DbissBuilding surveys & drone inspection
07572 190983 Get your price

Roofs, chimneys and gutters

Drone roof inspection

A close look at roofs, chimneys and gutters without ladders or scaffolding. Flights are planned around airspace rules and the weather, and you receive annotated images of what we found.

from £225

Prices include VAT.

Get your price Call 07572 190983

Covers
Roofs, chimneys, gutters and flat roofs
For
Homeowners, landlords, agents and managing agents
You get
Annotated images
Flights
Only where airspace rules and the weather allow

Who it's for

  • Homeowners who want to check a roof after a storm, trace a leak or damp patch, or find out whether a roof, chimney or gutter needs work before asking for quotes
  • Landlords who want a record of the condition of their roofs
  • Estate and letting agents acting for sellers and landlords
  • Managing agents of blocks of flats who need to check flat roofs, parapets, communal gutters and chimneys
  • Anyone planning roof work who wants a record of the roof before work starts

Why use a drone

Many roof defects cannot be seen well from the ground, and getting a person onto a roof usually means ladders, a platform or scaffolding. A drone can photograph roof slopes, chimney tops, valleys and gutters at close range, without anyone going onto the roof. It helps you find out whether a roof needs a roofer's attention, and shows the roofer where to look.

What we inspect

  • pitched roofs: tiles and slates, ridges, hips, valleys and verges
  • chimneys: stacks, pots, flaunching and flashings
  • gutters, downpipe outlets, fascias and soffits
  • flat roofs: coverings, edges, outlets and signs of standing water
  • dormers, roof lights, parapets and upper walls that are hard to see from the ground

How we fly

DBISS is registered with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as a drone operator. Every flight is planned in advance.

  • Airspace. Most airports and airfields have a Flight Restriction Zone, where drones may fly only with permission, and flying is restricted around some other sites, such as prisons. We check your address against these areas before booking. Some addresses need permission from the airport or airfield first, and at some a flight is not possible. The CAA explains where drones can fly.
  • Weather. We fly only when the wind, rain and visibility allow it safely. If the weather is unsuitable, we will agree another date with you.
  • On the day. We check the site and the conditions again before take-off. The decision to fly is made on site.

What you get

Annotated images of the roof, chimneys and gutters, with the defects and areas of concern we found marked on them. You can share them with a roofer, your insurer or a managing agent.

The annotated images are typically sent within 5 working days of the inspection. Once they are sent, we offer you a call to talk them through.

What it does not cover

  • going onto the roof, or lifting tiles, slates or other coverings
  • anything under the roof coverings, such as the underlay, battens or roof deck
  • testing whether the roof is watertight. The source of a leak is not always visible from the air
  • the inside of the roof space, unless the drone inspection is part of a survey
  • a specification or quotation for repairs. For costs, ask a roofer for a quotation
  • a guarantee that we can fly. We fly only where airspace rules and the weather allow

Prices

A standalone drone roof inspection costs from £225, including VAT. We confirm the fee before you book. A travel supplement applies beyond about 25 miles of Hemel Hempstead. If you are buying the property, our Level 3 survey includes a drone roof inspection where flight is permitted.

Questions

Can you fly at any address?

No. Drones must not fly in the Flight Restriction Zones around most airports and airfields without permission, and flying is restricted around some other sites, such as prisons. We check your address before booking. Some addresses need permission first, and at some a flight will not be possible.

What happens if the weather is unsuitable?

We fly only when the wind, rain and visibility allow it safely. If the weather is unsuitable, we will contact you to agree another date.

Are you registered with the Civil Aviation Authority?

Yes. DBISS is registered with the Civil Aviation Authority as a drone operator. We plan every flight to meet the CAA rules that apply to it, including checks on restricted airspace and the weather.

Can a drone inspection find the cause of a leak?

It can show missing or slipped tiles and slates, damaged flashings, blocked gutters and other defects that often cause leaks. It cannot see under the roof coverings or test whether a roof is watertight, so the source of a leak is not always visible from the air.

Will the drone photograph my neighbours' homes?

We plan each flight around the property we are inspecting and point the camera at it. Parts of neighbouring roofs can appear at the edges of some images. We handle all images in line with our privacy notice.

Can I use the images for an insurance claim?

You can share the images with your insurer, roofer or managing agent. Whether an insurer accepts them as evidence for a claim is a matter for the insurer.

Can I add a drone inspection to a survey?

Yes. A drone roof inspection is included in our Level 3 survey where flight is permitted. It is an optional add-on to our Level 2 survey, snagging inspection, schedule of condition and structural inspections.

CallGet your price