What is a home drone survey inspection and how does it work?
Buying a new home is undoubtedly stressful. But it’s also exciting.
It’s a new chapter. A new adventure. It’s also expensive.
So, finding rot or mould in your loft chimney could make you feel cheated.
Instead of leaving it up to chance, invest in something that gives you the best chance possible of spotting potential issues before you sign on the dotted line – even those hidden high up.
Instruct a chartered surveyor to complete a RICS home survey and get a drone inspection at the same time.
On this page, you’ll learn more about our drone survey inspections, how they work, and the benefits they bring you.
The role of drones in home surveys
At GB Home Surveys, we use optional drone inspections to enhance our RICS Home Survey Level 2 and Level 3 reports. We use small UAVs equipped with high-resolution cameras. They’re controlled by drone-trained chartered surveyors who understand Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) permissions. In other words, everything is safe, legal and reliable.
A drone survey inspection assesses areas of the property that are difficult to inspect from the ground. In short, that usually means the roof and its features. It could include any of the following (and more):
- Roof coverings and tiles
- Chimney stacks and flashing
- Guttering and downpipes
- Dormers and parapets
- Valleys and flat roof junctions
- Solar panels and skylights
- High external walls and cladding
These areas typically require scaffolding, ladders or specialist access equipment to inspect properly. Failing those, a chartered surveyor usually has to find a nearby vantage point (such as a hill or tall public building) to take photos from a distance away. A drone makes things much simpler, quicker, safer and more in-depth.
Of course, drones don’t replace the rest of your RICS home survey. Our chartered surveyors still inspect the rest of the property from the ground and by going indoors. Your home survey report, which we aim to get to you within seven working days, will include photographs (annotated where relevant) taken by the drone.
How a drone inspection works in practice
If you add a drone inspection to your RICS home survey, here’s what happens next.
Our surveyor arrives with the drone equipment as part of their scheduled visit. Before launch, they carry out a full safety check. This includes:
- Reviewing nearby airspace restrictions with the CAA
- Confirming that the weather conditions are suitable
- Identifying obstacles such as trees, power lines, or tight spaces
- Ensuring they remain within a visual line of sight during the entire flight
If everything meets these safety requirements, the surveyor sets up in a secure take-off zone near or on the property. The drone lifts off and begins its flight, usually lasting up to 45 minutes. After a controlled ascent and descent, the surveyor has around 35 minutes to take photos from all angles of the roof and other hard-to-see exterior elements.
After landing and packing away the drone, the surveyor reviews the images in the office. These photos reveal details that are often missed in a standard inspection, such as:
- Cracked or missing tiles
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Signs of water pooling on flat roofs
- Structural issues near chimneys
- Missing flashing
- Evidence of poor previous repair work
We add the drone photos to your report, highlighting anything that needs attention. On rare occasions, if the view’s blocked or something isn’t clear, we might suggest a closer look again. But in most cases, one flight gives us everything we need to assess the property properly.
Why drone survey inspections matter when buying a home
When you buy a home, you’ll be responsible for everything it includes, even the parts you can’t easily see. A faulty roof or hidden chimney damage could cost thousands (even tens of thousands) if it goes unnoticed during the buying process.
Traditional surveys provide a thorough overview, but they do have limitations. Surveyors aren’t ever required to walk on roofs or jeopardise their safety. That means they’re often restricted to surveying the property’s exterior at ground level. That makes it difficult to assess the full condition of any upper-storey features without extra equipment – or without a drone. Drone surveys offer a safer, quicker, and more detailed option. They deliver clearer evidence for negotiations, providing visual documentation for future reference. They also improve safety for surveyors and homeowners, because there’s no need for scaffolding or ladders.
A drone inspection makes all the difference for most home surveys. You’ll get much better peace of mind, because a healthy roof goes a long way in meaning a healthy house. Although they’re an optional add-on to our RICS Home Survey Level 2 or RICS Home Survey Level 3, we strongly recommend investing in a drone inspection.
Here at GB Home Surveys, we’ve been helping people buy and sell their homes for years. With a trusted track record, rigorous attention to detail and an approachable attitude, we’re sure our services will help you make the best decisions going forward.
Get in touch today for a commitment-free chat about your needs and how a drone survey inspection can help.
So why aren’t we all swapping our gas boilers for heat pumps?
Well, the decision isn’t as straightforward as it might seem.
For the heat pumps to work efficiently, they generally need two criteria:
The property being heated needs to be very well insulated – floors, walls, windows and roof – and reasonably airtight, all of which reduces heat loss from the property.
A heating system that doesn’t require high temperatures, such as underfloor heating, operates at much lower temperatures than a system with radiators.
In the rest of this article, I’ll explore the pros and cons of heat pumps by answering some common questions.
Are they really efficient?
Well, yes, and no.
They are very efficient with the correct system specification and a suitably insulated property.
But what does ‘efficient’ mean? It means the amount of usable heat per kilowatt of energy used.
These systems can be far more efficient than gas-fired central heating systems (i.e. more heat per kilowatt). However, let’s not forget that the electricity needed to operate the pumps is far more expensive to buy than natural gas.
- If the systems are installed in older, less insulated properties, the heat pump will need to operate for extended periods. That makes it less efficient.
- Higher-than-recommended heating water temperatures are required if the heat pump is connected to a radiator system. This, again, will make it less efficient. To be efficient, heat pump systems should require less than 40°
- In some cases, it’s necessary to replace radiators with significantly larger ones to operate at more suitable lower temperatures.
- If you want the heat pump to heat domestic hot water (usually at a higher temperature for safety reasons), the heat pump will be less efficient.
- If the property is significantly extended after installing a heat pump, the additional space may result in it operating for longer periods to maintain a comfortable temperature.
As you can see, calling a heat pump ‘efficient’ involves more factors to do with the property than the device itself.
Is there room outside for the heat pump to be installed?
A heat pump can be heavy, so there needs to be a suitable outside location to site it. They don’t take up too much room, all things considered. However, outside space is often a premium in tiny city houses.
Some units can be mounted on a wall on brackets. Either way, it may be necessary to get planning permission. (At the moment, planning permission for a heat pump should be easy to get.)
Is there room inside the property for the indoor unit?
These units are often the size of a wall-hung gas boiler. You will need space in a location which isn’t too far away from the outside heat pump.
Noise
Yes, the fans on the external heat pump units can be noisy, especially on ‘budget’ systems generally designed to maximise profits for the installer.
Do your research and find out what noise would be emitted by a unit before you purchase it. If you get it wrong, you might find that your friendly neighbours are no longer quite as pleasant as they once were.
In a rural location, the noise may also interfere with that peaceful evening sitting on the patio under the stars.
That said, of course, all new condensing gas boilers also emit periodic noise from the flue fan.
Government grants
Currently, the Government is offering a £5,000 grant towards the installation of air-to-water heat pumps and £6,000 towards ground source heat pumps.
That’s significant, but the total installation cost for any heat pump is generally far higher than a gas, LPG or oil-fired boiler.
You can expect to pay around £12,000 for a simple air-to-water system and at least double that for a ground-source heat pump system.
Even with the Government grant, you’ll still be paying much more than you would for a traditional boiler.
So – what’s my opinion on whether heat pumps are worth the investment?
Simple – in the right property with the correct specification, such systems are excellent.
However, if the system is already installed in a property you want to buy, ask for the electricity bills for the last twelve months. This gives you an idea of ongoing costs through the four seasons – you may be surprised, even shocked.
When you analyse the bill, remember that electricity was much cheaper twelve months ago. Add up the kW hours used throughout the year and multiply it by the current unit cost.
Here’s the long and short of it:
- If you want to install a heat pump heating system in your existing property or a property you’re looking to buy, get a heat pump engineer (not a salesperson) to give you impartial advice.
- If a property has a relatively new (within five years) natural gas-fired boiler with modern radiators and a modern hot water cylinder (or a combination boiler), it may cost less to run than an efficient heat pump.
- If your property is in a rural location or off the natural gas grid, the benefits of changing your old LPG or oil-fired boiler to an electric-powered heat pump may be more tempting – assuming the property is well insulated (or will be).
Making the decision at the right time
At some point in the near future, there will be increased pressure to get rid of your natural gas, liquid petroleum gas or oil-fired boiler and install an electric heat pump system. Do your homework and make that decision wisely, at the right time for your pocket.
Of course, it’s not all to do with money out of your pocket. There is also the environment to consider. It’s good to think that there are no harmful local emissions from operating a heat pump.
So, is it currently worth the investment? If you’re at a stage in the property maintenance cycle where the existing gas, LPG or oil-fired heating system needs replacing, then certainly consider the heat pump investment. However, don’t expect to save real cash out of your pocket for a long, long time.
For more advice on purchasing a property, consider instructing a Gloucestershire chartered surveyor. As well as inspecting and creating a detailed report of the property’s overall condition and value, we can also arrange for specialist engineers to conduct thorough inspections and testing of the specific heating system.
You can reach me or other members of my team using the form below. Alternatively, you’ll find my details on the Locations page. I can’t wait to hear from you.
James Quinn, AssocRICS
