Medway · London and the South East
Electronic Leak Detection in Rochester
Electronic leak detection to pinpoint holes in flat roof membranes in Rochester, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. Every survey comes with a written report and photographs.
- A flat roof leak that cannot be traced
- Leaks showing away from the breach
- Damage from equipment installers
Electronic leak detection in Rochester: what you get
Some flat roofs can’t be tested electronically. Certain membranes conduct electricity and some roofs don’t have a suitable layer beneath the membrane. If your roof is not suitable, we’ll tell you at the start. Any details you have about the membrane and build-up help us decide, including drawings, specifications or the roofer’s paperwork. It avoids arranging a test that can’t give results. If you’ve noticed stains far from any visible defect and leaking laps in the waterproofing, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Houses around a town like Rochester often have a flat roof somewhere, over an extension, garage, porch or dormer. Older ones are often felt, which often lasts around 15–20 years, while newer ones may be EPDM rubber or GRP fibreglass. The usual warning signs are standing water, splits and edges coming away. Water that sits for days after rain is often the first sign a flat roof needs attention.
The report is written in plain words, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Photos show what each point refers to.
- Where
- Rochester (ME2, ME1, ME3, ME4)
- Region
- Medway
- Cost
- Quoted for your roof
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we can’t see
In fairness, a roof survey has limits:
- Water entering through details rather than the membrane
- How wet the insulation is
- Roofs whose membrane or build-up isn’t suitable
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will recommend the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
What we check
- Commercial flat roofs
- Single-ply roofs
- Flat roof membranes
- Liquid-applied waterproofing
- Green roofs
- Roof terraces and balconies
The survey, step by step
Once we have finished looking, we write up our findings in a report with photos. As for time on site, it normally takes a time that depends on the membrane area and the build-up, which we set out in the quote. In Rochester, parking is rarely complicated, though it’s useful to know about driveways or restrictions. The inspection covers what can be seen safely from outside, from windows and from the loft space, and from the roof itself where it’s safe.
- You let us know about the roof and where water is showing.
- We check whether the membrane and build-up suit ELD.
- The test method is chosen to suit the roof.
- The membrane is tested and breaches are found.
- You get a report with photos of each breach.
Preparing for the visit
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Tell us about parking before the day
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Book a survey
We survey roofs on weekdays and at weekends. To find a date that works for you, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
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Rochester questions
Do roofs near the sea, like those around Rochester, take more of a battering?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, while strong wind lifts anything already loose.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Rochester?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
What is electronic leak detection?
A sound membrane blocks the test current, but a hole lets it through. That’s how we locate breaches you can’t see.
When does the report arrive?
That depends on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day. The report is emailed to you.
Does electronic leak detection work on all membranes?
Not every roof is suitable. Some membranes conduct electricity, and some build-ups lack a suitable layer below. We will tell you if yours is not suitable at the start.
How much time does ELD need?
It depends on the size of the roof and its build-up. We will give you an idea when we quote.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. Our survey is not a structural engineer’s report. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we will recommend one.
Practical tips
A little preparation and a few simple habits help, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Our tips:
- Consider ELD before paving or planting goes on
- Keep outlets clear of debris
- Let us know about the membrane and build-up if you know it
- Find the breach before more patching
Questions about the results are welcome. We can talk you through the findings.
Keep people off the flat roof unless they need to be there. Feet and dropped tools are a common cause of holes.
Checking the roof from ground level
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Also near Rochester
Other services in Rochester
What electronic leak detection looks like in Rochester
Rochester is within about 3 miles of the coast, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. On a flat roof near the sea, edge trims and upstands take the brunt of the wind, and metal parts corrode faster. Rochester has a number of hotels within about a mile and a half, and hotels, like offices and blocks of flats, often have flat roofs. For hotels and other commercial buildings, finding the cause of a flat roof leak quickly keeps rooms in use.
Take a building like Rochester Riverside Church of England Primary School: schools and public buildings often have big flat roofs, and their outlets and upstands need regular checks. Landlords with a home close to Rochester station may find that the flat roof over a let home is worth a look before it becomes a tenant complaint.
Rochester is about 27 miles east of London, in Medway. Rochester is part of the area we cover across London and South East England. Our Medway coverage includes Rochester and the places around it. Our Maidstone page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in ME2, ME1, ME3 and ME4 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. That includes homes and businesses on High Street, Gundolph Square and Station Road. Rochester sits on or near the A2 and A226. Nearby, we also carry out electronic leak detection in Strood (1 mile west), Borstal (1 mile south-west), Cuxton (2 miles south-west), Lower Bush (3 miles west) and North Halling (3 miles south-west). Further out, we also cover Gillingham (4 miles east), Chatham (3 miles south-east), Rainham (5 miles south-east), Park Wood (5 miles south-east), Lordswood (4 miles south-east) and Twydall (4 miles east). Being one of Medway’s larger places, Rochester has every kind of building, from houses and flats to offices.
Near you in Rochester
Typical jobs here are in homes near Former Ordnance Store At Chatham Gun Wharf, Fort Pitt Grammar School and Broomhill Park and the streets around them. Other local landmarks include Temple School (1.2 miles north) and Royal Crown Hotel (within half a mile east). There is a railway station in Rochester itself: Rochester station. A little further out are Rochester Castle (under half a mile east) and Huguenot Museum (under half a mile east). For a walk, there is Gad's Hill and Rede Common.
How we price electronic leak detection
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- How big the roof is
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- House, block, shop or office
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how it can be reached and seen safely. We quote electronic leak detection for each roof, as the method and time depend on the roof.
What we need to know
There is no need for technical words. It’s enough to tell us:
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- What’s prompted the survey
- Any deadline, like an exchange date
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
When to book a survey in Rochester
When the membrane is buried, holes cannot be seen at all. ELD can work on some covered roofs though it depends on the layers.
Typical things we are asked to look at include:
- New membranes needing a check before handover
- Breaches hidden under paving or planting
- Water coming in under a flat roof
- Repairs that haven’t stopped the leak
Shop and office owners around Pentagon Shopping Centre may find that a flat roof over a business is out of sight and out of mind until it leaks.
Questions to ask before booking
- What happens after the report arrives
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Are they insured for the work?
- Whether the price includes VAT