Kent · London and the South East
Thermal imaging roof survey in Hever, Kent
Thermal imaging to find moisture and heat loss patterns in a roof in Hever, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Call or email for a price.
- Missing or slipped insulation
- Moisture around outlets and upstands
- Areas losing heat at the eaves and junctions
Drones, thermal imaging and Hever roofs
Many older homes in Kent have handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles held by pegs through two holes, and tile-hanging on their upper walls. Oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of the county’s older buildings too. Steep or complicated roofs are frequently hard to see from ground level, which is where close-up aerial shots and thermal images help. Hever Castle, about 0.4 miles north-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Hever. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead.
The streets around a church such as Church of St Peter are frequently 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 the ground, and that’s where a view from the air or with a thermal camera helps.
Hever is about 6 miles north-east of East Grinstead, in Kent. Hever is one of many places we visit across Kent. Our area takes in places right across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. We also survey roofs in Crawley.
We work across TN8 for thermal roof surveys. That includes homes and businesses on Hever Road and Uckfield Lane and the roads around them. Nearby, we also carry out thermal roof surveys in Newtown (1 mile south), How Green (1 mile north), Markbeech (1 mile south), Chiddingstone Hoath (2 miles south-east) and Chiddingstone Causeway (3 miles east). We also work in nearby towns like Sevenoaks (8 miles north-east), Royal Tunbridge Wells (8 miles south-east), Tonbridge (7 miles east), Swanley (15 miles north), Kings Hill (14 miles north-east) and Paddock Wood (12 miles east).
Local landmarks in Hever
Typical jobs here are in homes near King Henry VIII pub and Chiddingstone Castle Park and Gardens, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Hever station, roughly 0.5 miles west. A little further out are Haxted Watermill Museum (3.4 miles west) and Hever Castle (less than half a mile north-east).
How a thermal roof survey works in Hever
Thermal imaging is a useful tool, but it has limits. Sun, shade, reflective surfaces and wind can all change what the camera shows. That is why we check findings with moisture readings and a close visual inspection. The report is clear about what the images show and what they don’t. Where something can’t be confirmed, we say what would help next. If you’ve noticed patches of heat loss across the roof and damp patches with no obvious cause, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Older buildings in small places like Hever may be listed or in a conservation area. A look from the air or with a thermal camera doesn’t touch the roof, so it’s a gentle way to see the condition of an old roof. Check with the council before planning any work on a listed building or one in a conservation area.
If any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. That way, it’s clear what was covered and what wasn’t.
- Location
- Hever (TN8)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
The survey, step by step
On the day, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that’s worrying you. We then inspect everything that can safely be seen. Most surveys take an hour or two for a house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Around Hever, older homes can have small or awkward roof 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.
- Each image is set beside a normal photo and explained in the report.
Before the survey
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Arrange a survey
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will ask a few questions about the roof. You will have a price before anything is arranged.
Advice
What you can safely check yourself
You can learn a lot from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Never climb onto the roof to look.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Towns and villages near Hever
What else we do in Hever
Surveys for landlords and agents in Hever
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, putting the urgent items at the top.
Letting agents frequently book on a landlord’s behalf, and the report can go to both. Access is agreed with the tenant ahead of time.
What happens if roof problems are left?
The longer moisture sits in a roof, the more it can affect timbers and finishes below. Looking now, while the damage may still be limited, keeps more options open. In a small place like Hever, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and damp in older walls is slow to dry out.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. The price is always agreed first.
Why us?
- Package prices that include VAT
- A written report with photos
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
Common questions in Hever
How do I find out if my home in Hever is listed?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Do you cover Hever?
Yes, Hever is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photographs.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. We are experienced roof surveyors, and our survey covers the roof rather than the whole building. For the rest of the building, a RICS home survey is a separate job.
How long will you be at the property?
Expect it to take an hour or two for most homes, plus time to check any thermal findings with moisture readings. The written report follows by email.
Does thermal imaging work on slate and tile roofs?
It can be useful, though pitched roofs are normally harder to read. Slates and tiles over a ventilated space can mask what’s below, so we also look from the loft where it’s safe.
How many surveys have you done?
We have completed more than 5,000 surveys, over more than 20 years, with 98% customer satisfaction.
What insurance do you have?
Every survey is covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Signs you need a thermal roof survey in Hever
Building owners and managing agents use thermal surveys to plan work on larger flat roofs. Patterns can point to wet areas and show which parts look sound, so we know where to take moisture readings.
Problems we come across often include:
- Water that travels before it shows
- Water getting in at parapets and stacks
- Wet areas near outlets and upstands
- Thin or uneven insulation in the roof
Anyone responsible for a site like Hever Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School will know that big roofs are where close-up aerial shots and thermal images show the most at once.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- What the survey won’t cover
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- What happens after the report arrives
What we look for on each type of roof
Single-ply and EPDM roofs
Because these membranes are thin, patterns from below often show. Reflections from shiny surfaces can affect readings, which we allow for.
GRP fibreglass roofs
Water can get through cracked GRP into the deck. We check cracks by eye and use the images to see whether there is a pattern around them.