Kent · London and the South East
Electronic leak detection in Boughton Malherbe, Kent
We take a careful look at the flat roof membrane at your property in Boughton Malherbe, with photos and a written report.
- Leaks showing away from the breach
- New membranes needing a check before handover
- Leaks at pipes, outlets or fixings
Electronic leak detection in Boughton Malherbe
Electronic leak detection, or ELD, finds holes in flat roof waterproofing membranes. It uses a small electrical current which can only get through the membrane at a breach. It can find holes too small to spot by eye, so your roofer can repair them. You get a photo-illustrated written report of each breach found. We survey single-ply roofs, roof terraces and balconies and commercial flat roofs, and common reasons people get in touch are leaks through a flat roof with no obvious cause and leaks showing away from the breach.
Somewhere as small as Boughton Malherbe, flat roofs tend to be on extensions, garages and converted outbuildings. The checks are the same as anywhere: the covering, the edges, the upstands and where water drains away. We simply plan the journey and access ahead of time. If there are outbuildings or garages with flat roofs, mention them when you book.
We write the report in plain English, so you do not need to be a roofer to follow it. Photos show what each point refers to.
- Place
- Boughton Malherbe (ME17)
- Region
- Kent
- Cost
- Quoted for your roof
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
When to book a survey in Boughton Malherbe
When the membrane is buried, holes cannot be seen at all. Electronic methods can help on some of these roofs though it depends on the layers.
We are often asked to look at:
- Leaks showing away from the breach
- Leaks that return after repairs
- Leaks through a covered membrane
- Water coming in under a flat roof
For site and facilities teams at buildings like Platts Heath Primary School, large flat roofs, common on schools and other public buildings, need their outlets, upstands and coverings checked regularly.
Questions to ask before booking
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
Honest limits
No survey can tell you everything, and it’s better to know them up front. Keep these in mind:
- Sections we cannot safely access
- Leaks from walls, copings or rooflights
- Some conductive membranes
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will tell you before booking. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Commercial flat roofs
- Liquid-applied waterproofing
- Roof terraces and balconies
- Single-ply roofs
- Green roofs
- Flat roof membranes
Flat and commercial roofs around Boughton Malherbe
Older houses across Kent frequently have handmade clay or peg tiles, and many have tile-hung walls. Oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of the county’s older buildings too. Flat roofs on extensions, dormers, garages and business units are found alongside them almost everywhere. With Leeds Castle about 3.6 miles north-west, Boughton Malherbe sits in an area with a long building history. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
If you own a rental within reach of Lenham station, a flat roof over a rented flat is easy to forget until the tenant reports a leak. Take an older house close to Church of St Nicholas: later flat-roofed additions are common on older houses, and their edges and upstands often show the first signs of wear.
Boughton Malherbe is about 8 miles south-east of Maidstone, in Kent. We carry out electronic leak detection in Boughton Malherbe for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings. Boughton Malherbe is one of the towns and villages in Kent where we work for electronic leak detection. For surveys nearby, see our Maidstone page.
Postcode districts we cover here for electronic leak detection: ME17. If you are just outside Boughton Malherbe, we cover Liverton Street (1 mile north-west), Grafty Green (1 mile south-west), Platt's Heath (1 mile north-west), Sandway (1 mile north) and Broadstone (1 mile south-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Maidstone (8 miles north-west), Ashford (9 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (9 miles north), Faversham (11 miles north-east), Minster (15 miles north) and Kings Hill (13 miles west).
Near you in Boughton Malherbe
Around Boughton Malherbe, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Kiln Wood, The Lenham School and The Kings Head Public House. Boughton Malherbe’s nearest station is Lenham station, about 1.5 miles north-east. Other landmarks nearby include Coldbridge Castle (1.1 miles south) and The Dog Collar Museum (3.5 miles north-west).
DIY checks: what’s safe
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Different roofs, different checks
Green and ballasted roofs
ELD is easier on a new roof before it is covered.
EPDM rubber roofs
EPDM rubber roofs frequently last 30–50 years, but can still be punctured.
How the survey works
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, take photos as we go and record our findings for the written report. It typically takes a time that depends on the membrane area and the build-up, which we’ll explain when we quote. In a hamlet or village like Boughton Malherbe, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- We start with what you know about the roof and the leak.
- We check whether the membrane and build-up suit ELD.
- The test method is chosen to suit the roof.
- We test the roof and locate any breaches.
- A report with photographs shows where each breach is.
Before we arrive
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- Tell us about parking before the day
Getting a price
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know where you stand. We quote electronic leak detection for each roof, as the method and time depend on the roof. To book, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
Why get it checked now?
Leaks left running can wet the insulation and deck. Finding the breach sooner limits that. In a place like Boughton Malherbe, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. It is worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so they’re priced to match. The price is confirmed before booking.
Why us?
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Every finding written up with photos
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
Towns and villages near Boughton Malherbe
What else we do in Boughton Malherbe
Your questions about electronic leak detection in Boughton Malherbe
Will you come out to Boughton Malherbe?
Yes, Boughton Malherbe is covered. We work right across London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Boughton Malherbe?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Is my roof suitable for ELD?
ELD doesn’t suit every roof. Some membranes conduct electricity and some roofs lack the layer the test needs. We will tell you if yours is not suitable before testing.
Does ELD include fixing the breach?
No, the test finds the breaches and your roofer repairs them. The report gives your roofer the locations.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Only if it is safe. We inspect everything that’s safely in view: from the ground, from windows, from inside the roof space, from the roof where it is safe and by drone where applicable. Anything we can’t see is noted in the report.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof, not the whole building. If you need a full building survey, you will need a RICS survey as well.
Does ELD work under paving or planting?
In some cases. It depends on the build-up and the layers above the membrane and parts may need to be lifted. We talk this through first.