Kent · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Acton, Kent
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings in Acton, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Call or email for a price.
- Blocked or damaged outlets
- Failed seals around rooflight kerbs
- Cracked or split membrane
Leave it or get it looked at?
A survey can show whether a whole new roof is needed or whether the problems are in a few places. At times the trouble is a handful of failed details, and at times the whole covering is worn. The report sets out what we found, so you can make that decision with a roofer. Older cottages and farmhouses around Acton can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it’s left.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how safely it can be seen. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
What you get with us
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- Clear package prices, including VAT
- An independent look at the roof
Flat roof surveys for homes and businesses in Acton
A flat roof survey looks at the covering, the edges, the outlets and the details where the roof meets walls and rooflights. We cover felt, mastic asphalt, EPDM rubber, GRP fibreglass and single-ply roofs. We survey extension, garage and dormer roofs as well as bigger roofs on flats, offices and units. You get a photo-illustrated written report and our recommendations. We survey upstands and outlets, EPDM rubber and mastic asphalt, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are outlets choked with leaves and silt and edge trims that have lifted or split.
Flat roofs on exposed homes in small places like Acton take more wind and rain, which is hard on edges, upstands and joins in the covering. Felt roofs, which often last around 15–20 years, normally show it first. EPDM rubber and GRP coverings last longer, but their edges and joints still need checking. Exposed edges are typically the first part of a flat roof to go.
The report is written in plain words, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Photos show what each point refers to.
- Place
- Acton (TN30)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we look for on each type of roof
Rooflights and upstands
The joins around rooflights and at upstands are common leak points. We look at how the covering is finished around each rooflight and upstand.
EPDM rubber
EPDM often lasts 30 to 50 years, but it relies on its seams, trims and upstands being well finished. Those details are where we focus.
Acton: your questions answered
Is Acton within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. We survey roofs across London and the South East, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
How do I find out if my home in Acton is listed?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Is a flat roof survey the same as a building survey?
No. Our survey covers the flat roof only. It isn’t a RICS Level 2 or 3 survey of the whole building, and it is not a structural engineer’s report. Many buyers use it alongside a building survey.
Do you survey commercial flat roofs?
Yes. Offices, units, shops and blocks of flats are all part of our work. Larger commercial roofs are quoted for their size and access, so phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address.
What insurance do you have?
We’re covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
How quickly is the report sent?
The Premium Survey report comes the same day, the Standard within 24–48 hours and the Basic within 48 hours. All of them come by email, ready to forward.
Do you check flat roofs for asbestos?
Our survey does not include asbestos testing. Older buildings, from before 2000, may have asbestos in cement sheets or soffits. We note anything that could contain it, and a specialist asbestos surveyor should check it before it is disturbed.
Common roof problems in Acton
Many flat roof problems start at the details rather than the main surface. Upstands, trims, outlets and rooflight kerbs each move and weather in their own way. Where they weren’t finished well, they tend to fail before anything else.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Outlets choked with leaves and silt
- Failed upstands where the roof meets a wall
- Leaks around rooflights
- Ponding water that does not drain away
Anyone responsible for a site like Wittersham Church of England Primary School will know that a large flat roof with plenty of outlets and rooflights has many places where a membrane can fail.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- What happens after the report arrives
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Are they insured for the work?
- Whether you get a written report with photos
Local flat roofs in Acton
About 1.5 miles north-west lies Smallhythe Place, a reminder of how long the area around Acton has been built on. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. 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. The county’s older buildings also include oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. Mixed in with those pitched roofs are plenty of flat ones, over rear extensions, dormers, garages and shops.
If you own a rental within reach of Appledore (Kent) station, flat roofs on let property tend to be checked only when they fail, which is the costly way round. If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Parish Church of St John the Baptist, the joins between later flat roofs and the old walls are where problems usually start.
Acton is about 10 miles south-west of Ashford, in Kent. Roofs in Acton get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Kent. We cover towns and villages across Kent, large and small. There is also a page for Maidstone.
All of TN30 is covered for flat roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Neighbouring places we cover for flat roof surveys include The Stocks (1 mile south), Stone Corner (1 mile north-east), Wittersham (1 mile south-west), Reading Street (2 miles north-east) and Stone in Oxney (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Ashford (10 miles north-east), Tenterden (4 miles north), Kennington (12 miles north-east), New Romney (10 miles east), Staplehurst (12 miles north-west) and Stanhope (10 miles north-east).
Local landmarks in Acton
In Acton, that means homes and buildings near The Ewe And Lamb Inn and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Appledore (Kent) station, roughly 4.4 miles east. A little further out are Smallhythe Place (1.5 miles north-west) and Ypres Tower (4.9 miles south). For a walk, there’s Flatropers Wood.
Tips that help
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Limit foot traffic on the covering
- Look for standing water a day after rain
- Book a survey every few years
- Watch the ceilings below the flat roof for stains
Questions about the findings are always welcome. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation, giving you a chance to go through what we found.
Small defects are simpler to deal with while they’re still small. A flat roof that is looked after between surveys normally lasts longer.
What else we do in Acton
When you need someone else
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- What’s under the membrane without opening it up
- Structural calculations, which need a structural engineer
- A fixed date for when the roof will need replacing
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will point you to the right survey before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What this survey covers
- GRP fibreglass
- Felt flat roofs
- Upstands and outlets
- EPDM rubber
- Mastic asphalt
- Single-ply membranes
What we do, step by step
A survey visit follows a simple order: we hear what you’ve seen, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. Most visits take about 1–2 hours for a small flat roof at home, and longer for a large commercial one. Rural addresses near Acton can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- First you give us the address, what the roof covers and any leaks you’ve noticed.
- The roof is inspected from safe viewpoints, and from the roof itself where that’s safe.
- We check and photograph the covering, the falls, the upstands, the outlets, the trims and any rooflights.
- Inside, we look for damp and staining under the roof where there is access.
- The findings are written up with photos and recommendations and emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Let us know where we can park nearby
Getting a price
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply ring 07833 053749 or send us an email whenever suits you.