Answers to Common Questions About Our Roof Surveys
Everything You Need to Know
Whether you’re a homeowner, property manager, or insurance professional, we’ve compiled the most frequently asked questions to help you understand how our surveys work. From access requirements to reporting, you’ll find clear, straightforward answers right here.
Our Commercial Roof Survey Service
Our commercial roof surveys provide comprehensive assessments of all roofing systems and components, including structural elements, drainage systems, rooftop equipment installations, and waterproofing integrity. Our surveyors examine the entire roof condition, documenting all findings with high-resolution photography and detailed notes. We deliver professional reports suitable for facility managers, property owners, and maintenance teams, insurance companies, including prioritised recommendations and budget planning guidance.
Our surveyors come from extensive roofing backgrounds—they're either experienced roofers themselves or have been trained by roofing professionals. Unlike companies that use general inspectors, our surveyors bring authentic roofing expertise to every inspection. We're also completely independent from any roofing contractors, ensuring our assessments are based solely on the condition of your roof, not on potential repair opportunities.
We survey all types of commercial properties including offices, retail units, industrial buildings, warehouses, factories, educational facilities, healthcare buildings, hotels, and multi-occupancy residential blocks. Our team has experience with all common commercial roofing systems including single-ply membranes, built-up felt, metal profiled, hot melt, liquid membranes, asphalt, green roofs and more.
Our Reports and Recommendations
Our commercial reports provide:
- Executive summary for management review
- Detailed technical assessment of all roofing components
- Prioritised defect schedules with risk assessments
- Maintenance planning recommendations
- Compliance observations regarding current building regulations High-resolution imagery
Standard commercial reports are delivered within 5 working days following the survey. Expedited reports can be arranged when required urgently, usually within 2-3 working days at an additional cost.
Costs and Services
Commercial survey pricing is based on several factors:
- Total roof area and number of roof sections
- Complexity of roofing systems present
- Access requirements and safety considerations
- Specific documentation or compliance needs
- Urgency of delivery requirements
We provide detailed quotations following an initial consultation about your specific property and requirements. Get in touch now to get your free quote
Yes, we provide comprehensive roof asset management and maintenance planning services. Following a survey, we can develop scheduled maintenance programmes tailored to your roof type, condition, and budget constraints.
The Survey Process
It's impossible to predict exactly how long a survey will take without knowing the size and complexity of the roof itself. Our commercial surveys generally take anywhere between 1-6 hours depending on various factors including property size, roof complexity, access requirements, number of different roof areas, and the issues identified. For really large commercial estates, multi-day surveys may be necessary. We can give you a much better estimate when we have the specific details of your property and will provide this information as part of your free quote.
Yes, we sometimes schedule commercial property surveys during evenings, weekends, or other times that minimise disruption to your business operations. This flexibility is particularly valuable for retail, hospitality, and healthcare facilities.
For commercial surveys, please arrange:
- Site access authorisation for our team
- Access to roof hatches, plant rooms, and other relevant areas
- Building plans or roof layouts if available
- Information about recent maintenance or known issues can be useful
- Parking facilities for our survey vehicle (if required)
- A site contact who can assist with access requirements
We adhere strictly to the Work at Height Regulations 2005, which means we require proper, safe access to your roof. Depending on your property, this may include fixed ladders, roof hatches, mobile elevated work platforms, or scaffolding systems. For properties where physical access is problematic, we offer professional drone surveys as an alternative. We cannot use non-fixed ladders for safety and insurance reasons.
Drone Surveys
For commercial properties, drones offer several specific advantages:
- Ability to survey large roof areas efficiently
- Minimal disruption to business operations
- No need for expensive access equipment
- Creation of comprehensive visual records
- Thermal imaging capabilities for identifying hidden moisture (if required)
- Regular comparative surveys to track condition changes over time
We provide scheduled drone survey programmes for commercial clients, conducting surveys at regular intervals (typically quarterly or bi-annually) to track roof condition, identify developing issues early, and plan proactive maintenance. These programmes often reduce long-term maintenance costs significantly.
General Information
We are based in the south east, but can and do accommodate projects throughout the UK. Please contact us to confirm service availability in your area.
Yes, we carry comprehensive professional indemnity and public liability insurance appropriate for all the services we provide.
Absolutely. Above Ground Surveys operates in full compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Work at Height Regulations 2005, and all other relevant UK health and safety legislation. Our risk assessment procedures and method statements are regularly updated to reflect current best practices.
You can request a quote by calling us directly on 01634 926384 , emailing hello@abovegroundsurveys.com, or using the book a survey form on our website. For complex commercial properties, we may suggest a brief site visit to assess access requirements before providing a detailed quotation.
Our Residential Roof Survey Service
Our residential roof surveys include a thorough inspection of all roof components, including tiles/slates, flashings, valleys, ridges, hips, guttering, box gutters, and chimney stacks. We document all findings with high-resolution photography and detailed notes, culminating in a professional report that identifies any issues, their severity, and recommended actions designed specifically for homeowners, landlords & estate agents.
Our surveyors come from extensive roofing backgrounds—they're either experienced roofers themselves or have been trained by roofing professionals. Unlike companies that use general inspectors, our surveyors bring authentic roofing expertise to every inspection. We're also completely independent from any repair contractors, ensuring our assessments are based solely on the condition of your roof, not on potential repair opportunities.
We survey all types of residential roofs including pitched tile and slate roofs, flat roofs, and those with more complex designs. Our team has experience with traditional clay and concrete tiles, natural and artificial slates, bituminous felt, rubber membrane, warm and cold roofs, and other flat roof coverings, and more specialist materials such as stone, metal, and thatch.
Our Reports and Recommendations
Our residential reports include:
- Comprehensive assessment of all roof components
- High-resolution photographs with clear annotations
- Identification of defects and their severity
- Recommendations for repairs or maintenance in priority order
Standard residential reports are delivered within 3-5 working days following the survey. Expedited reports can be arranged when required urgently, usually within 1-2 working days at an additional cost.
We pride ourselves on creating clear, jargon-free reports for homeowners. However, if you have any questions, we offer a complimentary post-report consultation where we can explain any aspects of the findings or recommendations that aren't clear.
Costs and Services
Our residential survey costs vary depending on property size, complexity, location, and access requirements. We provide detailed quotes based on your specific property.
Yes, we offer pre-purchase and post-purchase surveys for homebuyers looking to understand the condition of a roof before completing a property purchase. These surveys are particularly valuable for older properties or when the general home survey has flagged potential roof issues.
Absolutely. A professional roof survey can identify issues before they become serious problems, potentially saving thousands of pounds in future repairs. It's particularly valuable before winter, after extreme weather, if you notice signs of leaks, or if your roof is more than 10 years old.
No, we are strictly an independent roof survey company with no affiliations to roofing contractors. This ensures our assessments remain completely impartial. We can, however, provide detailed specifications that any qualified contractor can follow.
The Survey Process
Most residential roof surveys take 2-3 hours on site, depending on the size and complexity of your home. The detailed report is typically delivered within 2-5 working days following the survey, we also offer rapid reports where we can guarantee a report to be written and delivered within 48 hours, for an additional cost.
We make every effort to minimise disruption. There's no need to vacate the property, though we recommend keeping children and pets away from work areas. Our surveyors are respectful of your home and take care to leave everything as they found it.
In some cases, yes. Internal inspection of the loft space provides valuable information about the underside of the roof structure, insulation, and any signs of water ingress that may not be visible from the exterior.
Prior to our arrival, please ensure:
- Clear access to the property
- Any pets are secured
- Access to loft/attic spaces if internal inspection is included
- Information about any known issues or leak locations
While not always necessary, we recommend being present at least at the beginning and end of the survey. This allows us to discuss any specific concerns you have before we start and provide a brief overview of our findings afterwards.
We adhere strictly to the Work at Height Regulations 2005, which means we require proper, safe access to your roof. Depending on your property, this may include fixed scaffolding, tower scaffolds, or secure roof ladders with appropriate ridge hooks and stability devices. For properties where physical access is problematic, we offer professional drone surveys as an alternative. We cannot use non-fixed ladders for safety and insurance reasons.
Drone Surveys for Homes
Drone surveys provide excellent overview imagery of residential roofs and can identify many common issues including missing or slipped tiles, damaged flashings, and blocked gutters.
Our professional drone pilots operate within Civil Aviation Authority guidelines and use modern drones with noise-reduction technology. We ask that you inform immediate neighbours as a courtesy before conducting surveys and keep flight times to a minimum. Most residential drone surveys take less than 30 minutes of actual flight time.
While drone surveys typically require less time on site, the costs include professional pilot services, high-end equipment, and detailed image analysis. The price difference between drone and physical surveys is often minimal, but drone surveys can be the only option when safe physical access is impossible or prohibitively expensive.
General Information
We primarily serve the south east, but can accommodate projects in other areas for an additional travel fee. Please contact us to confirm service availability in your area.
Yes, we carry comprehensive professional indemnity and public liability insurance appropriate for all the services we provide.
Absolutely. Above Ground Surveys operates in full compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Work at Height Regulations 2005, and all other relevant UK health and safety legislation. Our risk assessment procedures and method statements are regularly updated to reflect current best practices.
You can request a quote by calling us directly on 01634 926384 , emailing hello@abovegroundsurveys.com, or using the book a survey form on our website.
Yes, our detailed reports are produced to professional standards and are widely accepted by insurance companies for homeowner claims. We can provide specific documentation formats if required by your insurer.
We understand that circumstances change. Please provide at least 48 hours' notice for rescheduling to avoid any cancellation fees. Weather-related rescheduling initiated by Above Ground Surveys never incurs additional costs.
Our Leak Testing Service
We employ several specialised techniques depending on the roof type and
specific circumstances:
- Electronic integrity testing (ELD/EIT) our primary method for flat roofs
- Controlled flood testing of specific areas
- Visual inspection with moisture meters and tracing equipment
Our electronic integrity testing is completely non-invasive and doesn't require any cutting, drilling, or removal of roofing materials. This method creates a low-voltage electrical circuit across the waterproof membrane and identifies exactly where breaches occur.
Electronic leak detection requires the roof to be completely dry because moisture interferes with the electrical circuit we create across the membrane. Any standing water, dampness, or wet conditions can give false readings and prevent accurate leak location.
Our electronic leak detection methods are extremely precise, allowing us to pinpoint leak sources to within centimetres. All our surveyors are manufacturer-certified in the use of our leak detection equipment, ensuring reliable results even for the most elusive leaks that have stumped other contractors.
We can conduct leak investigations on nearly all flat roof types, including:
- Single-ply membrane systems (TPO, PVC)
- Built-up felt roofing systems
- Liquid applied membranes
- Green roofs and living roofs
- Metal profiled roofing
- Asphalt roofing
- Hot melt roofs
Please note: We cannot conduct electronic leak testing on EPDM rubber membrane systems as they contain carbon, which interferes with our electronic testing methods.
The Electronic Testing Process
Electronic leak detection creates a low-voltage electrical circuit between the roof membrane and the structural deck beneath. Our specialist equipment identifies breaches in the waterproof membrane by detecting where the electrical circuit is completed through moisture or direct contact. This method can locate pinhole leaks and small punctures that are completely invisible to the naked eye.
Yes, electronic leak testing is completely safe. We use low-voltage equipment that poses no risk to people, property, or electrical systems within the building. The testing is non-invasive and doesn't involve any chemicals, water, or structural modifications to your roof.
Absolutely not. Our electronic testing methods are completely non-destructive and non-invasive. We don't need to cut into, remove, or modify any roofing materials. The testing leaves your roof exactly as we found it, with no marks, holes, or damage of any kind.
Yes, we can conduct electronic testing during winter provided the roof is completely dry and free from frost, ice, or snow. Winter testing may require longer drying periods between rainfall and testing dates.
If rainfall occurs before your scheduled test date, we'll assess the roof condition and may need to postpone the testing until the roof is completely dry again. Weather-related postponements never incur additional charges.
Leak Problems and Solutions
Yes, our electronic testing can identify breaches in the waterproof membrane even when they're not currently causing visible leaks internally. This is particularly valuable for preventative maintenance and identifying potential problem areas before they cause damage.
The water appears in a different location to where you think
the leak is. How is this possible?
Water often travels significant distances from its entry point before becoming visible inside the building. With flat roofs, water can track along structural elements, insulation layers, or membrane joints before finding a way through the ceiling. Our electronic testing identifies the actual breach point, not just where water eventually appears.
Yes, electronic testing can identify multiple breach points during a single test. Our equipment allows us to systematically map the entire roof area and locate all membrane failures, giving you a complete picture of your roof's condition.
Practical Information
- Ensure the roof is dry
- Remove any loose debris or equipment from the roof surface
- Provide safe access to the roof areaClear any ponding water
Once we've identified leak locations, we provide a detailed report including:
- Precise coordinates of each breach point
- Photographic evidence of identified areas
- Recommended repair specifications
- Priority rankings for multiple leaks
As an independent company, we don't perform repairs ourselves, ensuring our assessment remains completely impartial.
Costs and Booking
Electronic leak testing costs depend on:
- Total roof area requiring testing
- Complexity of the roof layout
- Access requirements
We provide detailed quotations based on your specific roof.
While our electronic testing has an extremely high success rate, we guarantee that testing will be conducted using professional equipment by certified technicians following industry best practices. Some complex situations may require combination testing methods, which we'll discuss during our assessment.
You can request a quotation by:
- Calling us directly on 01634926384
- Emailing details to hello@abovegroundsurveys.com
- Using our online booking form
General Information
We primarily serve the South East, but can accommodate urgent commercial projects throughout the UK. Please contact us to confirm availability in your area.
Yes, our detailed electronic leak testing reports are widely accepted by insurance companies. We can provide specific documentation formats and work directly with loss adjusters when required.
We offer planned leak testing programmes for commercial clients, conducting annual or bi-annual testing to identify developing issues before they cause damage. This proactive approach often prevents costly emergency repairs.
A solar panel inspection is a comprehensive assessment of your solar panel installation using advanced drone technology. We examine the panels, mounting systems, wiring, and roof integration to identify any issues affecting performance or safety.
Solar panel inspections help identify:
- Damage from weather, debris, or wildlife
- Performance issues reducing energy output
- Safety concerns with electrical connections
- Warranty compliance issues
- System integrity and condition assessment
We recommend annual inspections for optimal performance. However, you should consider an inspection after:
- Severe weather events (storms, hail, high winds)
- Noticeable drops in energy production
- Visible damage to panels or mounting systems
- Before warranty claims or insurance assessments
Our comprehensive inspection covers:
- Visual assessment of all panels for cracks, chips, or damage
- Mounting system and roof integration checks
- Cable and connection point examination
- Performance analysis and efficiency assessment
- Detailed photographic documentation
- Professional report with findings and recommendations
We use advanced drone technology to safely inspect solar panels without the need for:
- Dangerous roof access
- Ladders or scaffolding
- Walking on your roof
- Disrupting your daily routine
This approach provides detailed close-up imagery whilst maintaining complete safety.
Most residential solar panel inspections take 30-90 minutes on site.
For safety and accuracy, we conduct inspections in suitable weather conditions. We avoid inspections during:
- Heavy rain or storms
- High winds
- Dense fog or poor visibility
- Snow or ice conditions
No, our drone inspection method is completely non-intrusive. Your solar panels continue operating normally throughout the inspection process.
If we identify issues, our report will include:
- Detailed documentation of all problems found
- Professional assessment of findings
- Guidance on warranty claims if applicable
- Priority assessment for urgent safety issues
Yes, our detailed reports and photographic evidence are suitable for:
- Insurance claim documentation
- Professional evidence for assessments
- Warranty claim support
- Property transaction surveys
Please contact us on 01634 926384 or hello@abovegroundsurveys.com for a personalised quotation based on:
- Number of panels
- Property access requirements
- Specific inspection needs
We provide solar panel inspection services throughout Kent and the South East. Please contact us to confirm coverage for your location.
Booking is straightforward:
- Telephone: 01634 926384
- Email: hello@abovegroundsurveys.com
- Website: www.abovegroundsurveys.com/contact
We'll arrange a convenient appointment that suits your schedule.
Our team consists of qualified professionals with:
- CAA-approved drone pilot certifications
- Solar panel system knowledge
- Professional indemnity insurance coverage
- Ongoing industry training
Yes, we inspect solar panel systems on:
- Residential properties
- Commercial buildings
- Industrial facilities
- Agricultural buildings
- Community installations
For urgent safety concerns or storm damage, we offer priority inspection services. Please contact us immediately for emergency response availability.
Yes, our professional reports are accepted by:
- Mortgage lenders
- Building surveyors
- Insurance companies
- Estate agents
- Solicitors
Following severe weather events, we recommend immediate inspection to:
- Document any storm damage
- Assess safety risks
- Support insurance claims
- Prevent further deterioration
- Ensure system integrity