West Berkshire · London and the South East
Electronic Leak Detection in Thatcham
We take a careful look at the flat roof membrane at your property in Thatcham, and put it all in a report with photographs.
- Holes left by work on the roof
- Leaks showing away from the breach
- Repairs that haven’t stopped the leak
Electronic leak detection for homes and businesses in Thatcham
Electronic leak detection, or ELD, finds holes in flat roof waterproofing membranes. It works with an electrical current that passes through the membrane only where there’s a breach. It can find holes too small to spot by eye, so your roofer can repair them. You get a photo-illustrated written report of each breach found. If you’ve noticed punctures from foot traffic or tools and leaking laps in the waterproofing, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on green roofs, single-ply roofs and flat roof membranes alike.
Shops, surgeries, schools and small business units in towns like Thatcham often have flat roofs. Out of sight, they tend to be forgotten until a leak appears, and by then the insulation underneath may be wet. A survey, or electronic testing where the membrane suits it, shows what’s going on. If someone else manages the building, let us know so roof access can be arranged.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent, whichever applies.
- Where
- Thatcham (RG19, RG18)
- Wider area
- West Berkshire
- Cost
- Quoted for your roof
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we do, step by step
We will ask a few questions first, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. 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. A visit in Thatcham runs most smoothly with the loft hatch clear, side gates open and a parking spot in mind. Someone needs to let us in, so tell us who that will be.
- You tell us about the roof and where water is showing.
- The roof is assessed for suitability first.
- 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.
Before the survey
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
Getting a price
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We will confirm the price before booking.
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What electronic leak detection looks like in Thatcham
Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles, and flat-roofed additions turn up almost everywhere. Flat roofs fill the gaps in between, on extensions, garages, dormers and business premises. Shaw House, about 2.7 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Thatcham. 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.
If you live in an older home near United Reformed Church, later flat-roofed additions are common on older houses, and their edges and upstands often show the first signs of wear. If you own a rental within reach of Thatcham station, a flat roof over a rented flat is easy to forget until the tenant reports a leak. If you look after a building like Spurcroft Primary School, ponding and blocked outlets on a wide flat roof are worth catching before the next wet season.
Thatcham is about 12 miles north-west of Basingstoke, in West Berkshire. We cover Thatcham and the rest of West Berkshire. Thatcham is one of the towns and villages in West Berkshire we cover. We also survey roofs in Reading.
Postcode districts we cover here for electronic leak detection: RG19 and RG18. Whether your property is on High Street, Station Road and Flagstaff Square or a nearby road, we can survey it. You’ll find Thatcham on the A4, so it is easy for us to get to. We also cover the places around Thatcham: Benham Hill (1 mile west), Ashmore Green (2 miles north-west), Cold Ash (2 miles north), Upper Bucklebury (2 miles north-east) and Stone Copse (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Newbury (3 miles west), Burghfield Common (8 miles east), Speenhamland (3 miles west), Hungerford (11 miles west), Spencers Wood (12 miles east) and Calcot (9 miles east). Being one of West Berkshire’s larger places, Thatcham has every kind of building, from houses and flats to offices.
Landmarks near Thatcham
Around Thatcham, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Kennet School and The Old Chequers Public House, among other places. Thatcham’s nearest station is Thatcham station, about 0.9 miles south-east. Other landmarks nearby include Old Chapel Textile Centre (2.2 miles south-west) and West Berkshire Community Hospital (1.5 miles west). Open spaces near Thatcham include Nature Discovery Centre.
What affects the cost of electronic leak detection
Not every roof costs the same to survey, for these reasons:
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: 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.
Booking your survey
The more you tell us, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, let us know:
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- Any deadline, like an exchange date
A quick phone call is typically the easiest start: ring 07833 053749 or email us. You will have a price before anything is arranged.
When you need someone else
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Areas we cannot reach or that cannot be tested
- The extent of water in the insulation
- Leaks from plumbing or windows
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What this survey covers
- Green roofs
- Flat roof membranes
- Liquid-applied waterproofing
- Commercial flat roofs
- Single-ply roofs
- Roof terraces and balconies
Checking the roof from the ground
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
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.
Nearby places to Thatcham
What else we do in Thatcham
Landlord and commercial surveys in Thatcham
Landlords and agents in Thatcham book surveys as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the flat roof membrane, with photographs, useful for planning maintenance.
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you get in touch and we’ll plan the survey around it.
Before and after the survey
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Make sure trades protect the waterproofing
- Test new membranes before covering them
- Keep a note of leaks after rain
- Tell us about the membrane and build-up if you know it
If anything in the report isn’t clear, ask us. We’ll explain what was found and what it means.
Keep outlets and gutters on flat roofs clear. Water that sits on the roof finds breaches faster.
Thatcham: your questions answered
Is my home in Thatcham 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.
Is Thatcham in the area you cover?
Yes. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and Thatcham is part of that. Just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know about the property.
How do you choose the testing method?
The method is chosen to suit the roof. Low-voltage testing typically needs a wet surface and high-voltage methods need the membrane dry and exposed.
What insurance do you have?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
What will the report tell me?
It sets out what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, with photographs throughout. It also says if any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely.
Does someone need to be in?
Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that in advance, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
When does the report arrive?
The Premium Survey report comes the same day, the Standard within 24–48 hours and the Basic within 48 hours. Each one is emailed, ready to forward.