Kent · London and the South East
Electronic Leak Detection in Smarden
Electronic leak detection in Smarden, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- A flat roof leak that can’t be traced
- New membranes needing a check before handover
- Leaks through a covered membrane
Why get it checked now?
Repeated call-outs for the same leak add up. A clear record of where the breaches are helps break that cycle. Around Smarden, older homes often have old roof timbers, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it’s left.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: 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 book us in Smarden
- Weekday and weekend surveys
- PI and public liability insurance
- Plain-English reports with photos
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
See what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.
How electronic leak detection works in Smarden
Electronic testing locates holes in the waterproofing but not every way water gets in. Leaks from walls, copings, rooflights or pipes need other checks. If the evidence points elsewhere, we will say so. It will not show water getting in through brickwork or around frames. Our report keeps that distinction clear. You’ll also know what to check next. We survey single-ply roofs, green roofs and flat roof membranes, and common reasons people get in touch are failed seams and laps and damage from equipment installers.
In a village or hamlet like Smarden, flat roofs are typically on extensions, garages, outbuildings or barn conversions. They need the same care as any town roof: outlets, upstands, edges and the covering itself. The journey and access are planned beforehand. Garages and outbuildings are easy to forget, so mention any you want included when booking.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photographs, emailed to you. It explains the condition of the flat roof membrane, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Location
- Smarden (TN27)
- Region
- Kent
- Cost
- Quoted for your roof
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Different roofs, different checks
Liquid-applied waterproofing
Pinholes in a coating can let water through. ELD can help locate them on suitable roofs.
Bituminous membranes
Older felt roofs often have seams and patches where breaches occur. We test where the roof suits it.
Flat and commercial roofs around Smarden
Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it is listed or in a conservation area. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, and councils can also use Article 4 directions to control changes in conservation areas. Many older homes in Kent have handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles held by pegs through two holes, and tile-hanging on their upper walls. Oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of the county’s older buildings too. Mixed in with those pitched roofs are plenty of flat ones, over rear extensions, dormers, garages and shops.
The streets around a church like Church of St Michael are often among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, later flat-roofed additions are common on older houses, and their edges and upstands frequently show the first signs of wear. Take a building like Smarden Primary School: large flat roofs, common on schools and other public buildings, need their outlets, upstands and coverings checked regularly.
Smarden is about 8 miles west of Ashford, in Kent. Whether the building in Smarden is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, we can survey the roof. Our area takes in places right across Kent, large and small. Maidstone is in our area too.
Electronic leak detection in TN27 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We cover properties on The Street, The Acorns and Water Lane and the roads around them. Neighbouring places we cover for electronic leak detection include Biddenden Green (1 mile north-east), Smarden Bell (1 mile north-west), Monk's Hill (1 mile south-west), Swift's Green (1 mile north-west) and Standen (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (11 miles north-west), Ashford (8 miles east), Sittingbourne (13 miles north), Faversham (14 miles north-east), Kings Hill (15 miles north-west) and Davington (14 miles north-east).
Around Smarden
In Smarden, that means homes and buildings near The Chequers Inn and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Pluckley station, roughly 2.6 miles east. Well-known places in the area include Romden Castle (1 mile east) and Benenden Hospital (5.3 miles south-west).
What you can safely check yourself
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
The survey, step by step
The aim of the visit is simple: to see as much of the flat roof membrane as can safely be seen and record it clearly. Notes and photographs go into the written report. It typically takes longer on a large roof than a small one, and the build-up of the roof makes a difference too. Older rural homes like those around Smarden can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints, and anything we can’t see is noted.
- First, you let us know about the roof build-up and where water is showing.
- We check that the membrane and build-up suit electronic leak detection.
- We pick the low-voltage or high-voltage method that suits the roof.
- The roof is tested and any breaches are located.
- The breaches are recorded with photos in a report for your roofer.
Before the survey
- Let us know about parking near the property
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
How to book
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know where you stand. Electronic leak detection is quoted for your roof, because the method depends on the roof. To book, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Read more
What a survey costs
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so the price reflects that. You will know the figure before booking.
What we need to know
To price your survey accurately, we will ask about:
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
Most bookings start with a short call: phone 07833 053749 or email us, and we will ask about the building and what you need. You will have a price before anything is arranged.
Smarden questions
Is Smarden within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. Our area covers London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
Is my home in Smarden listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
What happens next?
You receive the written report by email, with photos and recommendations. You can use it to talk to a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent, whichever applies.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. We look at the parts we are given access to.
What does electronic leak detection do?
The waterproofing membrane normally stops an electrical current, so wherever there’s a hole, it passes through. That lets us find breaches that are too small to see.
Are you structural engineers?
No. Our survey isn’t a structural engineer’s report, and it does not include calculations. We will recommend an engineer if we see signs that call for one.
How long does electronic leak detection take?
Testing normally takes a time that depends on the size of the roof and how it’s built, which we’ll explain when we quote.
Signs you need electronic leak detection in Smarden
Work on the roof can damage a membrane. Engineers fitting equipment, solar panels or aerials may leave damage behind.
Things that frequently lead to a survey include:
- Repairs that haven’t stopped the leak
- Breaches hidden under paving or planting
- Waterproofing to test before it’s covered
- Failed seams and laps
Landlords with a home close to Pluckley station may find that flat roofs over rear additions and dormers in rented property are worth checking between tenancies.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Are they insured for the work?
- When you will get the report
- Whether the price includes VAT
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?