Why do I need a home drone survey inspection?
Imagine you’re standing in front of your new home.
The red-brick walls are solid. The garden is neat. The windows gleam.
But what about the roof? The chimney? The gutters?
These areas, out of sight from the ground, sometimes harbour sinister hidden issues. Some of these might not even be apparent during a traditional home survey.
Drone survey inspections hold the key. They bring a literal bird’s-eye view, so you’ll know all about any potential problems. That could quite reasonably save you thousands in unexpected repair costs.
The limitations of traditional home surveys
As chartered surveyors, we carry out RICS home surveys all the time. These yield invaluable information for homeowners, highlighting all sorts of potential issues like signs of structural damage, rot, mould, invasive plants or subsidence. However, a traditional home does come with one limitation: the roof.
Now, there are ways for a chartered surveyor to assess the roof. In a standard RICS home survey, they’ll access the loft (if it’s safe and the current homeowner gives permission). This provides a good view from the inside. Outside, they’ll either find a local vantage point to take photos with a high-powered lens, or in some (rarer) cases, they might set up ladders or scaffolding.
That’s about the limit of what’s reasonably possible (and safe) for someone to carry out during an inspection. Even then, it’s impossible to get the whole picture. For example, viewing the roof from indoors might not reveal the missing flashing around the chimney, and taking photos from a nearby hill may only provide information about half (or less) of the roof. You can’t even see everything by putting up ladders.
Drones, however, tell a totally different story.
How drone inspections take home surveys to the next level
GB Home Surveys offers drone inspections as an optional extra service to your RICS home survey. We use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with high-resolution cameras to capture detailed images of those hard-to-reach areas, especially on and around the roof. With this technology on board, our chartered surveyors can inspect roof tiles, chimneys, flat roofs, guttering, flashing, dormers, solar panels and much more.
Drone surveys capture clear, close-up visuals of areas often missed in traditional inspections. These images help surveyors spot issues such as:
- Missing roof tiles
- Blocked gutters
- Deteriorating chimney stacks
- Cracked lead flashing
- Sagging rooflines (structural concerns)
- Moss or vegetation buildup
- Debris in valley gutters
The advantages of drone survey inspections for homebuyers
We strongly recommend a drone inspection add-on for most properties. Here’s a quick list of all the benefits these inspections bring for homebuyers.
- Much more detail – a drone has the freedom to move almost anywhere within the property limits (provided it’s safe). That means a blank slate when it comes to angles and the number of photos. You have the best chance possible of uncovering issues.
- Avoid nasty surprises – the more you know about a home’s condition, the better. Whether your drone inspection uncovers hidden roof issues or not, you’ll be better prepared for what’s ahead.
- Keep images indefinitely – we deliver your home survey report (including drone photos) as a PDF. You can keep this forever. These pictures could be invaluable for later building work or when you move on to pastures new.
- Renegotiation material – when home surveys uncover severe problems, buyers usually want to renegotiate. These aerial images are vital evidence in this process.
- Convenience – chartered surveyors must work with and around the current property owner. Since a drone survey is entirely non-invasive, it’s often simpler to arrange this than, say, scaffolding or ladders.
- Time efficiency – a drone is usually in the air for 45 minutes or less. This usually represents a marked increase in time efficiency compared to finding local vantage points or using ladders.
- Safety – because surveyors remain on the ground, no fall risks are involved. Risks associated with piloting a drone are minimal.
- Cost savings – although we charge an additional fee for the drone survey inspection, this more than pays for itself in peace of mind or by uncovering issues hidden around the roofline.
If you’re considering a property purchase and want a comprehensive assessment, including hard-to-reach areas, contact GB Home Surveys. Our RICS-certified chartered surveyors are trained to pilot drones and take detailed images from almost anywhere. They abide by all CAA regulations and always take care to do the most comprehensive – and safest – job possible.
Get in touch today to book your home survey and gain peace of mind before you commit.
