Greater London · London and the South East
Electronic Leak Detection in Kensington
Electronic leak detection across Kensington, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Damp inside with no sign on the roof
- A flat roof leak that cannot be traced
- Punctures from foot traffic or tools
Your questions about electronic leak detection in Kensington
Is my home in Kensington listed or in a conservation area?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Can parking be tricky for a visit in Kensington?
Sometimes, yes. If Kensington has controlled parking where you are, a visitor permit is the easiest answer, and a driveway is even better.
Does the weather affect the survey?
A survey can normally go ahead in light rain. Strong wind or heavy rain can stop drone flights and make roof access unsafe, so if conditions are not right we will arrange another day with you.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Only when it is safe. Most of what we need can be seen from safe viewpoints, the loft and, where it applies, a drone, and anything out of sight is recorded in the report.
What is electronic leak detection?
It uses an electrical current to find breaches in a flat roof membrane. The current only gets through where the membrane is breached, which shows us where the hole is.
What insurance do you have?
We are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
How do you choose the testing method?
The method is chosen to suit the roof. Low-voltage testing typically needs a wet surface and high-voltage methods need the membrane dry and exposed.
How electronic leak detection works in Kensington
ELD finds breaches in the membrane, not every cause of water getting in. Water coming through walls, copings, rooflights or plumbing won’t show on the test. If the evidence points elsewhere, we will say so. The test shows breaches in the membrane, not water coming through masonry or around frames. The report makes clear what was and wasn’t tested. We’ll point you to the likely next step. If you’ve noticed repairs that haven’t stopped the leak and waterproofing to test before it’s covered, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Across London, flat roofs are everywhere, from back additions and dormers to roof terraces, blocks of flats and offices. They’re covered in felt, asphalt, EPDM rubber, GRP fibreglass or single-ply membranes, each with its own weak points. In Kensington, as anywhere in London, the right approach depends on what the roof is made of. Older flat roofs are often felt or asphalt, newer ones rubber or GRP.
The report is written in plain words, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Photographs show what each point refers to, with the urgent items made clear.
- Where
- Kensington (W11, W8, W14, SW7)
- Region
- Greater London
- Prices
- Quoted for your roof
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
For landlords and managing agents
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. We survey on any day of the week, which can make access easier.
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
What electronic leak detection looks like in Kensington
Historic houses like Leighton House, about 0.1 miles south, show how far back building in the area around Kensington goes. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years. Welsh slate on Victorian and Edwardian terraces is a familiar sight across inner London. A butterfly roof with a central valley gutter, tucked behind a parapet wall, is common on these houses. In a house like that, shared stacks, party-wall upstands and lead flashings all need looking at as far as they can be seen. Flat roofs fill the gaps in between, on extensions, garages, dormers and business premises.
For landlords with property near Kensington Olympia station, flat roofs over rear additions and dormers in rented property are worth checking between tenancies. If you look after a building like St Barnabas and St Philip's CofE Primary School, ponding and blocked outlets on a wide flat roof are worth catching before the next wet season. For businesses in and around places such as Kensington Arcade, a flat roof over a business is out of sight and out of mind until it leaks.
Kensington is about 5 miles west of London, in Greater London. We carry out electronic leak detection for homes and businesses in Kensington and the surrounding area. Kensington is one of the places in Greater London we cover.
We survey roofs across W11, W8, W14 and SW7 for electronic leak detection and the streets around it. Local streets include Kensington High Street, Edwardes Square and Somerset Square, and we cover them all. With the A402 and B316 close by, Kensington is easy for us to reach. We also cover Holland Park (1 mile north), Notting Hill (1 mile north), Shepherd's Bush (1 mile west), Notting Dale (1 mile north) and White City (1 mile north-west). Further out, we also cover London (5 miles east), Marylebone (3 miles north-east), St Pancras (4 miles north-east), Shoreditch (6 miles east), Walthamstow (10 miles north-east) and Hoxton (6 miles north-east). Kensington is one of the larger places we cover in Greater London.
Near you in Kensington
In Kensington, that means homes and buildings near Holland Park, Scarsdale Tavern and Holland Park School and the streets around them. Other local landmarks include Kensington School (0.5 miles east) and Abdus Salam Library (1 mile east). Kensington has its own railway station: Kensington Olympia station. Nearby you’ll also find Kensington Arcade (less than half a mile east) and London Museum (0.7 miles north-east). The countryside around Kensington includes WWT London Wetland Centre and The Long Water.
What we look for on each type of roof
Bituminous membranes
Bitumen roofs can often be tested electronically though the layers below matter.
Inverted and paved roofs
We will tell you if your inverted or paved roof is not suitable.
The survey, step by step
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from every safe vantage point, take photographs as we go and record our findings for the written report. It usually takes a time that depends on the membrane area and the build-up, which we’ll explain when we quote. In Kensington, visits are available on weekdays and at weekends. It helps if you can point us to a visitor permit or a nearby bay, and to clear a path to the loft hatch. A back bedroom window can be the best vantage point for a rear addition, so we may ask to use one.
- We start with what you know about the roof and the leak.
- The roof is assessed for suitability first.
- We choose a low-voltage or high-voltage method to match the roof.
- We test the roof and locate any breaches.
- A report with photos shows where each breach is.
Before the survey
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with whoever owns or manages the building
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Arrange a survey
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know the cost up front. We quote electronic leak detection for each roof, as the method and time depend on the roof. To book, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
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What this survey cannot tell you
It’s a careful look at the flat roof membrane, not the whole story. Its limits include:
- Moisture spread under the membrane
- Repairing the breaches (that is for your roofer)
- Build-ups without a suitable layer below
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll tell you before you book. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Liquid-applied waterproofing
- Commercial flat roofs
- Green roofs
- Roof terraces and balconies
- Single-ply roofs
- Flat roof membranes
Nearby places to Kensington
Other services in Kensington
Useful tips for Kensington property owners
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. Our suggestions:
- Check trades protect the waterproofing
- Keep a note of leaks after rain
- Stay off the flat roof unless needed
- Check new waterproofing before handover
After your roofer repairs the breaches, a retest can confirm them if the build-up allows.
Ask trades working on the roof to protect the membrane when they work up there. Have the roof looked at after other work.
What affects the price in Kensington
To price your survey, we check:
- How big the roof is
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
To find out what your survey will cost, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and tell us about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Booking your survey
What helps most when you contact us:
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Anything about access we should know
Most bookings start with a short call: phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll ask a few questions about the roof. You will have a price before anything is arranged.