most homes, and longer for a large or complex roof. A visit to Freemantle is planned like any other: the time, the access and where to park are agreed ahead of time. Weekday and weekend visits are both possible. Tell us about any garages, outbuildings or extensions you want included.
- We go through the roof, the problem and the weather expected on the day.
- The roof is inspected visually from safe positions.
- Thermal images are taken across the roof and, where there’s safe access, in the loft.
- We take moisture readings where the images suggest a problem.
- Each image is set beside a normal photo and explained in the report.
Before the survey
- Tell us about parking before the day
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
Arrange a survey
If you’re buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just call 07833 053749 or use the contact form when you are ready.
Related advice
FAQs for Freemantle
How do I find out if my home in Freemantle is listed?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Are there drone restrictions around Freemantle?
It depends on the exact address and the weather on the day. Freemantle is about 2 miles from the edge of the flight restriction zone around Southampton Airport. The exact boundary is checked for each address before any flight, and a roof inside it needs permission before we fly. Strong wind or a downpour also stops a small drone flying, and the rest of the survey doesn’t depend on the drone.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We are roof surveyors, not structural engineers. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we’ll recommend one.
Will you go up on the roof?
Only if it’s safe. We look at everything that can safely be seen: from ground level, from windows, from inside the loft space, from the roof where it’s safe and by drone where it applies. Anything we cannot see is noted in the report.
Can you do a thermal survey in any weather?
The results depend on the weather. A dry surface, little wind and a sunny spell beforehand help most. We record the conditions in the report, so you know how much weight to give the images.
Is Freemantle in your area?
Yes. Our area covers London and South East England, and that includes Freemantle.
Can you use a thermal camera on a sloping roof?
It can show heat loss and some damp, but it has more limits there. Our report is clear about what can be read from them, and we check them with a visual inspection and moisture readings.
What we are asked to look at in Freemantle
Some buyers want extra detail before they commit to a purchase. The Premium Survey brings thermal imaging and a drone inspection where applicable, with a report the same day, which helps when timescales are tight.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Damp around roof outlets and upstands
- Areas of a flat roof that may hold water
- Damp where roofs meet walls and chimneys
- Stains that keep coming back
If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for instance near Marlands Shopping Centre, big, flat commercial roofs are where close-up aerial shots and thermal images help most.
Questions to ask before booking
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Whether VAT is added on top
- What the survey won’t cover
- How long the report takes to arrive
What a thermal roof survey looks like in Freemantle
Freemantle lies within about 1 mile of the sea, and wind off the sea can be strong. Calm, dry conditions after a sunny day suit thermal imaging best, so the visit is planned around the forecast. The wider area around Freemantle has a long history of building, with Southampton Tudor House and Garden about 1.2 miles south-east. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs.
A roof leak in a hotel or guest house around Freemantle means lost rooms as well as repairs. If you live in an older home near Christ Church, older roofs can be steep and hard to see from the street, which is where photos from the air and thermal images help.
Freemantle is about 1 mile west of Southampton, in Southampton. We carry out thermal roof surveys in Freemantle for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings. Our area takes in places right across Southampton, from the larger towns to small villages.
Surveys in SO15, SO16 and SO17 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We offer thermal roof surveys to properties on May Road, Park Road and Pitt Road. Freemantle sits on or near the A33, which makes travel easy. Neighbouring places we cover for thermal roof surveys include Shirley (1 mile north), Regents Park (1 mile north-west), Millbrook (1 mile west), Maybush (2 miles north-west) and Coxford (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Townhill Park (3 miles north-east), Midanbury (3 miles east), Thornhill (4 miles east), Chartwell Green (4 miles east), Harefield (4 miles east) and Itchen (3 miles east).
Near you in Freemantle
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to St Anne's Catholic School, Blechynden Terrace Park and The Brass Monkey pub, among other places. Freemantle has its own railway station: Millbrook (Hants) station. Nearby you’ll also find Western Community Hospital (1.3 miles north-west) and Foresters Museum & Archive (under half a mile east). Not far away are Testwood Lakes.
Roof by roof
Parapets, valleys and junctions
Problems where roof slopes and walls meet are often hidden. We combine a close visual check with the thermal images.
Loft insulation
The difference is clearest when the home is heated and it is cold out. We explain in the report how the conditions on the day affected what we saw.
What this survey can’t tell you
Every survey has limits, and we’d rather be clear about that before booking. Bear these in mind:
- Whether the deck or roof structure is strong enough
- Confirming water without moisture readings
- Hidden layers that need to be opened up to check
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Insulated roof spaces
- Loft conversions
- Flat roofs
- Pitched roof slopes
- Commercial roofs
- Ceilings below the roof
Places near Freemantle
What else we do in Freemantle
Can I check my roof myself?
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. 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.
Before and after the survey
You do not need to be a roofer to help. What helps most:
- Remember the conditions on the day affect the results
- Move stored items away from the loft hatch
- Keep dated photos of any marks on ceilings
- Keep a record of when stains appear
After the visit, we put the thermal images, photographs and moisture readings into one report. Each image is explained in plain words, with our recommendations. With a Premium Survey, you get the report the same day.
Have small defects in the covering fixed early. Water that gets under a covering can spread a long way before it shows.