Greater London · London and the South East
Little Portugal Electronic Leak Detection
Electronic leak detection to pinpoint holes in flat roof membranes in Little Portugal, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Leaks showing away from the breach
- New roofs to check before paving or planting
- Failed seams and laps
DIY checks: what’s safe
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, which helps when we look at the roof.
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.
Electronic leak detection for homes and businesses in Little Portugal
Not every flat roof suits electronic testing. Certain membranes conduct electricity and some roofs don’t have a suitable layer beneath the membrane. If your roof isn’t suitable, we will tell you at the start. Telling us what you know about the roof’s membrane and layers helps, such as drawings or specifications. It saves a wasted visit. Common reasons to book are water coming in under a flat roof and damp inside with no sign on the roof, across flat roof membranes, roof terraces and balconies and liquid-applied waterproofing.
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 Little Portugal, as anywhere in London, the right approach depends on what the roof is made of. Many older flat roofs are felt or asphalt, and many newer ones EPDM rubber or GRP.
If any part of the flat roof membrane couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You will know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Where
- Little Portugal (SW9, SW8, SW1P)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Cost
- Quoted for your roof
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Places near Little Portugal
More services for Little Portugal
How it works
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof; as a rough guide, the survey takes longer on a large roof than a small one, with the construction of the roof playing a part too. If you have questions on the day, just ask. From the street, a London terrace typically shows only its front slope or parapet, so a visit in Little Portugal moves between viewpoints: the pavement, upstairs windows, the loft and any safe spot at the back. If other people live in the building, tell us who can let us into the shared parts.
- We ask about the roof, its age, its membrane and where leaks appear inside.
- We confirm whether the roof is suitable for electronic testing.
- The method depends on the membrane and what sits above and below it.
- We test the membrane and find where current is passing through it.
- You get a report showing where each breach is, for your roofer to repair.
How to prepare
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Arrange a survey
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Advice
Different roofs, different checks
Single-ply membranes
Punctures from foot traffic and equipment are common on single-ply roofs. Testing helps find them.
Green and ballasted roofs
Parts of the covering may have to come up. We discuss this before quoting.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Some breaches are too small to see. Electronic testing can find breaches you cannot see by eye where the roof suits it. Many older London roofs have only old felt under the slates, or no underlay at all, so once the slates or flashings let water past, little stops it reaching ceilings. Left unchecked, water soaks into timber and plaster and the damage spreads.
For a price for your roof in Little Portugal, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and a few details. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Why us?
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Plain-English reports with photos
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Visits on any day of the week
Take a look at what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.
Flat roofs in Little Portugal
Close to the centre of London, a great many houses are Victorian or Edwardian terraces, many of them roofed in Welsh slate. Many have butterfly roofs draining to a central valley gutter, with parapet walls and gutters hidden behind them. If your home in Little Portugal is one of them, lead flashings, party-wall upstands and shared chimney stacks are part of the picture too. Alongside them, flat-roofed extensions, dormers, garages and commercial units are common almost everywhere. There are several hotels within about a mile and a half of Little Portugal, and hotels, like offices and blocks of flats, frequently have flat roofs. If you look after one, a leak through a flat roof can put a room out of use.
For businesses in and around places such as Gabriel's Wharf, flat roofs over shops and units are easy to forget until water comes through a ceiling. Historic houses such as Buckingham Palace, about 2 miles north-west, show how far back building around Little Portugal goes. Older houses nearby often have flat roofs added much later, built to very different standards from the main roof. Anyone responsible for a site like Platanos College will know that large flat roofs, common on schools and other public buildings, need their outlets, upstands and coverings checked regularly.
Little Portugal is about 1 mile north of Stockwell, in Greater London. Little Portugal is part of the area we cover across London and South East England. Across Greater London, we cover Little Portugal and the places around it.
All of SW9, SW8 and SW1P is within our area for electronic leak detection. Streets in the area include Kay Road, Lett Road and Rita Road, all of which we cover. You will find Little Portugal on the A203, which makes it straightforward to reach. Neighbouring places we cover for electronic leak detection include South Lambeth (1 mile north), North Brixton (1 mile east), Stockwell (1 mile south), Kennington (1 mile north) and Oval (1 mile north). Within a short drive, we also cover City of Westminster (3 miles north-west), Marylebone (3 miles north), Kensington (4 miles north-west), St Pancras (4 miles north), Shoreditch (4 miles north-east) and Walthamstow (9 miles north-east).
Landmarks near Little Portugal
We work in homes and buildings around Allen Edwards Primary School, Larkhall Park and The Canton Arms, among other places. Also close by are Durand Academy (under half a mile east) and Lambeth Palace Library (1.6 miles north). Little Portugal’s nearest station is Wandsworth Road station, about 0.7 miles south-west. Well-known places in the area include Type Museum (less than half a mile east) and The Gordon Hospital (1.4 miles north-west). Open spaces near Little Portugal include Knight's Hill and Battersea Park Lake.
For landlords and managing agents
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too. Larger roofs take longer.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Little Portugal and across Greater London can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Tips from our surveys
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Do not let outlets block
- Avoid repeated repairs without finding the cause
- Ask contractors to protect the membrane
- Stay off the flat roof unless needed
If anything in the report is not clear, ask us. We can talk you through the findings.
ELD before paving, ballast or planting goes on is worth considering. It is easier to find holes before more layers are added.
Little Portugal: your questions answered
Is my home in Little Portugal listed or in a conservation area?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do you look at commercial flat roofs near Little Portugal, such as hotels?
Yes, commercial flat roofs are part of what we cover. For a bigger roof, you’ll get a quote based on the building.
Do you look in the loft space?
Where it is relevant to the survey and there is safe access, yes. Please clear anything stored under the hatch.
How is ELD priced?
We quote for each roof individually. Tell us about the roof and where it leaks, and phone 07833 053749 or send us an email for a quote.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, over more than 20 years, with 98% customer satisfaction.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it helps and it’s safe, yes. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, including flight restriction zones near airports. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator.
Does the weather affect the survey?
Some surveys depend on the weather more than others. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. If the conditions aren’t right, we’ll talk to you about another date.