Written roof surveys across Maidstone with photographs, condition assessment and a straight repair-or-replace answer. Survey fee credited in full against any work you book with us.
A roof inspection in Maidstone costs £120-£250 for a visual survey with written report, £150-£350 for a drone survey, and £200-£450 for a pre-purchase inspection. The fee is credited in full against any repair or replacement work you subsequently book with us.
A roof survey turns guesswork into a decision. Below is what we check on Maidstone property, what it costs, and why the fee comes back to you if you book the work.
On the pre-1950 stock concentrated in Fant, Upper Stone Street, Tovil and the town centre conservation area, the single most consequential finding is nail sickness — corrosion of the original iron nails holding the tiles or slates. It is invisible from ground level and progresses silently until a moderate gust brings down several tiles at once. From the loft we can see the nail shanks at the back of the tiling and assess the rust staining on the felt directly. This is the finding that most often changes a homeowner's plan from a £400 repair to a planned re-roof, and it is the reason we insist on loft access rather than surveying from a ladder alone.
Key FactRICS HomeBuyer Reports assess roof coverings primarily from ground level and from within the roof space at the hatch, and surveyors routinely recommend further specialist investigation where access limits their view. That recommendation is a prompt for a specialist roofing survey, not a conclusion that the roof is sound.
Across Penenden Heath, Park Wood, Coxheath, Larkfield, Shepway and Senacre we are assessing a different failure mode entirely. Concrete interlocking tiles from 1958 to 1978 lose their surface aggregate progressively, and the rate accelerates once the smooth factory coating has weathered through. We record the proportion of tiles showing exposed aggregate, because that percentage is the best available predictor of remaining service life. Under 25 per cent typically means several years left and targeted repair is appropriate. Above that, repair frequency climbs steeply and a replacement horizon should be planned rather than waited for.
Bearsted, Loose, Barming and Allington carry substantial 1930s semi-detached stock where the original bitumen felt underlay is now ninety years old. Felt of that age has typically failed at the eaves where exposure is greatest and often delaminated mid-slope where it was poorly supported between rafters. From the loft this shows as visible daylight, torn sagging material between rafters, and staining on the batten undersides. Failed felt does not leak on a dry day, which is why these properties often pass a casual look and then admit water at the first wind-driven rain.
RICS homebuyer reports assess the roof from ground level and the loft hatch, and routinely conclude with a recommendation for specialist roofing investigation. That recommendation is sound advice which buyers frequently do not act on before exchange. For any Maidstone property built before 1980 — which covers the great majority of the borough's stock — a specialist survey before exchange converts an unquantified risk into a number you can negotiate with. We turn pre-purchase surveys around within the week and fit around the vendor's access arrangements.
Properties along Loose Road, St Faiths Lane, Boxley Road and around Bearsted Green need a specific check that open-aspect properties do not. Heavy mature deciduous canopy fills valleys and gutters with material that compacts and holds moisture against the lead. We inspect valley linings for girth — many Maidstone period valleys are narrower than the 600mm BS 6915 specifies — and for debris damage at the narrow point where water accelerates. In these streets a valley problem identified in September is a maintenance visit; the same problem found in January is usually a ceiling repair too.
| Survey type | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Visual survey with written report | £120 - £250 | Perimeter, roof access, loft, photographed report |
| Drone survey | £150 - £350 | Aerial imagery where physical access is restricted |
| Pre-purchase inspection | £200 - £450 | Full survey plus negotiation-ready written report |
| Full condition survey (large or listed) | £300 - £600 | Detailed specification-level assessment |
| Survey fee credited against work booked | Full credit | Applied to any repair or replacement you proceed with |
| Post-storm damage assessment | £120 - £250 | Documented for insurance purposes |
The survey fee is credited in full against any repair or replacement work you subsequently book with us, so for customers who proceed the inspection is effectively free. The written report is yours to keep either way.
Book a survey and the fee comes straight off your repair bill if you go ahead with us.
0162 229 6232There are four situations across Maidstone where a specialist roof survey reliably pays for itself, and one where it usually does not.
Before exchanging on any property built before 1980. Where a RICS survey has recommended further roofing investigation. Where repairs have been carried out more than twice in the same area within two years, which usually indicates the underlying cause has not been found. And after any storm that caused visible damage in the garden, because wind sufficient to move a fence panel is sufficient to lift poorly bedded ridge tiles.
The situation where a survey is not worth the money is a roof under fifteen years old with no symptoms and no storm history. A visual check from the ground is enough at that stage, and we will say so on the phone rather than taking a booking.
Every survey we carry out in Maidstone produces the same document structure, so it can be read alongside a RICS report or handed to a solicitor without translation.
A condition summary for each roof element — covering, ridge, hips, valleys, chimney, flashings, roofline and loft. Photographs of every defect identified, taken at close range from the roof surface rather than zoomed from the ground. An assessment of remaining service life with the reasoning stated. A prioritised recommendation separating work needed now, work needed within two years, and work to monitor. And an indicative cost for each item so the report is usable for budgeting or negotiation immediately.
What the report does not contain is pressure. If the honest conclusion is that nothing needs doing for five years, that is what it says.
We walk the full perimeter of your Maidstone property with binoculars, recording ridge line, hip and valley condition, tile surface, chimney and roofline before going up.
We access the roof by ladder or tower to test ridge mortar bond by hand, inspect lead at every flashing and valley, and check felt condition at the eaves.
We inspect from inside for daylight through the covering, staining on rafters, damp insulation and inadequate ventilation — the things no external view can show.
You receive a photographed written report with a clear condition assessment and recommendation within 24 to 48 hours. Call 0162 229 6232.
“Pre-purchase survey on a 1930s place in Bearsted. Found felt failure the homebuyer report had not picked up. Saved us a five-figure surprise after completion.”
“Wanted an honest answer on whether to repair or replace. They said repair, gave us five more years, and did not try to sell us a roof. Refreshing.”
“Written report with photos within two days. Used it to negotiate the asking price down. Fee came off the repair bill when we booked the work.”
A visual survey with written report costs £120-£250, a drone survey £150-£350, and a pre-purchase inspection £200-£450. The fee is credited in full against any work you book with us.
Yes, in full. If you proceed with the repair or replacement we quote, the inspection fee comes off the final invoice. The written report is yours to keep whether you proceed or not.
For any property built before 1980, yes. A specialist survey before exchange quantifies the roof liability so you can negotiate. After completion the cost is entirely yours.
Ground-level perimeter assessment, physical roof access to test mortar and inspect lead, and a loft inspection for daylight, staining and ventilation. All three together give a reliable picture.
No, though it has its uses. Drones cannot test ridge mortar bond by hand, spot hairline cracks in lead, or inspect the loft. We use drones to supplement access on tall or complex properties.
Within 24 to 48 hours of the survey. Pre-purchase surveys are prioritised where there is an exchange deadline, and we can usually attend within the week.
Yes, and we frequently do. If the survey shows the roof has years of life left, that is what the report says. We would rather have an honest report you trust than a job you did not need.
Yes. Full condition surveys for larger or listed properties are £300-£600 and produce a specification-level assessment suitable for planning or insurance purposes.
Written report, photographs, honest recommendation. Fee credited against any work booked.
0162 229 6232Lines open Mon–Fri 8am–6pm, Sat 8am–2pm · Emergency call-outs 24/7
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