What is a Roof Survey?
A roof survey is an engineering assessment of a roof's structural capacity, condition and suitability for an intended use. For UK commercial property in 2026 the three main roof survey types are: drone roof condition assessment (aerial photography and engineer-reviewed defect identification), on-site structural roof survey (qualified structural engineer assessing load capacity), and desktop structural roof loading report (Eurocode-verified remote assessment without site visit). Solar Surveys delivers all three under one team, signed by qualified structural engineers, to a 48-hour delivery benchmark.
Three Survey Types
Choose the right roof survey for your project.
Three approaches, three price points, three delivery profiles. Most commercial solar PV programmes use a combination across the project lifecycle, starting with desktop and escalating to on-site if the desktop flags a high-risk roof.
From £130 . Remote
Desktop Structural Roof Loading Report
Eurocode-verified remote assessment. No site visit. 48-hour delivery. Use for portfolio screening, pre-design diligence, MCS-licensed installer submissions and lender Technical Advisor packs.
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From £750 . Aerial
Drone Roof Condition Survey
BDF and BMFA accredited drone pilots, £25M public liability. Engineer-reviewed aerial defect identification, no scaffold required. High-resolution roof condition imagery and report.
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From £600 . On-Site
On-Site Structural Roof Survey
Qualified structural engineer on-site. Internal inspection of portal frame, purlins, ridge beams, ridge skylights, rafter spans. Wind uplift and ballast assessment. 24-hour mobilisation target.
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Side By Side
Roof survey comparison.
When You Need One
Common roof survey use cases.
Roof surveys are commissioned across the commercial property lifecycle. The right type depends on the question being asked.
Solar PV Pre-Construction
Confirms whether the roof will carry the array under combined dead, wind and snow loads. Required by MIS 3002 V6.0 Section 5.9 and Building Regulations Approved Document A.
Asset Acquisition Due Diligence
Pre-purchase or pre-lease condition assessment of a commercial roof. Identifies remaining service life, defects requiring remediation, and capacity reserves for future PV or HVAC additions.
Lender Drawdown Pack
PPA providers and asset financiers require structural evidence in the Technical Advisor pack before drawdown. Eurocode-verified report at the V6.0 Clause 5.5.5 documented evidence standard.
Insurance Claim Support
Engineer-signed condition assessment for storm damage claims, water ingress investigation, or premium negotiation. High-resolution drone imagery supports forensic condition documentation.
Planned Maintenance Programme
Periodic roof condition assessments across portfolio assets. Identifies capex priorities and remaining service life. Drone-led at scale, structural escalation where flagged.
MCS-Licensed Installer Submissions
For sub-50kWp DC systems, MIS 3002 V6.0 Section 5.9 mandates structural sign-off by a qualified structural engineer. Solar Surveys provides documented evidence at the V6.0 standard.
Client identities and project specifics are withheld under NDA. Testimonials and case references are presented in anonymous-authoritative format.
"The single instruction covered the desktop screening, the drone capture and the engineer-signed structural report. We avoided three separate procurements and got the lender pack in 96 hours."Technical Director, Independent PPA Provider
FREE 14-PAGE BRIEF
Drone Roof Survey vs Walkover Inspection
When a walkover is required, when drone capture suffices, what each output gives you. Mobilisation lead times, insurance liability, deliverable quality. A 14-page brief for buyers commissioning UK commercial roof inspection.
Download The BriefDEPLOYMENT NETWORK
UK Engineering Coverage
and Mobilisation
Roof surveys are mobilised from regional hubs across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The deployment network supports the 48-hour delivery benchmark on every survey type, from desktop assessments to combined drone-plus-structural site visits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Roof Survey Questions.
How much does a roof survey cost in the UK?
A desktop structural roof loading report starts from £130 per report. A combined on-site structural survey with drone roof condition assessment starts from £600 per building. Drone roof condition surveys start from £750 per building. Combined survey + drone programmes start from £600 per building (combined pricing reflects shared mobilisation). Volume programmes from 10 sites attract structured discounts. Full pricing on the pricing page.
How long does a commercial roof survey take?
Solar Surveys targets 48-hour delivery on every roof survey. Desktop assessments are produced within 48 hours of instruction confirmation. Drone surveys deliver within 48 hours of the flight. On-site structural surveys deliver within 48 hours of the site visit, with a 24-hour mobilisation target.
Do I need a roof survey for solar panels?
For commercial rooftop solar PV, yes. Building Regulations Approved Document A applies to every PV installation. For sub-50kWp systems within MCS scope, MIS 3002:2025 V6.0 Section 5.9 mandates structural sign-off. For ballasted flat roofs, Clause 5.9.13(h) makes engineer involvement absolute. Read more on the structural engineer page.
What's the difference between a drone roof survey and an on-site structural survey?
A drone roof survey provides high-resolution aerial imagery and an engineer-reviewed condition assessment without scaffold or roof access. An on-site structural survey involves a qualified structural engineer physically inspecting the building's primary and secondary structure (portal frame, purlins, rafters, ridge beams) and producing Eurocode-verified load calculations. Both are commonly combined into a single instruction.
Can a desktop roof survey replace a site visit?
For most low-risk commercial roofs the desktop structural roof loading report is sufficient and is widely accepted by lenders, DNOs and MCS auditors. The desktop assessment uses available data (architectural drawings, satellite imagery, planning records, historic surveys) and Eurocode calculations. Where the desktop flags conditional or rejected outcomes, on-site escalation is recommended. See desktop reports for the full methodology.
Is a roof surveyor near me available across the UK?
Solar Surveys covers all 12 major UK cities with 24-hour mobilisation: Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester, Cardiff, Liverpool. Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland coverage included. European deployment available. Find your city on the UK coverage map.
Will the report be accepted by my insurer or lender?
Reports are produced in formats routinely accepted by institutional lenders, Distribution Network Operators, MCS auditors, planning authorities and commercial property insurers. The standards anchor (Eurocode 1, BRE Digest 489, Building Regulations Approved Document A, MIS 3002:2025 V6.0 where applicable) and qualified structural engineer signature satisfy the documented evidence requirement at MIS 3002 V6.0 Clause 5.5.5.
Sector and Roof-Type Guides
Find the brief that matches your project.
Browse by Sector
- Logistics + Distribution →Trapezoidal metal sheet, big-roof portfolios, SPRA S15-19 pull-out
- Retail Estate →Single-ply membrane, standing seam, customer-facing access
- Manufacturing + Industrial →Multi-bay portal frame, sawtooth roofs, asbestos cement
- Public Sector →Schools, hospitals, council estate, public procurement
- Data Centres →Hyperscale + colocation, mission-critical access
Browse by Roof Type
- Asbestos Cement →CAR 2012, over-roof default, non-contact drone capture
- Trapezoidal Metal →Pull-out testing, BRE Digest 489, lap-seam corrosion
- Standing Seam →Clamp-fix compatibility, manufacturer load tables
- Built-Up Felt →Ballast load distribution, Clause 5.9.13(h) absolute
- Single-Ply Membrane →TPO, EPDM, PVC. Manufacturer warranty schedules
- Clay Tile + Pitched →Eurocode 5 timber, in-roof vs on-roof, type-approval
Commission a Roof Survey
Need a commercial roof survey?
Whether you need desktop screening, drone condition imagery, or on-site structural sign-off: one engineering team, full UK coverage, 48-hour delivery benchmark. £5M PI. Lender, DNO and insurer accepted.
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