Medway · London and the South East
Thermal imaging roof survey in Grain, Medway
Get a clear view of the roof at a property in Grain. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Water getting in at parapets and stacks
- Missing or slipped insulation
- Leaks far from where the stain appears
How a thermal roof survey works in Grain
A thermal imaging roof survey uses a thermal camera to show differences in surface temperature across a roof. Those patterns can point to trapped moisture, missing insulation or heat escaping. It is important to know that the camera shows temperature, not water, so findings are checked with moisture readings. It comes as part of our Premium Survey, from £400. The report also notes the conditions on the day, since they affect what the camera can show. We survey insulated roof spaces, loft conversions and commercial roofs, and the problems we are asked to look at most are areas of a flat roof that may hold water and wet areas near outlets and upstands.
In a village or hamlet like Grain, roofs can be steep, old and hard to see from the lane. Close-up drone photos and thermal images help show what can’t be reached safely. Weather and airspace are looked at before the visit. Older roofs with steep slopes and tall chimneys are where the extra view helps most.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Place
- Grain (ME3)
- Wider area
- Medway
- Prices
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
The survey, step by step
We work from the outside in: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the loft space where it can be reached. All told, expect an hour or two for most homes, plus time to check any thermal findings with moisture readings. Older rural homes like those around Grain can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- We start with the roof, its history and any signs of damp or heat loss.
- The weather and surface conditions are recorded.
- We inspect the roof and take thermal images during the same visit.
- We back up the thermal patterns with moisture readings.
- You get the report the same day, with an in-person consultation to follow.
Before the survey
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
Book a survey
We confirm the price for the job before booking, so you know the cost up front. Our price is from £400, including VAT. For a price for your roof, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Advice
What this survey can’t tell you
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Insulation values or heat loss calculations
- What’s inside walls or under coverings, without opening up
- Structural calculations, which need a structural engineer
If you’re not sure which survey you need, ring 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
- Insulated roof spaces
- Pitched roof slopes
- Loft conversions
- Flat roofs
- Commercial roofs
- Ceilings below the roof
Roof by roof
Loft insulation
The difference is clearest when the home is heated and it’s cold out. Our report notes how the conditions affected the images.
Pitched slate and tile roofs
Even on pitched roofs, the camera can point to heat loss and some damp. We explain what can and can’t be read from them.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
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.
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Tell us about it when you book and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
Questions from Grain
How do I find out if my home in Grain is listed?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
Is Grain within the area you cover?
Yes, Grain is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Only when it is safe. Most of what we need can be seen from safe viewpoints, the loft and, where applicable, a drone, and the report notes anything we couldn’t see.
What can thermal imaging tell me about my roof?
A thermal camera shows differences in surface temperature. Those patterns can point to trapped moisture, missing insulation or heat loss. Findings are checked with moisture readings.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling aren’t something we do. The report may flag materials that could contain asbestos on buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Will thermal imaging find my leak?
Thermal imaging can help, alongside other checks. The results depend on conditions on the day. If the source can’t be confirmed, we will say what could help next, like electronic leak detection.
What will the report tell me?
A photo-illustrated written report, covering the condition of the roof, the defects we found and what we recommend, by urgency where it matters. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check, and the Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies and structural analysis.
Airspace, weather and Grain roofs
Grain is within about 1 mile of the coast, and coastal wind can be strong. Clear thermal results need a dry roof and little wind after a sunny day, so the date depends on the forecast. Across Kent, older roofs are often handmade clay or peg tiles, and tile-hanging on upper walls is a familiar sight. You will also find oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses among the county’s older buildings. Older coverings on steep or tall roofs are hard to judge from below, so close-up close-up aerial shots and thermal images help.
Take a building like St James Church of England Primary Academy: thermal images can show where wet insulation sits under a big flat roof. If you live in an older home near Church of St James, steep roofs, tall chimneys and hidden valleys can be hard to see from ground level, and that’s where a view from the air or with a thermal camera helps.
Grain is about 5 miles north-west of Minster, in Medway. We visit Grain as part of our work across Medway, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Across Medway, we cover Grain and the places around it. There’s also a page for Maidstone.
Postcode districts we cover here for thermal roof surveys: ME3. If you need a thermal roof survey at a property on High Street, Power Station Road and Chapel Road or anywhere close by, we can help. We also cover Wallend (1 mile west), Blue Town (2 miles south-east), Sheerness (2 miles south-east), Queenborough (3 miles south-east) and Rushenden (3 miles south). Larger places within reach include Gillingham (8 miles south-west), Chatham (10 miles south-west), Rochester (10 miles south-west), Rainham (8 miles south-west), Strood (11 miles south-west) and Luton (10 miles south-west).
What’s near Grain
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Hogarth Inn, among other places. The nearest railway station is Sheerness-On-Sea station, roughly 2.1 miles south-east. Nearby you will also find Bluetown Heritage Centre (1.8 miles south-east).
Before and after the survey
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Clear a path to the loft hatch before we arrive
- Do not switch the heating off ahead of the visit
- Photograph damp patches with the date
- Keep outlets and gutters clear to stop water sitting
Where a pattern cannot be confirmed, the report says what could help, like electronic leak detection or opening up a small area.
Deal with small splits and lifted seams promptly. Once water gets under a membrane, it can travel far before it appears inside.
Nearby places to Grain
Other services in Grain
Why it is worth a survey now in Grain
Heat lost through a roof costs money every winter. The camera can point to gaps and thin areas in the insulation, so you know where to put things right. Around Grain, older homes frequently have old roof timbers, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it is left.
We offer three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, all including VAT. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Why us?
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Clear package prices, including VAT
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- 5,000+ surveys completed
Read what a roof survey costs and our case studies.