Greater London · London and the South East
Electronic leak detection in Plaistow, Greater London
An experienced roof surveyor for electronic leak detection in Plaistow. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys.
- Waterproofing to test before it is covered
- Water coming in under a flat roof
- Failed seams and laps
What we look for on each type of roof
Green and ballasted roofs
Roofs with planting or ballast hide the membrane. Some methods can work through these layers but it depends on the layers.
Single-ply membranes
Punctures from foot traffic and equipment are common on single-ply roofs. ELD can locate them.
Electronic leak detection for homes and businesses in Plaistow
Electronic testing locates holes in the waterproofing but not every way water gets in. Water coming through walls, copings, rooflights or plumbing won’t show on the test. We’ll tell you if we think the leak is coming from somewhere else. It will not show water getting in through brickwork or around frames. The report makes clear what was and wasn’t tested. We’ll point you to the likely next step. Common reasons to book are leaks through a flat roof with no obvious cause and leaks under green or ballasted roofs, on green roofs, commercial flat roofs and roof terraces and balconies.
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, and each fails in its own way. Which one is on a roof in Plaistow shapes how it’s checked. Many older flat roofs are felt or asphalt, and many newer ones EPDM rubber or GRP.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photographs, sent by email. It sets out the condition of the flat roof membrane, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Where
- Plaistow (E13, E16, E6)
- Region
- Greater London
- Prices
- Quoted for your roof
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
When to book a survey in Plaistow
Holes in a membrane often come from feet, tools or debris. Many are tiny but water still finds them.
We’re often asked to look at:
- Waterproofing to test before it’s covered
- Damage from equipment installers
- Damp inside with no sign on the roof
- Water coming in under a flat roof
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Memorial Community Church, later flat-roofed additions are common on older houses, and their edges and upstands often show the first signs of wear.
Before you book anyone
- What experience they bring
- Are they insured for the work?
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
Plaistow questions
Will parking be an issue for a roof survey in Plaistow?
Typically it is manageable with a little notice. Let us know the parking rules on your street and we’ll work around them.
How do I find out if my home in Plaistow is listed?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
How long does electronic leak detection take?
The roof’s size and build-up decide how long it takes. We will give you an idea when we quote.
Do you take photos of the roof?
Yes, plenty. Pictures sit next to the findings they show.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. Our survey is a roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey of the whole building. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
What does the report include?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos. The most urgent items are made clear.
What do I do with the report?
You’ll receive the report by email, and you decide the next step: raise it with a seller, send it to an insurer, brief a roofer or share it with a managing agent.
What we cannot see
A survey is a close look at the flat roof membrane, but it can’t do everything. Its limits include:
- The extent of water in the insulation
- Repairing the breaches (that’s for your roofer)
- Leaks from plumbing or windows
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will tell you before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Green roofs
- Single-ply roofs
- Commercial flat roofs
- Roof terraces and balconies
- Flat roof membranes
- Liquid-applied waterproofing
What a survey costs
We confirm the price for your roof before booking. These are the things that affect it:
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- The size of the roof
- Building height and the viewpoints available
For a price for your roof in Plaistow, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know about the roof. We’ll confirm the figure before booking.
Booking your survey
You don’t need to know any roofing terms. Just let us know:
- When you need the report by
- What’s prompted the survey
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
Getting a price is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email, let us know about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.
Flat and commercial roofs around Plaistow
There are several hotels within about a mile and a half of Plaistow. For hotels and other commercial buildings, finding the cause of a flat roof leak quickly keeps rooms in use. Welsh slate on Victorian and Edwardian terraces is a familiar sight across inner London. Many have butterfly roofs draining to a central valley gutter, with parapet walls and gutters hidden behind them. Lead flashings, party-wall upstands and shared chimney stacks are typical of these houses, if yours is one of them. Alongside them, flat-roofed extensions, dormers, garages and commercial units are common almost everywhere.
For site and facilities teams at buildings like Kaizen Primary School, schools and public buildings frequently have big flat roofs, and their outlets and upstands need regular checks. Shop and office owners around Stratford Centre may find that outlets and upstands on commercial flat roofs are the places to check before trouble starts.
Plaistow is about 5 miles east of London, in Greater London. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Plaistow can all book electronic leak detection. Across Greater London, we cover Plaistow and the places around it.
Surveys in E13, E16 and E6 are booked the same way as anywhere else. That includes homes and businesses on Eve Road, Ivy Road and May Road. Main roads around Plaistow include the A1011. We also cover the places around Plaistow: Greengate (1 mile north-east), Canning Town (1 mile south), Upton Park (1 mile north-east), West Ham (1 mile north-west) and Upton (1 mile north). Within a short drive, we also cover London (5 miles west), City of Westminster (8 miles west), Marylebone (7 miles west), Kensington (10 miles west), St Pancras (6 miles west) and Shoreditch (4 miles west).
Local landmarks in Plaistow
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Keir Hardie Park, The Service for Deaf and Partially Hearing Children and The Earl Of Derby Public House and the streets around them. Plaistow’s nearest station is West Ham station, about 0.9 miles west. Other landmarks nearby include Newham University Hospital (0.5 miles east) and Greenwich Castle (3.4 miles south). Not far away are Old Ford Island and Hollow Pond.
Places near Plaistow
What else we do in Plaistow
The survey, step by step
The visit has one job: to look at the flat roof membrane as closely as is safe and record what we find. Notes and photographs go into the written report. The visit normally takes more time on a big roof than a small one, with the construction of the roof playing a part too. In Plaistow, as in much of London, lots of properties are flats or terraces without side access, so rear slopes are viewed from windows, the loft or, where a flight is allowed, by drone. If the building has a managing agent or access rules, let us know when you book.
- First, you tell us about the roof build-up and where water is showing.
- 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.
- The breaches are recorded with photographs in a report for your roofer.
Preparing for the visit
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
Arrange a survey
If you’re buying, it helps 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 call 07833 053749 or send us an email when you are ready.
Advice
Leave it or get it looked at?
Repairs in the wrong place leave the leak in place. ELD shows the actual breach points. Blocked gutters and hoppers on London houses overflow and soak brickwork, which can lead to damp inside. A blocked outlet ignored for a winter or two can mean damp walls inside.
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.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Plaistow
- An independent view of the roof
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
See what a roof survey costs or what we found on two real jobs.