Kent · London and the South East
Electronic leak detection in Dargate, Kent
Electronic leak detection around Dargate, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Waterproofing to test before it’s covered
- Leaking laps in the waterproofing
- Punctures from foot traffic or tools
How electronic leak detection works in Dargate
You get a report showing the location of each breach with photos. It tells your roofer exactly where to repair instead of hunting for the leak. We do not estimate repair costs; that is for your roofer to price. A retest after repairs can check the work, where the roof still suits the method. Results come in a written report with photos. If you’ve noticed waterproofing to test before it’s covered and leaks at pipes, outlets or fixings, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Flat roofs on exposed homes in small places like Dargate take more wind and rain, which is hard on edges, upstands and joins in the covering. Older felt roofs, often around 15–20 years in life, show it first. Rubber and GRP last longer, though trims and joints still need a look. Exposed edges are normally the first part of a flat roof to go.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photos, emailed to you. It explains the condition of the flat roof membrane, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Place
- Dargate (ME13)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- Quoted for your roof
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Prices for electronic leak detection in Dargate
Prices vary from roof to roof, for these reasons:
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- Roof area
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how it can be reached and seen safely. Electronic leak detection is quoted for your roof, because the method depends on the roof.
What we need to know
There is no need for technical words. It is enough to tell us:
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Your timetable, like an exchange date
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Anything about access we should know
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Local flat roofs in Dargate
The coast is about 3 miles or less from Dargate, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. On a flat roof near the sea, edge trims and upstands take the brunt of the wind, and metal parts corrode faster. Handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles hung on pegs through two holes, are typical of older Kent buildings. 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.
For landlords with property near Selling station, the flat roof over a let home is worth a look before it becomes a tenant complaint. If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Church of St Michael, flat-roofed rear additions and dormers added over the years are worth checking.
Dargate is about 4 miles south-west of Whitstable, in Kent. Bookings from Dargate are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Dargate is one of the towns and villages in Kent we cover for electronic leak detection.
Every address in ME13 is covered for electronic leak detection, from the main roads to the quietest streets. You’ll find streets such as Butler's Hill and Plumpudding Lane, and we cover them all. Other places close to Dargate include Hernhill (1 mile south-west), Waterham (1 mile north), Highstreet (1 mile north-east), Slutshole (1 mile south-west) and Staplestreet (1 mile south-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Ashford (13 miles south), Canterbury (5 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (11 miles west), Whitstable (4 miles north-east), Faversham (4 miles west) and Herne Bay (8 miles north-east).
What’s near Dargate
Around Dargate, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Red Lion pub and Mount Ephraim Gardens, among other places. The nearest railway station is Selling station, about 3 miles south-west. Other landmarks nearby include Whitstable and Tankerton Hospital (4.5 miles north-east) and Tankerton Castle (4.2 miles north-east). Open spaces near Dargate include Blean Woods RSPB Reserve.
FAQs for Dargate
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Dargate?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Dargate, take more of a battering?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, while strong wind lifts anything already loose.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first, with the building owner or managing agent. Mention it when you get in touch and we will plan the survey around it.
How long does electronic leak detection take?
It typically takes a length of time set by the membrane area and the build-up, which we’ll explain when we quote.
What does the report include?
It explains what we saw, what it means and what we’d suggest, backed by photographs. It also says if any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, so you know exactly what was covered.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Honest limits
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Carrying out the repair work
- Water entering through details rather than the membrane
- How wet the insulation is
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will tell you. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Single-ply roofs
- Commercial flat roofs
- Roof terraces and balconies
- Liquid-applied waterproofing
- Green roofs
- Flat roof membranes
How the survey works
The visit normally starts outside and finishes in the loft: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the roof space where it can be reached. All told, expect as long as needed for the membrane area and the build-up, which we’ll explain when we quote. Cottages and farmhouses around Dargate often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- We start by finding out what the roof is made of and where it leaks.
- The roof is assessed to see if electronic testing will work on it.
- We pick the low-voltage or high-voltage method that suits the roof.
- Testing runs across the roof to locate breaches in the membrane.
- You get a report showing where each breach is, for your roofer to repair.
How to prepare
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
How to book
If you are buying, it’s useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just phone 07833 053749 or email us when you’re ready.
Related advice
Nearby places to Dargate
What else we do in Dargate
What we look for on each type of roof
Liquid-applied waterproofing
Small holes in liquid waterproofing may leak. Where the roof suits it, testing can find them.
Green and ballasted roofs
Green roofs and ballasted roofs cover the waterproofing. Some methods can work through these layers but it depends on the layers.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Dargate
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, including offices, shops and units. Bigger roofs take more time.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan.
Common roof problems in Dargate
If a flat roof keeps leaking after patching, the hole may be elsewhere. ELD can locate the breach more precisely.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Stains far from any visible defect
- New membranes needing a check before handover
- Punctures from foot traffic or tools
- Patched roofs that still leak
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Hernhill Church of England Primary School, large flat roofs, common on schools and other public buildings, need their outlets, upstands and coverings checked regularly.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Will the report include photos?
- Whether the price includes VAT
- What they won’t be able to tell you