Greater London · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Cowley, Greater London
Find out the condition of the flat roof at your property in Cowley from an independent roof surveyor. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Signs of deflection in the roof deck
- Failed seals around rooflight kerbs
- Raised blisters across the surface
How the survey changes by roof type
Rooflights and upstands
Rooflights, lanterns and upstands are where many flat roof leaks begin. We check the seals and the covering around each one.
EPDM rubber
A rubber roof can last 30 to 50 years, provided its details were done well. We look closely at each of those details.
Flat roof survey in Cowley
Offices, shops, industrial units and blocks of flats often sit under large flat roofs. A survey of a roof this size picks out worn covering, standing water and outlets that need attention. We record the condition with photos so work can be planned and budgeted. Commercial roofs are quoted for their size and access, so please call 07833 053749 or email us with the address and an idea of the roof’s size. We’re often asked to look into cracked or split membrane and failed upstands where the roof meets a wall, on GRP fibreglass, upstands and outlets and felt flat roofs.
Across London, flat roofs are everywhere, from back additions and dormers to roof terraces, blocks of flats and offices. Coverings range from felt and asphalt to EPDM rubber, GRP fibreglass and single-ply membranes, and each fails in its own way. Which one is on a roof in Cowley shapes how it’s checked. Older flat roofs are frequently felt or asphalt, newer ones rubber or GRP.
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, and recommendations are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
- Where
- Cowley (UB8, UB7, UB10)
- Region
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
When to book a survey in Cowley
Flat roofs often get walked on for other jobs: cleaning windows, fitting aerials or air conditioning, or clearing gutters. Each visit can damage a covering not made for regular foot traffic. Fixings added through the covering often start leaks too.
People typically book a survey when they’ve noticed something like this:
- Damaged trims at the roof edge
- Blistering in felt or asphalt
- Leaks around rooflights
- Ponding water that does not drain away
If you look after a building such as Cowley St Laurence CofE Primary School, a large flat roof with plenty of outlets and rooflights has many places where a membrane can fail.
Before you book anyone
- What experience they bring
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Is VAT included in the price?
- What exactly goes into their report
When you need someone else
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Structural calculations, which need a structural engineer
- A promise that the roof won’t leak in future
- Asbestos testing, which needs a specialist asbestos surveyor
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Felt flat roofs
- EPDM rubber
- GRP fibreglass
- Single-ply membranes
- Mastic asphalt
- Upstands and outlets
The survey, step by step
On the day, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you want to find out. We then inspect everything that can be seen safely, from the ground, from windows, in the roof space and by drone where applicable. Most surveys take between one and two hours for an extension, garage or dormer roof, and around 3–4 hours for a commercial flat roof. In a London conversion, the way into the loft space is often from a communal landing or the top flat. If that applies to your building, it’s useful to agree access with the neighbours or the managing agent first. Everything else is planned around the building, not the postcode.
- First we go through the roof, what’s beneath it and any problems so far.
- We look at the roof from ground level, windows and the roof where it’s safe.
- The covering is checked for wear, splits, blisters and standing water.
- Upstands, outlets, edge trims and rooflights are checked and photographed.
- A written report with photos and recommendations is emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
How to book
Once you know what you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.
Advice
What happens if roof problems are left?
A small split in a flat roof is typically a modest job when it is found early. Left alone, water can soak the insulation and the deck, and the job grows. A survey now shows which you are dealing with. London’s older roofs often have bitumen felt underlay or none at all, so a slipped slate can soon mean water inside. Left unchecked, water soaks into timber and plaster and the damage spreads.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. The price is always agreed first.
Why us?
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Package prices that include VAT
Flat and commercial roofs around Cowley
Alongside Victorian and Edwardian terraces, outer London has a great many interwar semis, often with hipped roofs of clay or concrete tiles. If your home in Cowley is one of them, bay roofs, hips and later dormers each have their own details. Alongside them, flat-roofed extensions, dormers, garages and commercial units are common almost everywhere. With Ickenham Hall about 2.9 miles north-east, Cowley sits in an area with a long building history. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs.
If you run a business near The Chimes, the flat roofs over shops and commercial units are worth checking before a leak, not after. Controlled parking zones are common in London, so mention any permit rules for Cowley.
Cowley is about 2 miles south-west of Hillingdon, in Greater London. Wherever you are in Cowley, we can come and survey your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Cowley is one of the towns and villages in Greater London we cover. There’s also a page for London.
All of UB8, UB7 and UB10 is within our area for flat roof surveys. If you need a flat roof survey at a property on Iver Lane, High Road and The Avenue or anywhere close by, we can survey it. If you’re just outside Cowley, we cover Uxbridge (1 mile north), Yiewsley (1 mile south-east), Hillingdon (2 miles north-east), Thorney (2 miles south) and New Denham (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include City of Westminster (14 miles east), Marylebone (14 miles east), Kensington (12 miles east), Hampstead (13 miles east), Ruislip (5 miles north-east) and Brompton (14 miles east).
What’s near Cowley
We work in homes and buildings around The Crown pub, Uxbridge High School and West Middlesex College. The closest station to Cowley is West Drayton station, roughly 1.3 miles south. Nearby you will also find British Airways Heritage Collection (0.7 miles north-west) and The Chimes (1.3 miles north). For a walk, there is Uxbridge Moor and Northala Fields.
Common questions in Cowley
Will parking be an issue for a roof survey in Cowley?
It rarely stops a survey, but it’s worth planning. Let us know the parking rules on your street and we’ll work around them.
Do you cover Cowley?
Yes, Cowley is within the area we cover. We survey roofs across London and the South East. Just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us about the property.
How many surveys have you done?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have completed over 5,000 surveys.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime. Let us know your preferred days when booking.
What does ponding on a flat roof mean?
Ponding is worth looking into. It can point to blocked outlets, poor falls or a deck that is sagging, and it wears the covering faster. Our survey notes the ponding and what seems to be causing it.
Do you look for flat roof leaks?
The survey covers the covering and all the details where leaks typically begin, recording anything that could let water through. Where the source isn’t obvious, a roof leak investigation or electronic leak detection may be the next step.
Which flat roof coverings do you cover?
Felt, mastic asphalt, EPDM rubber, GRP fibreglass and single-ply membranes are all part of the work. We record what the covering is and how it’s holding up.
Places near Cowley
Other services in Cowley
Tips from our surveys
A little preparation and a few simple habits help. Our tips:
- Keep clear of rooflights and fragile roof sheets
- File the paperwork for the roof and any repairs
- Note where water lies after a downpour
- Check the outlets after the leaves fall
You can use the report to ask roofers to quote for the same work. With each roofer working from the same list, comparing quotes is simpler. You stay in control of who does the work and when.
After heavy rain, look at the roof from an upstairs window if you can. Water still lying a day or two later is worth getting looked at.