Greater London · London and the South East
Bow Common Electronic Leak Detection
Electronic leak detection to pinpoint holes in flat roof membranes in Bow Common, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Leaks under green or ballasted roofs
- Repairs that haven’t stopped the leak
- Damage from equipment installers
Electronic leak detection for homes and businesses in Bow Common
Not every flat roof suits electronic testing. Certain membranes conduct electricity, and some build-ups lack the layer the test needs below the membrane. We will say if ELD won’t work on your roof before any testing. Any details you have about the membrane and build-up help us decide, such as drawings or specifications. It saves a wasted visit. We survey commercial flat roofs, flat roof membranes and roof terraces and balconies, and common reasons people get in touch are punctures from foot traffic or tools and leaks at pipes, outlets or fixings.
London has a lot of flat roofs: rear additions, dormers, roof terraces and the roofs of blocks and offices. Coverings range from felt and asphalt to EPDM rubber, GRP fibreglass and single-ply membranes, each with its own weak points. In Bow Common, as anywhere in London, the right approach depends on what the roof is made of. Older flat roofs are frequently felt or asphalt, newer ones rubber or GRP.
The report is written in plain words, so you do not need to be a roofer to follow it. Photos show what each point refers to.
- Where
- Bow Common (E14, E3, E1)
- Region
- Greater London
- Price
- Quoted for your roof
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from Bow Common
How do I find out if my home in Bow Common is listed?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Do you look at commercial flat roofs near Bow Common, like hotels?
Yes. As well as homes, we look at flat roofs on offices, hotels, blocks of flats and commercial units. Larger commercial roofs are quoted for the building, and roof access is agreed with you ahead of the visit.
Is Bow Common in your area?
Yes. We cover Bow Common and the rest of Greater London, as part of our work across London and South East England. For a price, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Do you need to get into the loft?
If the survey needs it and the roof space can be reached safely, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps.
What do I do with the report?
You receive the written report by email, with photos and recommendations. You can use it to talk to a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent, whichever applies.
Which method do you use?
The method is chosen to suit the roof. Low-voltage methods are typically carried out on a wet roof and high-voltage methods need the membrane dry and exposed.
What will the report tell me?
It explains what we saw, what it means and what we’d suggest, with photographs throughout. Anything we couldn’t see safely is noted too.
Leave it or get it looked at?
Repeated call-outs for the same leak add up. A report showing the breach points gives your roofer a clear target. In a London terrace or conversion, a roof defect rarely stays your problem alone: failed flashings and blocked valley gutters can send water into more than one home. Finding it early keeps the work smaller.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how safely it can be seen. Electronic leak detection is quoted for your roof, because the method depends on the roof.
Why us?
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- Photos and a written report every time
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
What we can’t see
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Sections we can’t safely access
- Repairing the breaches (that’s for your roofer)
- Leaks from plumbing or windows
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will tell you before booking. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What this survey covers
- Commercial flat roofs
- Roof terraces and balconies
- Flat roof membranes
- Green roofs
- Liquid-applied waterproofing
- Single-ply roofs
What we’re asked to look at in Bow Common
Other trades on the roof can puncture the waterproofing. Engineers fitting equipment, solar panels or aerials may leave damage behind.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- New membranes needing a check before handover
- Gaps at membrane joints
- Punctures from foot traffic or tools
- A flat roof leak that can’t be traced
Shop and office owners around Surrey Quays Shopping Centre may find that outlets and upstands on commercial flat roofs are the places to check before trouble starts.
What to check before booking
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- What insurance they carry
Flat and commercial roofs around Bow Common
Historic houses such as Sutton House, about 2.4 miles north-west, show how far back building in the area around Bow Common goes. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead. Within a mile and a half or so of Bow Common there are several hotels, and like offices and blocks, hotels often sit under flat roofs. For hotels and other commercial buildings, finding the cause of a flat roof leak quickly keeps rooms in use.
Take a building like St Paul's Way Trust School: schools and public buildings often have big flat roofs, and their outlets and upstands need regular checks. For hotels and guest houses around Bow Common, a roof problem found early is far less disruptive than one found by a guest, so it is worth knowing the roof’s condition.
Bow Common is about 2 miles east of Whitechapel, in Greater London. We carry out electronic leak detection in Bow Common for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Our Greater London coverage includes Bow Common and the places around it.
Postcode districts we cover here for electronic leak detection: E14, E3 and E1. Streets in the area include Market Way, Knapp Road and Thomas Road, all of which we cover. If you are just outside Bow Common, we cover Limehouse (1 mile west), Bromley (1 mile north-east), Mile End (1 mile north-west), Poplar (1 mile south) and Canary Wharf (1 mile south). Further out, we also cover London (3 miles south-west), City of Westminster (6 miles west), Marylebone (5 miles west), Kensington (8 miles west), St Pancras (4 miles west) and Walthamstow (5 miles north).
Local landmarks in Bow Common
Around Bow Common, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Stebon Primary School, The Widow's Son pub and Bartlett Park. The closest station to Bow Common is Limehouse station, roughly 0.8 miles south-west. Nearby you will also find Tower of London (2.4 miles west) and St Clement's Hospital (0.6 miles north-west). Open spaces near Bow Common include Tower Hill and Hollow Pond.
Nearby places to Bow Common
What else we do in Bow Common
Before and after the survey
There is plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Note where leaks show inside and when
- Do not leave water getting in
- Do not let outlets block
- Have roof specifications to hand
Once repairs are made, the roof can be tested again if you want to check them, where the roof still suits the method.
Ask trades working on the roof to protect the membrane when fitting equipment. Have the roof looked at after other work.
What a survey costs
Prices vary from roof to roof, for these reasons:
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Height and safe access
- The size of the roof
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so the price reflects that. You will know the figure before booking.
What to tell us when you contact us
What helps most when you contact us:
- The address and postcode of the property
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
How the survey works
Before we start, tell us why you’ve booked: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. The visit usually takes a time that depends on the size of the roof and how it’s built, which we’ll explain when we quote. In a London area like Bow Common, the main things to sort out are parking and access: tell us about permits, visitor bays or off-street space, which floor the property is on and how to get into the loft. We then look at what can be seen safely from the ground, windows, the loft and, where it’s safe, the roof itself.
- First, we confirm which roof areas are included.
- The surface is prepared for the chosen method.
- Testing runs across the agreed area.
- Each breach found is located and recorded.
- You receive the results to pass to your roofer.
Before the survey
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
Arrange a survey
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To get started, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.