Road & sub-base level surveys
Sub-base and binder checked against the road design before the next layer goes on.
Drone roof surveys
Drone roof surveys: a close look without the scaffold
See every tile, ridge, chimney and gutter without anyone going up. We inspect roofs by drone, mark up what we find, and can measure every slope for roofers and solar installers.
In short: a drone roof survey photographs a roof close up from every side without ladders or scaffold. You get the marked-up photos and a plain visual condition report, and, if you need it, a measured roof report with areas, pitches and lengths taken from a scaled 3D model.
- On site
- Usually under an hour
- Report
- Within 2 working days
- Working at height
- None
- From
- £175
What a roof survey covers
- Roof coverings: tiles and slates, slipped, cracked or missing, and moss or growth.
- Ridges, hips and valleys: mortar gaps, loose ridge tiles, dry-fix systems and valley linings.
- Chimneys: stacks, pointing, pots, cowls and lead flashings.
- Flat roofs and dormers: felt or membrane, edges, upstands and cheeks.
- Rainwater goods: gutters, outlets and downpipes, blockages and damage.
- Measured roof report (optional): areas, pitches and lengths for every slope.
Why look before you scaffold
Most roof problems start with a stain on a ceiling or a tile in the garden, and the first instinct is to get someone up there. Scaffolding to find out what's wrong can cost more than the repair. A drone shows the whole roof close up in a short visit, so the roofer you call already knows what needs doing, and you can compare quotes for the same job.
Because we don't do roofing work, the report is impartial. It describes what can be seen and how urgent it looks, without anything to sell.
Measured roofs for pricing and solar
The same flight can build a scaled 3D model of the roof, tied to measured points on the ground. From it we take the area and pitch of each slope, the length of every ridge, hip, valley, eave and verge, and the position of dormers, chimneys and roof lights, so re-roofing and solar panel layouts can be priced from real numbers.
Who books roof surveys
- Homeowners with a leak, after a storm, or before selling.
- Buyers who want a closer look than a home survey can give.
- Landlords and property managers planning maintenance.
- Roofers and solar installers pricing without going up.
- Commercial and farm owners with large or fragile roofs.
How a roof survey works
Address and concern
The property, what you're worried about, and whether you also need the roof measured.
Airspace and price
We check airspace, confirm a fixed price and book a date.
Fly
Close passes around every slope, chimney and gutter, usually under an hour.
Report
Marked-up photos and condition notes, plus measurements if ordered, within two working days.
What a drone roof survey doesn't cover
The drone sees the outside of the roof. It can't see inside the loft, the condition of battens, felt or timbers, or exactly where water is getting in, so a roofer may still need to look from inside. It isn't a structural survey or a home buyer's survey. Heavy rain and strong wind stop flying, and a few properties close to airports need permission first, which we check when we quote.
Other survey services
See the roof survey cost guide for prices.
Tarmac depth surveys
Before-and-after scans that map the thickness actually laid, across the whole road.
Plot & oversite surveys
Slab flatness, brickwork to drawing and drain collar positions, checked plot by plot.
As-built surveys
Finished roads, kerbs, drainage covers and plots recorded, with as-built drawings in DWG and PDF.
Floor flatness surveys
Slabs and screeds scanned edge to edge and checked against SR1-SR3 or your flatness class.
3D measured building surveys
Millimetre-accurate floor plans and elevations for kitchens, extensions and architects.
Topographical surveys
Levels, contours, boundaries, buildings and trees for planning and design, with the full 3D scan.
Dimensure Design Audit
Groundworks and civils drawings reviewed before you dig, on any project: problems found on paper.
Garden surveys
Levels, walls, steps, trees and drains surveyed for garden designers, landscapers and homeowners.
Drone surveys
Aerial mapping tied to RTK GNSS control: scaled orthophotos, levels and contours for whole sites.
Stockpile volume surveys
Every heap of stone, topsoil and spoil measured by drone, in cubic metres and tonnes.
Earthworks volume surveys
Cut and fill against design or a previous survey, topsoil strip depths and muck-shift checks.
Site progress surveys
Monthly drone records of the whole site, compared with last month, for valuations and reports.
GNSS setting out
Site control on Ordnance Survey grid, and pegs for earthworks, drainage, roads and plots.
As-laid service surveys
Drainage, chambers and ducts recorded in the open trench, with levels and photos, before backfill.
Pre-start condition surveys
Roads, kerbs, walls and neighbouring buildings recorded by scan, drone and photo before work starts.
Reporting from your survey data
Already have a scan or your engineer's levels? We process your data and report against design, no visit needed.
Roof surveys near you
Questions we get asked
What is a drone roof survey?
A close inspection of a roof using a drone instead of ladders, scaffold or a cherry picker. The drone flies around and over the roof taking high-resolution photos of the coverings, ridges, valleys, chimneys, flashings and gutters, and we report what can be seen, with the photos marked up.
What can a drone roof inspection find?
Slipped, cracked and missing tiles or slates, gaps in ridge and hip mortar, damaged or lifted lead flashings, chimney stack and pot condition, blocked or broken gutters, moss and vegetation, and visible damage after storms. It shows the outside of the roof; leaks inside the roof space, rot in timbers and the condition of the felt need a roofer to look from inside.
Can you measure a roof from a drone survey?
Yes. A measured roof report builds a scaled 3D model of the roof from the drone photos and gives plan and true areas for each slope, pitches, ridge, hip, valley, eaves and verge lengths, and dormer and chimney positions. Roofers, solar installers and estimators use it to price without going up.
Is a drone roof survey cheaper than scaffold?
Almost always. Putting up scaffold or hiring a cherry picker just to look at a roof can cost hundreds of pounds before anyone has found a problem. A drone gets a close look in a short visit, with nobody working at height, and you only pay for access once you know what needs fixing.
Do you need permission to fly over my neighbours?
We fly within the Civil Aviation Authority's rules, keep the drone over your property as far as we can, and keep a sensible distance from people and other houses. We only keep photos of the roof being surveyed. In some built-up streets we let the neighbours know beforehand, which most people appreciate.
Are you roofers?
No, and that's deliberate. We report what the photos show, impartially, so you can get the right work quoted by a roofer of your choice. If something looks like it needs urgent attention, we say so clearly in the report.
Book a scan or ask a question
Send the drawing, the location and when you need it. We reply the same working day with a fixed price.