West Berkshire · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Downend, West Berkshire
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings for Downend and the rest of West Berkshire. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
- Water getting in at rooflights
- Ponding water that does not drain away
- Blistering in felt or asphalt
How a flat roof survey works in Downend
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. The findings go into a written report with photos, setting out the defects and what we’d recommend. If you are worried about blisters and bubbles in the covering and water getting in at rooflights, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Flat roofs on exposed homes in small places like Downend 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, usually 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.
After the visit, you get a report with photographs, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the flat roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Place
- Downend (RG20)
- Wider area
- West Berkshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Landlords, agents and block managers in Downend
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed beforehand. Surveys run seven days a week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
With a portfolio of properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the addresses.
Flat roof surveys in Downend: local notes
With Shaw House about 4.2 miles south, Downend sits in an area with a long building history. 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. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. Flat roofs on extensions, dormers, garages and business units are found alongside them almost everywhere.
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Chieveley Primary School, large flat roofs, common on schools and other public buildings, need their outlets, upstands and coverings checked regularly. If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Church of St Mary, flat-roofed rear additions and dormers added over the years are worth checking.
Downend is about 5 miles north of Newbury, in West Berkshire. Wherever you are in Downend, we can carry out flat roof surveys at your property. Downend is one of the towns and villages in West Berkshire where we work for flat roof surveys. We also survey roofs in Reading.
Here we cover the RG20 postcode area for flat roof surveys. Local streets include Downend Lane, Bardown and Northfields, all of which we cover. Close by, we survey roofs in Chieveley (1 mile south), North Heath (1 mile south-west), World's End (1 mile north-east), Peasemore (2 miles north-west) and Beedon (2 miles north). Further out, we also cover Newbury (5 miles south), Thatcham (5 miles south-east), Burghfield Common (12 miles south-east), Speenhamland (5 miles south), Hungerford (10 miles south-west) and Calcot (12 miles east).
Near you in Downend
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Wheatsheaf pub, among other places. A little further out are Hampstead Norris Castle (3.3 miles east) and West Berkshire Community Hospital (4.7 miles south). Open spaces near Downend include Snelsmore Common.
Different roofs, different checks
Rooflights and upstands
Rooflights and fragile sheets are never walked on. They’re inspected from safe positions and recorded with photographs.
Mastic asphalt
Asphalt has no laps, so its weak points are cracks and the skirtings at walls and upstands. Our report notes crazing, cracks and any likely entry points.
Checking the roof from the ground
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground.
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. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
Downend: your questions answered
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Downend?
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, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Do you cover Downend?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Downend as anywhere else.
Are you insured?
We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance, for every survey we carry out.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day. Let us know your preferred days as you book.
Do you look for flat roof leaks?
We check the whole roof, since water can travel before it shows inside. Splits, open laps, upstands, outlets and rooflights are all checked. If the cause can’t be seen, we’ll say so and suggest what would help.
Do I need to be at home?
It depends on what we need to see. For inside areas and the roof space, someone has to give us access; we’ll agree the details as you book.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Light rain does not typically stop a survey, and it can even help show where water is getting in. Heavy rain or strong wind can ground a drone and make the roof unsafe, so if conditions aren’t right we’ll arrange another day with you.
The survey, step by step
We check the roof from outside and, where it’s relevant and there is safe access, from inside the roof space too. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement, as far as the space allows. All in, the survey typically takes an hour or two for a small flat roof at home, and longer for a large commercial one. In a small place like Downend, access is normally the main thing to plan. Let us know about outbuildings, past repairs and any leaks you’ve noticed. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- First you give us the address, what the roof covers and any leaks you’ve noticed.
- We view the roof from ground level, from windows and from the roof where it’s safe to do so.
- We check and photograph the covering, the falls, the upstands, the outlets, the trims and any rooflights.
- We check the rooms or spaces under the roof for staining where we can reach them.
- The findings are written up with photos and recommendations and emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Keep pets in another room
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Tell us about parking before the day
Book a survey
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine. To send them or to book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
What this survey can’t tell you
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Hidden layers beneath the covering
- A structural engineer’s assessment of the deck
- Asbestos testing, which needs a specialist asbestos surveyor
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or email us and we will tell you before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Downend
- EPDM rubber
- GRP fibreglass
- Felt flat roofs
- Single-ply membranes
- Mastic asphalt
- Upstands and outlets
Tips that help
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Check new fixings through the roof are properly sealed
- Check the outlets after the leaves fall
- Check from a window for ponding after heavy rain
- Book a survey every few years
For landlords and building managers, the report is a dated record of the roof’s condition. It’s useful when planning upkeep and setting budgets, and it gives a baseline to compare against next time.
Get splits, lifted seams and loose trims seen to while they’re small. Prompt repairs tend to add years to a flat roof.