Do I Need a Bat Survey Before Replacing My Roof?

francesmorris
Jul 9
2 min read

If you're planning to replace your roof, repair damaged tiles or carry out more extensive roofing works, one of the first questions you might ask is whether you need a bat survey.

The answer isn't always yes, but it's something worth considering early in the planning process. Bats are protected by law, and because they often use roofs and roof spaces for roosting, works that disturb these areas can sometimes require ecological input.

Why might a bat survey be needed?

Many buildings provide opportunities for bats to roost without the owners ever knowing they're there. They can squeeze into surprisingly small gaps beneath tiles, behind fascia boards, within soffits and under lead flashing.

Older buildings, barns and properties close to woodland, rivers or mature hedgerows are often more likely to support bats, but age alone doesn't determine whether a survey is needed. Modern buildings can occasionally provide suitable roosting features too, particularly in urban areas where there are limited roosting opportunities.

Whether a survey is required depends on the building itself, the type of works being proposed and whether those works could affect potential roosting features (PRFs).

What happens first?

In most cases, the first step is a Preliminary Bat Roost Assessment (PBRA).

During a daytime site visit, an ecologist will inspect the building for evidence of bats, such as droppings, feeding remains or staining, and assess whether there are features that could be used for roosting.

If the building has negligible bat roosting potential and there is no evidence of bats, no further surveys are often required.

Where suitable features are identified, additional surveys may be recommended. These are usually carried out at dusk during the appropriate survey season to determine whether bats are using the building.

Will it delay my project?

Not necessarily.

In many cases, a Preliminary Bat Roost Assessment is all that's needed. However, if further surveys are required, they can only be undertaken during certain times of the year, so obtaining ecological advice early is always worthwhile. You can view our survey calendar here for information on the survey window.

Leaving ecology until just before work is due to start can sometimes lead to avoidable delays, particularly if seasonal surveys become necessary.

I'm only replacing a few tiles. Do I still need advice?

Small-scale repairs don't automatically require a bat survey, but it's important to consider whether the works could affect areas that bats might use.

If you're unsure, it's often possible for an ecologist to provide an initial opinion from photographs and a brief description of the proposed works before recommending whether a site visit is needed.

The bottom line

Every property is different, so there isn't a simple rule that applies to every roof.

Getting advice at an early stage can help you understand whether a bat survey is likely to be needed, reduce the risk of delays later in your project and ensure that any protected species are considered appropriately from the outset.