What is a Drone Inspection?
A drone inspection is used to assess high level elements that are typically out of view or harder to reach under normal circumstances.
It serves to clarify the condition of the element (roof, rainwater goods or even walls) so you may budget for repairs or even future maintenance.
Ideally, roofs should be inspected annually or following inclement weather, especially if it cannot be reasonably viewed from the street.
The turnaround time for the report is between 1 to 3 working days from the date of inspection.
What's included in the inspection?
The inspection will include a visual and non-intrusive assessment of the element you would like reviewed. Pictures and a short form report will be provided with brief advice based on what is visible at the time of inspection.
Note that some areas cannot be inspected due to 'no fly zones' being present. We can advise of this prior to instruction to avoid wasting time. Inspections can also only be undertaken in good weather conditions and therefore may require rearranging.
Please also note that access will likely be required within the property to reach higher levels due to a GPS connection being required to operate the drone.
Case Study
East London, Hackney N16
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A discretionary discount of upto 10% is available for each household if they are nearby (less than 5min walk between each other) and can be inspected on the same day and similar time.
The client had instructed a drone inspection of a 1960’s to 1980’s mid terrace property.
The inspection revealed a flat roof finished with an aged felt covering. Several areas of moss and debris had accumulated with visible depression to various locations. View of the drainage point was also blocked with the same.
The client was advised to clear the deposits as soon as possible with further investigation and clearance of the rainwater goods to avoid leaks.
We estimated the felt covering to require replacement within 2 years and building control approval required. Replacement was to include new decking boards and an insulation upgrade due to the age of the covering.
What’s this mean?
Over time, the moss causes accelerated wear of the covering as it retains water. This can also cause blockages of rainwater/drainage routes resulting in wear to joints which then lead to leaks.
The depression noted to some areas of the flat roof is typically due to poor design and workmanship causing water to accumulate. The level of depression to the flat roof increases over time due to the weight of the water. This can also cause stress to joints and form cracks as it deforms the covering leading to an increased change of water ingress. The additional depression also reduces the width of the insulation reducing its efficiency.
In this instance, a partial repair would not be beneficial given the overall condition of the roof and its age. This would therefore attract the need for building control approval as more than 50% of the roof covering will have work undertaken to it. The insulation would also require upgrading where possible.
N.B. A simple report will be provided which does not include detailed explanatory notes. See sample report which can be downloaded below.
N.B. At times, the condition of materials cannot be assessed due to the accumulation of moss and debris. In these instances, the drone inspection highlights the urgency of the maintenance work required, where the materials can then be assessed by the contractor whilst the roof is being cleaned.
N.B. A drone inspection cannot clarify whether the pitch of a valley or flat roof is adequate. At times, evidence may not be present of such an issue until it’s too late. This particularly relates to parapet gutters generally, and valley gutters to inverted roofs (butterfly roofs), which are prone to failing due to such issues and blockages.