Know what the roof looks like before you commit to the house
Your survey looks at the roof from the ground. We look at it from above, so you can budget, negotiate or walk away with clear evidence in hand.
What we check
- Slate or tile coverings on every visible slope
- Ridge, hip and verge details
- Chimney stacks, pots, flaunching and flashing
- Valleys, gulleys and other lead work
- Gutters, fascias and soffits
- Dormers, rooflights and later roof additions
- Signs of past patch repairs and mismatched slates
What you get
- Photos and 4K video of all safely visible roof slopes
- A PDF report with labelled photos showing where any visible concerns are
- A clear note of coverage limitations: what we couldn’t see and why
- A follow-up conversation to talk the findings through
- Evidence you can share with your surveyor, a roofer or the estate agent
When to book
- Your offer has been accepted and you’re arranging the survey
- The survey report recommends further investigation of the roof or chimneys
- It’s an older house with an original slate roof
- You can see patched slates, missing ridge tiles or plants on the roof from the street
- You want a baseline record of the roof just after you move in
What does a home survey actually see of the roof?
Under the RICS Home Survey standard, a Level 2 surveyor inspects roofs, chimneys and other outside surfaces from ground level and, where needed, from neighbouring public property, using binoculars. They look at the roof structure from inside the loft if the hatch is safely reachable, but they don’t climb onto the roof itself.
That isn’t a failing of the surveyor; it’s the agreed scope of the inspection. It does mean that on a typical Plymouth terrace, the rear slopes, valleys, back gutters and the tops of chimney stacks may only be seen from a distance, or not at all. Reports often say so, and recommend further investigation.
A drone check fills that gap. It doesn’t replace your survey; it adds close-range pictures of the parts the surveyor couldn’t reach. Our guide on checking the roof when buying a house covers what to look for.
How can roof photos help before you exchange?
Roofs are expensive to fix, and problems are hard to argue about without evidence. Clear photos change the conversation.
- Get real quotes. Send the images to a roofer and ask what the visible issues would cost to put right.
- Talk to the seller. With photos and a quote, you can raise repairs through the estate agent and ask for a price adjustment or for the work to be done before completion. Whether the seller agrees is up to them.
- Budget properly. Even if you go ahead at the agreed price, you’ll know what needs doing in the first year or two.
- Walk away if you need to. Sometimes the photos show more than you’re willing to take on.
The Annotated Report (£200) is usually the best fit here. The labelled PDF is easy to forward, and it says clearly which areas we could and couldn’t see. Prices for all packages are on our pricing page.
What about after you’ve moved in?
Plenty of people only think about the roof once the keys are in their hand. That’s what happened on Torr Lane: after buying the house, the new owner wanted a proper overview of the roof’s condition.
The drone inspection gave them a photographic record of every visible slope, the chimneys and the edges. They used it to decide which jobs were urgent, which could wait, and how much to set aside, rather than finding out about a problem from a stain on the ceiling.
A baseline record is also useful later. If something changes after a storm, you can compare new photos with the old ones. If you sell, you have evidence of the roof’s condition and any work done. See more examples on our recent inspections page, or read about our standard full roof inspection.
How do I arrange a roof check on a house I don’t own yet?
Because the property still belongs to the seller, they need to know about the flight and agree to it. In practice this is simple: ask the estate agent to pass on the request, the same way you would arrange access for your surveyor or a builder. to confirm: preferred pre-purchase consent process, e.g. who contacts the agent
The best time to book is once your offer has been accepted, alongside the survey and before you exchange contracts. That gives you time to get roofers’ quotes and raise anything with the seller. If your survey report has already come back recommending further investigation of the roof, mention that when you call and we’ll focus on those areas.
We cover homes across Plymouth and nearby. Book a free 15-minute call and we’ll talk through the property and the timing.
What a drone cannot tell you
A drone roof check is a visual inspection of the outside of the roof. It is not a RICS Home Survey, a structural survey or a valuation, and it doesn’t replace one. We can’t see under slates, inside the roof space or behind flashing, and we don’t comment on the rest of the house. We describe what’s visible; we don’t estimate repair costs, which is a roofer’s job. Coverage depends on the site, and the report notes anything we couldn’t see. We only fly in dry, reasonably calm weather, so a booking can move if the wind picks up or it rains. We fly within UK Civil Aviation Authority rules; a few locations need extra permission or can’t be flown at all, and we’ll tell you before booking if yours is one of them. to confirm: CAA Operator ID and pilot qualifications to show here
Questions
Does a drone roof check replace a RICS survey?
No. A RICS Home Survey looks at the whole property, inside and out, and a chartered surveyor gives professional opinions on its condition. Our drone check adds close-range photos of the roof, which a Level 2 surveyor typically views from the ground with binoculars. Use both: the survey for the whole house, the drone for a proper look at the roof.
Does the seller need to agree to the drone flight?
Yes. It’s their property until completion, so they should know about the flight and agree to it. Most buyers ask the estate agent to arrange it, just as they would for a surveyor. A short drone flight that doesn’t involve anyone entering the house is usually a simple request, but we won’t fly without their agreement.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof check?
Once your offer is accepted, ideally at the same time as your survey and well before exchange. That leaves time to get roofers’ quotes on anything we find and to raise it with the seller. If the survey report is already back and recommends further investigation of the roof or chimneys, book straight away and tell us what it flagged.
Will the report tell me how much the repairs will cost?
No. We describe and locate what’s visible, with labelled photos, but we don’t price repairs. Send the report to one or two roofers and ask them to quote; clear photos usually make their quotes more accurate. If you’d like a name, we have recommended Tom Duggan Roofing to clients before, but you’re free to use anyone.
Is it worth doing if I’ve already bought the house?
Yes. Our Torr Lane client booked an inspection after buying, to get an overview of the roof and plan maintenance. A baseline record helps you prioritise jobs, set a budget, spot changes after storms and show a future buyer the roof’s condition. The full inspection at £150 is usually enough for this.
Tell us about your roof
Send the address area and what you are worried about. We reply within one working day with options and a fixed price.
Prefer to talk it through? Book a free 15-minute call and we will help you choose the right inspection.