A Clearer View of the Roof Before You Buy
Reduce uncertainty before an important property decision.
Drone roof surveys for houses and flats across London, from £189+VAT.
CAA-Qualified Pilots · PDRA01‑27664 From terraced houses to the Houses of Parliament Before you commit
A Better Way to See the Roof
The roof is one of the hardest parts of a property to inspect properly and can be one of the most expensive to put right.
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A drone survey gives you and the professionals advising you better information about the roof’s visible condition before you commit to the purchase. It can help identify visible defects, investigate areas already raised in a survey and give you better information to make decisions or negotiate around repairs, maintenance or the purchase itself.
Houses
Understand the overall visible condition of the roof, areas that may need repair or maintenance and issues that could affect future costs. Detailed imagery can provide close views of roof coverings, chimneys, gutters, flashings, valleys, parapets, extensions and other difficult areas.
Flats
Roof condition can matter when you’re buying a flat too, particularly where future repairs are shared through the lease or freehold. A drone survey gives you and your surveyor a clear view of the communal roof to consider alongside the rest of the property.
“The drone survey gave me a much better understanding of the roof before I bought the house, and ultimately helped me negotiate a substantial reduction in the purchase price. I’d definitely recommend Roof Hawk to other buyers.”
A careful look at the roof
See the Areas You Can’t See From the Ground
One of our skilled, CAA-qualified pilots captures the roof systematically, from wider context through to close-up detail.
Tell us if your surveyor has raised a particular concern or if there is an area you specifically want to understand. We can make sure the pilot pays particular attention to it while also capturing the wider roof.
Depending on the roof, this can include
- Slipped, cracked or missing tiles and slates
- Flashings and roof junctions
- Chimneys and chimney details
- Valleys and parapets
- Gutters and drainage
- Flat roof surfaces and edges
- Visible storm or impact damage
- Extensions and changes in roof level
- Other areas of concern
Included
- Detailed 4K video and still imagery
- Close views of roof coverings and difficult details
- Particular attention to areas raised by you or your surveyor
- Skilled, experienced building-inspection capture
- Flight planning and restricted flight zone permissions
- A simple link to view, download and share the imagery
You usually do not need to attend.
Professional advice
A Cost-Effective Way to Get the Advice You Need
If you already have a building surveyor, often the simplest and most cost-effective option is to share the Roof Hawk imagery with them. The video and stills are quick and easy to review, and your surveyor can consider the roof alongside the rest of their Level 2 or Level 3 assessment.
If you need a separate opinion, we can also arrange professional review through our partners, from practical roof-condition advice from an experienced roofing contractor to a formal assessment from a chartered surveyor.
Selling?
Get Ahead of Roof Questions Before You Sell
A drone survey can help you understand the visible condition of the roof before your property goes on the market. If there are issues, you have the opportunity to investigate or address them early, rather than discovering them later through a buyer’s survey or during negotiations.
Clear imagery can also give buyers and their advisers useful information where questions about the roof arise.
Before you arrange a survey
A Few Useful Things to Know
Can my existing surveyor use the drone imagery?
Yes. Your imagery is provided through a simple shareable link, and the detailed video and stills are quick and easy for a surveyor to review. Many buyers send it directly to the surveyor already assessing the property.
Is a drone survey useful alongside a Level 2 or Level 3 Home Survey?
Yes. Where roof areas are difficult to inspect clearly, drone imagery can give your surveyor additional visual information to consider alongside their wider assessment of the property. RICS also recognises the growing role of drones and other digital inspection tools in residential surveying.
Source: RICS Home Survey Standard
What if I’m buying a flat?
We regularly survey properties for people buying flats. The roof may be communal, but its condition and future maintenance costs can still be relevant to your purchase depending on the ownership and lease arrangements. Your surveyor or solicitor can advise you on your particular responsibilities.
Do I need to attend?
Usually not. We can generally operate from the street, so there is normally no need for you to be there.
How quickly can you complete the survey?
We can often arrange residential surveys quickly, subject to weather, location and any flight permissions. If you are working to an exchange, survey or other purchase deadline, tell us when you enquire and we will do our best to work around it.
What happens if the imagery shows a problem?
You can share it with your existing surveyor or roofer, or we can arrange additional professional review if you need it. The imagery and advice can help you understand the significance of the issue, decide how you want to proceed with the purchase and, where appropriate, inform discussions or negotiations about the property price.
More on this: Residential drone roof surveysReports and professional adviceWhat a survey costs
“Great service: friendly, fast and professional. Overall, a very easy way to identify what needs to be done to maintain your roof.”
Simple, affordable pricing
Residential Drone Roof Surveys From £189+VAT
A simple, affordable way to get a clear view of the roof before you buy or sell. Every residential survey includes detailed video and still images.
The final price depends on the size and complexity of the roof and its location, and we’ll always confirm the total before you book.
We cover every London borough.
Start With the Address
Send us the property address, tell us whether you are buying or selling, and let us know about anything your surveyor has already raised. We’ll take a look and confirm the next step and price.