Greater London · London and the South East
Electronic Leak Detection in Longlands
Electronic leak detection to pinpoint holes in flat roof membranes for Longlands, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Holes left by work on the roof
- Gaps at membrane joints
- Water coming in under a flat roof
Do you need electronic leak detection in Longlands?
Holes in a membrane frequently come from feet, tools or debris. Some are too small to see, but still let water through.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Punctures from foot traffic or tools
- New roofs to check before paving or planting
- Damp inside with no sign on the roof
- Leaks under green or ballasted roofs
Shop and office owners around Broadway Shopping Centre may find that the flat roofs over shops and commercial units are worth checking before a leak, not after.
What to check before booking
- Are they insured for the work?
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
How electronic leak detection works in Longlands
Green roofs, ballasted roofs and roofs under paving are harder to test. The layers on top can limit the methods we can use and parts may need to be lifted. We talk this through before we quote. Drawings or details of the roof’s layers are useful, as they show what lies beneath the surface. We will tell you if the roof can’t be tested. If you’ve noticed patched roofs that still leak and water coming in under a flat roof, we can find out what’s behind it, on green roofs, flat roof membranes and liquid-applied waterproofing alike.
Across London, flat roofs are everywhere, from back additions and dormers to roof terraces, blocks of flats and offices. Coverings range from felt and asphalt to EPDM rubber, GRP fibreglass and single-ply membranes, and each fails in its own way. In Longlands, 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.
After the visit, you get 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.
- Location
- Longlands (DA15, DA14, SE9)
- Region
- Greater London
- Price
- Quoted for your roof
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Checking the roof from ground level
You can learn a lot from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Never climb onto the roof to look.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That part is for a survey.
Common questions in Longlands
Is Longlands in the area you cover?
Yes. Our area covers London and South East England, and Longlands is part of that. You can ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and some details.
Will parking be an issue for a roof survey in Longlands?
It can be, so it’s useful to let us know about permits, visitor bays or off-street space as you book. The visit is then planned around what’s available.
Do I need to be at home?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. We will talk about access when booking.
How does ELD work?
ELD passes a small electrical current across the roof to locate holes in the membrane. A breach lets the current through so we can pinpoint it.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only where it’s safe to do so. We check everything that can safely be seen: from the ground, from windows and vantage points, from the loft space, from the roof itself where safe and by drone where it applies. The report says if anything couldn’t be seen.
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 are a CAA-registered drone operator.
When does the report arrive?
Report times are set by the package. Basic is within 48 hours, Standard is 24–48 hours and Premium is the same day. Mention any deadline as you book.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Longlands
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed ahead of time. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends, which can make access easier.
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Mention it when you get in touch and we will plan the survey around it.
What electronic leak detection looks like in Longlands
Historic houses such as Eltham Palace, about 2 miles north-west, show how far back building in the area around Longlands goes. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years. Further from the centre, London’s housing takes in interwar semis with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles as well as slate-roofed terraces. Hips, bay roofs and later loft conversions are typical of those semis, if your home is one of them. Alongside them, flat-roofed extensions, dormers, garages and commercial units are common almost everywhere.
As a London address, Longlands can be tricky for parking: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day easier. Take a building like Longlands Primary School: ponding and blocked outlets on a wide flat roof are worth catching before the next wet season.
Longlands is about 1 mile west of Sidcup, in Greater London. Longlands is one of many places we visit across Greater London. Our area takes in places right across Greater London. We also survey roofs in London.
Every address in DA15, DA14 and SE9 is covered for electronic leak detection. That includes homes and businesses on Main Road, Alder Road and Sidcup Road and the roads around them. Longlands sits on or near the A211, which makes travel easy. If you’re just outside Longlands, we cover Foxbury (1 mile south), New Eltham (1 mile north-west), Chislehurst (1 mile south-west), Coldharbour (1 mile west) and Blackfen (1 mile north). We also work in nearby towns like London (9 miles north-west), City of Westminster (12 miles north-west), Marylebone (12 miles north-west), Kensington (13 miles west), St Pancras (11 miles north-west) and Shoreditch (10 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Longlands
In Longlands, that means homes and buildings near Waring Park, Chislehurst School for Girls and Ye Olde Black Horse Inn. The closest station to Longlands is New Eltham station, roughly 0.8 miles north-west. A little further out are Queen Mary's Hospital (1 mile south-east) and Greenwich Castle (5 miles north-west). Open spaces near Longlands include Summer Hill and The Tarn.
Nearby places to Longlands
Other services in Longlands
What we do, step by step
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. Then the inspection itself takes longer on a large roof than a small one, and the build-up of the roof makes a difference too. From the street, a London terrace typically shows only its front slope or parapet, so in Longlands we work round the house, using the street, the windows, the loft and any safe vantage point behind it. If other people live in the building, let us know who can let us into the shared parts.
- You let us know about the roof and where water is showing.
- We check whether the membrane and build-up suit ELD.
- We choose a low-voltage or high-voltage method to match the roof.
- The membrane is tested and breaches are found.
- You get a report with photos of each breach.
Getting ready for the survey
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
Booking a survey
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine. To get started, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
Read more
What affects the cost of electronic leak detection
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. That comes down to:
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- House, block, shop or office
- Roof area
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
All our prices include VAT. We quote electronic leak detection for each roof, as the method and time depend on the roof. We confirm the exact price before booking.
Helping us price your survey
You don’t need to know any roofing terms. It is enough to tell us:
- Access details, like a loft hatch or a shared roof
- What made you get in touch
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
Getting a price is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and give us some details about the property and we will explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.
When you need someone else
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- How wet the insulation is
- Water entering through details rather than the membrane
- Some conductive membranes
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Longlands
- Liquid-applied waterproofing
- Flat roof membranes
- Roof terraces and balconies
- Single-ply roofs
- Commercial flat roofs
- Green roofs