Greater London · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Custom House, Greater London
An experienced roof surveyor for flat roof surveys in Custom House. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Pools of water lying on the roof
- Blisters and bubbles in the covering
- Upstands pulling away from walls
What a flat roof survey looks like in Custom House
There are several hotels within about a mile and a half of Custom House, 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. Welsh slate on Victorian and Edwardian terraces is a familiar sight across inner London. A butterfly roof with a central valley gutter, tucked behind a parapet wall, is common on these houses. In a house like that, shared stacks, party-wall upstands and lead flashings all need looking at as far as they can be seen. Alongside them, flat-roofed extensions, dormers, garages and commercial units are common almost everywhere.
Shop and office owners around Gallions Reach Shopping Park may find that flat roofs over shops and units are easy to forget until water comes through a ceiling. For an older house near a landmark such as St Matthew's Church, the flat roofs on later extensions tend to wear out long before the main roof. A roof leak in a hotel or guest house around Custom House means lost rooms as well as repairs, so it’s worth knowing the roof’s condition.
Custom House is about 1 mile south of Canning Town, in Greater London. We carry out flat roof surveys for homes and businesses in Custom House and nearby. Our Greater London coverage includes Custom House.
Flat roof surveys in E16 and E13 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We offer flat roof surveys to properties on Tree Road, Ethel Road and Booth Road. Main roads around Custom House include the A1020, which makes travel easy. Close by, we survey roofs in West Silvertown (1 mile south-west), Silvertown (1 mile south), Canning Town (1 mile north), Royal Docks (1 mile east) and Limmo Peninsula (1 mile west). Within a short drive, we also cover London (5 miles west), City of Westminster (8 miles west), Marylebone (8 miles west), Kensington (10 miles west), St Pancras (6 miles west) and Shoreditch (5 miles west).
Local landmarks in Custom House
Typical jobs here are in homes near Thames Barrier Park, The Royal Docks Community School and Royal Docks Academy, among other places. Custom House has its own railway station: Custom House station. A little further out are Gallions Reach Shopping Park (2.2 miles east) and Charlton Athletic Museum (1.5 miles south). For a walk, there’s Gilbert's Pit and Tower Hill.
Flat roof surveys for homes and businesses in Custom House
Buying a home with a flat-roofed extension, dormer or garage? It helps to know that roof’s condition before you exchange. Felt roofs frequently last around 15 to 20 years, while EPDM and GRP often last longer. We set out the type of covering, its condition and the defects we found, with photos of each. You then have something specific to put to the seller or agent. Typical surveys look at outlets that hold water back and loose or cracked edge trims, on GRP fibreglass, upstands and outlets and felt flat roofs.
Water getting through a flat roof in London can travel under the covering and appear some way from the hole. Outlets, upstands against parapet walls and joins with the main roof are frequent culprits. In a block or conversion in Custom House, the flat roof is often a shared part of the building.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent, whichever applies.
- Location
- Custom House (E16, E13)
- Region
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof; as a rough guide, the survey takes an hour or two at a typical home, and more on a big or complicated roof. You are welcome to ask questions while we are there. In Custom House, visits are available on weekdays and at weekends. London parking is frequently by permit or pay-and-display, so it is useful to know what’s near you, and to clear a path to the loft hatch. Upstairs rooms at the back are useful too, as they often give the best view of a rear addition.
- We agree the roof to be surveyed, its use and any leaks you know about.
- We check the roof from the ground, windows and the roof where it is safe.
- The covering is checked for wear, splits, blisters and standing water.
- We photograph and record the outlets, upstands, trims and rooflights.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, comes to you by email.
Before the survey
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- Leave side gates unlocked
How to book
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We will confirm the price before booking.
Read more
Checking the roof from the ground
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight.
Common questions in Custom House
Do you cover commercial flat roofs around Custom House?
Yes, commercial buildings, hotels included, are part of the work. Roof access is agreed with the building manager or owner beforehand.
Is my home in Custom House listed or in a conservation area?
We can’t confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
How fast do I get the report?
That depends on the survey you book: the Basic Survey report arrives within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey the same day. The report is emailed to you.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first, with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll explain what’s needed.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Surveys run on any day of the week. To find a day that suits you, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years.
Prices for flat roof surveys in Custom House
Prices vary from roof to roof, for these reasons:
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- How big the roof is
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where applicable, from £400 with VAT included. We’ll tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Booking your survey
When you call or email, these details help:
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- The address and postcode of the property
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can call 07833 053749 or email us to find out.
How the survey changes by roof type
Rooflights and upstands
Upstands at walls and parapets need to stay watertight as the building moves. We look for splits, gaps and failed flashings over the top.
Mastic asphalt
Asphalt roofs are common on older flats, walkways and commercial buildings. The survey checks for crazing, cracking, blistering and splits where the asphalt turns up the walls.
Why it is worth a survey now in Custom House
A leak over an office, shop or unit can affect the people and stock underneath. Surveying the roof in good time means work can be planned and budgeted around the people who use the building. Behind a London parapet, a blocked gutter can sit full of water without anyone seeing it. When the stain finally shows, the damage underneath is often older than it looks.
One thing that affects the price is the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, with VAT included. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Why book us in Custom House
- Photographs and a written report every time
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- PI and public liability insurance
- Package prices that include VAT
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or two real surveys.
Tips from our surveys
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Watch the ceilings below the flat roof for stains
- Check from a window for ponding after heavy rain
- Keep clear of rooflights and fragile roof sheets
- Check that new brackets or units haven’t damaged the covering
After the visit, we write up the report with photos of what we found. It covers the type of covering, its condition and each defect, with our recommendations. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard reports in 24 to 48 hours and Premium reports the same day.
Clear leaves and silt from outlets and gutters, above all in autumn. A flat roof that drains well wears much more slowly.