Drone roof surveys: what we see that a ladder inspection misses

Most roofers still quote the way they did thirty years ago: a ladder against the gutter, a look from the eaves, and a price based on what they could see from one corner of the roof. We do it differently — every quote starts with a free drone survey. Here's what that actually gets you.

What the drone captures

• Every tile, ridge and hip in close-up — not just the slope that's visible from the ladder.
• The valleys, the places roofs actually fail, which are often invisible from the ground and awkward to reach on foot.
• Chimney flashings and leadwork photographed square-on, where hairline splits and lifted edges show clearly.
• Gutters from above — blockages, standing water and failed joints you'd never spot from below.

Why it beats a ladder inspection

It's safer — nobody walks your roof or leans a ladder on your guttering to price a job. It's complete — the camera covers all of the roof, not the bit that's easy to get to. And on older roofs it does no damage: no boots on brittle tiles, no weight on fragile ridges, just a clear look at everything from a metre above it.

You see exactly what we see

This is the part we think matters most. The photos and footage come back to you with the quote — so when we say three tiles have slipped and the back valley lead has split, you're looking at the same pictures we are. No "trust me, it's bad up there", and no paying for problems you can't see. If the honest answer is a £300 repair rather than a re-roof, the pictures will show that too.

The survey is free with every quote, and the quote itself is fixed and in writing within 48 hours — across Mansfield, Nottingham and the East Midlands.