Isle of Wight · London and the South East
Electronic Leak Detection in Great Thorness
Electronic leak detection around Great Thorness, with a written report you can act on. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Repairs that haven’t stopped the leak
- Failed seams and laps
- Holes around roof penetrations
What electronic leak detection doesn’t cover
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:
- Sections we can’t safely access
- Moisture spread under the membrane
- Fixing the holes we find
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll tell you. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Great Thorness
- Liquid-applied waterproofing
- Flat roof membranes
- Single-ply roofs
- Commercial flat roofs
- Green roofs
- Roof terraces and balconies
Electronic leak detection in Great Thorness
Electronic leak detection, or ELD, finds holes in flat roof waterproofing membranes. It uses a small electrical current that passes through the membrane only where there is a breach. That lets us locate holes that are too small to see, so your roofer can repair them. The results come in a report with photos. If you’ve noticed a flat roof leak that can’t be traced and breaches around outlets and penetrations, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
In a small place like Great Thorness, a flat roof can stand in the open, which is hard on edges, upstands and joins in the covering. Felt roofs, which frequently last around 15–20 years, normally show it first. Rubber and GRP last longer, though trims and joints still need a look. Exposed edges are usually the first part of a flat roof to go.
Where we cannot see part of the flat roof membrane, the report says so. You’ll know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Where
- Great Thorness (PO31)
- Region
- Isle of Wight
- Price
- Quoted for your roof
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Landlord and commercial surveys in Great Thorness
With a portfolio of properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To discuss a number of properties, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the addresses.
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan.
Your questions about electronic leak detection in Great Thorness
Is my home in Great Thorness listed or in a conservation area?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Great Thorness?
It can do. Within about 1 mile of the sea, as Great Thorness is, metal fixings wear faster and gales find any loose ridge or slate.
Is my roof suitable for ELD?
It depends on the membrane and the build-up. Let us know what you know about the roof and we’ll confirm suitability.
What’s the best way to book?
Simply call 07833 053749 or send us an email. We will ask a few questions, confirm the price and agree a date, weekday or weekend.
How long will testing take?
It depends on the size of the roof and its build-up. We’ll give you an idea when we quote.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day. Let us know your preferred days as you book.
What’s in the survey report?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos, finishing with recommendations. The most urgent items are made clear.
Checking the roof from the ground
It helps to keep a record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
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.
What happens on the day
We check the roof from outside and, where it’s relevant and there is safe access, from inside the roof space too. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement. The whole visit typically takes longer on a large roof than a small one, and the build-up of the roof makes a difference too. Around Great Thorness, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- 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.
- You get a report with photos of each breach.
How to prepare
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
Book a survey
To get a price for electronic leak detection in Great Thorness, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. Some details about the property and the roof help us price the survey accurately.
Advice
Useful tips for Great Thorness property owners
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Use boards when working on the roof
- Keep outlets clear of debris
- Stay off the flat roof unless needed
- Check new waterproofing before handover
Keep the report with the roof’s records. It shows the condition of the membrane on that date.
Keep outlets and gutters on flat roofs clear. Water that sits on the roof finds breaches faster.
What we are asked to look at in Great Thorness
Water travels under flat roof membranes. The leak may show some distance from where water gets in, so tracing it by eye is difficult.
Common reasons to book include:
- Failed seams and laps
- Repairs that haven’t stopped the leak
- Leaks under green or ballasted roofs
- Punctures from foot traffic or tools
Historic houses such as Swainston Manor, about 3 miles south, show how far back building around Great Thorness goes. On a period home nearby, any flat roof is likely to be a later addition with its own lifespan.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- When you’ll get the report
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- Their insurance cover
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
Flat and commercial roofs around Great Thorness
Great Thorness is within about 1 mile of the coast, so there is more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Salt in the air is hard on metal flashings and fixings, and wind catches any loose edge on a flat roof. Thatch survives on some older Isle of Wight buildings, and nowhere on the island is far from the sea. Mixed in with those pitched roofs are plenty of flat ones, over rear extensions, dormers, garages and shops.
In and around Great Thorness, as anywhere, a roof is easiest to deal with when its problems are found early.
Great Thorness is about 3 miles south-west of Cowes, in the Isle of Wight. In Great Thorness, as across the Isle of Wight, every roof gets the same careful survey. Across the Isle of Wight, we cover Great Thorness. For surveys nearby, see our Southampton page.
We cover every part of PO31 for electronic leak detection and the streets around it. Other places close to Great Thorness include Porchfield (1 mile south-west), Locksgreen (1 mile south-west), Rew Street (2 miles north-east), Newtown (2 miles south-west) and Northwood (2 miles north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Newport (3 miles south-east), Ryde (9 miles east), Cowes (3 miles north-east), Sandown (10 miles south-east), Shanklin (10 miles south-east) and Ventnor (11 miles south-east). For harder-to-reach addresses, a little more planning is needed, so let us know when you get in touch.
Around Great Thorness
In Great Thorness, that means homes and buildings near Sportsman's Rest pub and the streets around them. Nearby you’ll also find Carisbrooke Castle (3.5 miles south-east) and St Mary's Hospital (2.8 miles south-east). Not far away are Mill Hill.