Bat Surveys for PlanningFrom £495
How much does a bat survey cost in London?
A bat survey for a London loft or roof project costs our fixed £495, with no VAT charged. A licensed ecologist we coordinate inspects the building, runs further emergence or re-entry surveys if the first visit says they are needed, and writes the report that goes in with your application.
The short answer: one fixed fee, and a season to plan around
Our bat survey for planning costs £495. It starts with a desk check of bat records and of the roof, loft and nearby habitat, then an inspection of the building for roosts or signs of bats by a licensed ecologist. Emergence or re-entry surveys follow where the first visit says they are needed.
A written report sets out the species, any roost found and the effect of your work, with mitigation proposals and changes to the drawings where bats are present. The report is coordinated with your planning application and your building programme.
- Desk check
Bat records and the roof, loft and surrounding habitat are checked before anyone visits.
- Inspect the building
A licensed ecologist looks for roosts or signs of bats.
- Further surveys if needed
Emergence or re-entry surveys are carried out where the first visit says they are needed.
- Report and mitigation
The report sets out species, roosts and the effect of your work, with mitigation where bats are present.
Why a roof project is where it comes up
Natural England's guidance says it is an offence to damage or destroy their breeding sites and resting places (including when bats are not present). The last words are the ones people miss: a roost is protected even on a day when no bat is in it.
The same guidance lists the buildings likely to hold roosts, and they include those that have uneven roof tiles and large roof timbers. That can describe an older London roof, which is why a loft conversion or roof alteration on an older house is a project where a council may ask.
Season, licences and records
Surveys must be carried out in the most recent, appropriate season, so a survey cannot be done in any month, and a survey that is too old may not be accepted. Book early, because waiting for the right season can hold up a job. The guidance also says developers could alter the timing of works to avoid sensitive times such as the maternity and hibernation seasons.
Two other lines are worth knowing. The guidance says absence of a record does not mean there are no bats, so a clean records search is not a clean bill of health. And you must check that the ecologist holds the appropriate and up-to-date survey licence, which is why we use a licensed one we coordinate.
If bats are found
Finding a roost does not necessarily stop a project. The developer may need a bat mitigation licence to carry out the proposal, and the report sets out mitigation, which can mean changes to the drawings and to the building programme.
We tell you the likely route early so you do not book a builder for a week the survey says is off limits. The post on building regulations drawings explains the drawings the changes would flow into, and our bat survey for planning page shows the service.
When you do not need one
A modern building with no roof void and no gaps may never prompt a request, and a council decides on its own validation list. If yours has not asked and your roof is not the kind the guidance describes, say so on the quote form and we tell you whether a survey is worth buying.
If you are planning a loft conversion, our post on double storey plans and structural calculations cover other costs a roof project carries.
Sources
Every figure in this article, where it comes from and a link to the original.
- damage or destroy their breeding sites and resting places (including when bats are not present): Natural England, Bats: surveys and mitigation for development projects: (source wording: "damage or destroy their breeding sites and resting places (including when bats are not present)"). www.gov.uk
- bat mitigation licence: Natural England, Bats: surveys and mitigation for development projects: (source wording: "The developer may need a bat mitigation licence"). www.gov.uk
- uneven roof tiles and large roof timbers: Natural England, Bats: surveys and mitigation for development projects: buildings likely to contain roosts (source wording: "have uneven roof tiles and large roof timbers"). www.gov.uk
- absence of a record does not mean there are no bats: Natural England, Bats: surveys and mitigation for development projects: (source wording: "Absence of a record does not mean there are no bats"). www.gov.uk
- the most recent, appropriate season: Natural England, Bats: surveys and mitigation for development projects: surveys must (source wording: "be carried out in the most recent, appropriate season"). www.gov.uk
- appropriate and up-to-date survey licence: Natural England, Bats: surveys and mitigation for development projects: (source wording: "You must check if the ecologist holds the appropriate and up-to-date survey licence"). www.gov.uk
- maternity and hibernation seasons: Natural England, Bats: surveys and mitigation for development projects: developers could (source wording: "alter the timing of works to avoid sensitive times to bats, such as maternity and hibernation seasons"). www.gov.uk
Questions people ask
Is the ecologist licensed?
Do I pay VAT on your fee?
Can I survey in winter?
What if bats are found?
Does the survey cover the building works?
Photographs: William Dmytrow (Unsplash License); T (Unsplash License).
Bat Surveys for Planning: a fixed fee from £495
Read more on the bat surveys for planning service page, or send your address below and we reply within one working day.
Bat Surveys for Planning
from £495
Every price is the full fixed fee you pay. No VAT is charged. Council application fees are paid to the council separately.
What you get
- A desk check of bat records and of the roof, loft and nearby habitat
- An inspection of the building for roosts or signs of bats by a licensed ecologist
- Emergence or re-entry surveys where the first visit says they are needed
- A written report on species, any roost found and the effect of your work
- Mitigation proposals and drawings changes where bats are present