Greater London · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Forest Hill, Greater London
Get a clear view of the flat roof at a property in Forest Hill. We visit on weekdays and at weekends.
- Raised blisters across the surface
- Signs of deflection in the roof deck
- Water getting in at rooflights
Flat roof survey in Forest Hill: what you get
Every flat roof covering tends to fail in its own way. Built-up felt tends to blister and crack, asphalt crazes and splits, EPDM can lift at its laps, and GRP can crack at board joints and edge trims. On PVC and TPO single-ply roofs, we look closely at the welded laps, edges and fixings. Knowing what you have and how it is doing helps you plan what comes next. Typical surveys look at blisters and bubbles in the covering and upstands pulling away from walls, on GRP fibreglass, single-ply membranes and EPDM rubber.
London has a lot of flat roofs: rear additions, dormers, roof terraces and the roofs of blocks and offices. Coverings range from felt and asphalt to EPDM rubber, GRP fibreglass and single-ply membranes, and each fails in its own way. In Forest Hill, as anywhere in London, the right approach depends on what the roof is made of. Older flat roofs are often felt or asphalt, newer ones rubber or GRP.
We keep jargon out of it: where something needs attention, it says so plainly.
- Place
- Forest Hill (SE23, SE22, SE26)
- Region
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
We work from the outside in: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the roof space where it can be reached. In total, it takes about one to two hours for an extension, garage or dormer roof, and around 3–4 hours for a commercial flat roof. From the street, a London terrace normally shows only its front slope or parapet, so a visit in Forest Hill moves between viewpoints: the pavement, upstairs windows, the loft and any safe spot at the back. If other people live in the building, tell us who can let us into the shared parts.
- You send us the address and, for commercial roofs, an idea of the roof’s size.
- Inside, we look for signs of water under the roof where we can reach.
- We view the roof from safe positions and never walk on fragile surfaces.
- We record every defect with a photo and its likely cause.
- You get a report setting out the condition and our recommendations, in order of urgency.
Before the survey
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Tell us where we can park nearby
- Keep pets in another room
How to book
If you are buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply call 07833 053749 or drop us an email whenever suits you.
Advice
Useful tips for Forest Hill property owners
You do not need to be a roofer to help. What helps most:
- Check the outlets after the leaves fall
- Keep clear of rooflights and fragile roof sheets
- Ask whoever fits equipment on the roof to make good the covering
- Keep records of when the roof was laid and what work has been done
If anything in the report is not clear, just ask us. 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.
Try not to let a flat roof become a walkway. Where someone does need access, ask them to use boards or a protected route, and to keep well clear of rooflights and fragile sheeting.
Roof by roof
Mastic asphalt
Older asphalt can become brittle and crack as the roof moves. We note where this is happening and how widespread it looks.
EPDM rubber
Lifting at the edges and loose areas of membrane are common EPDM problems. Any we find are noted and photographed.
Nearby places to Forest Hill
What else we do in Forest Hill
Flat roof surveys in Forest Hill: local notes
The wider area around Forest Hill has a long history of building, with Kingswood House about 1.6 miles south-west. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Many homes in inner London are Victorian and Edwardian terraces, often with Welsh slate roofs. Behind many of their parapets sit butterfly roofs and valley gutters that can’t be seen from the pavement. 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.
For businesses in and around places such as Lewisham Shopping Centre, the flat roofs over shops and commercial units are worth checking before a leak, not after. Parking in Forest Hill, as in most of London, takes a little planning: tell us about permits, visitor bays or off-street space when booking.
Forest Hill is about 2 miles south-east of East Dulwich, in Greater London. Forest Hill is part of the area we cover across London and South East England. Forest Hill is one of the towns and villages in Greater London we cover for flat roof surveys.
We cover every part of SE23, SE22 and SE26 for flat roof surveys. You will find streets like Ewart Road, London Road and Rojack Road, all of which we cover. If you’re just outside Forest Hill, we cover Honor Oak (1 mile north), Perry Vale (1 mile south-east), Brockley (1 mile north-east), Crofton Park (1 mile north-east) and Dulwich (1 mile west). We also work in nearby towns such as London (4 miles north-west), City of Westminster (6 miles north-west), Marylebone (6 miles north-west), Kensington (7 miles north-west), St Pancras (6 miles north-west) and Shoreditch (6 miles north).
Near you in Forest Hill
We work in homes and buildings around Allenby Tutorial Trust, Capitol Cinema pub and Harris Girls' Academy East Dulwich and the streets around them. Forest Hill’s nearest station is Honor Oak Park station, about 0.5 miles north-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Greenwich Castle (3.1 miles north-east) and Horniman Museum and Gardens (0.5 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include One Tree Hill and Knight's Hill.
Common roof problems in Forest Hill
The details are often where a flat roof lets go first. 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.
Common reasons to book include:
- Pools of water lying on the roof
- Signs of deflection in the roof deck
- Edge trims that have lifted or split
- Outlets that hold water back
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Honor Oak Christian Fellowship Centre, any flat roof added at the back or on a dormer is likely to be far younger, and less durable, than the main roof.
Before you book anyone
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- Will the report include photos?
What happens if roof problems are left?
Ponding seldom gets better on its own. Most often it means blocked outlets, poor falls or a deck that is dipping, and every wet spell adds to the wear. Finding the cause now keeps more options open. Blocked gutters and hoppers on London houses overflow and soak brickwork, which can lead to damp inside. A blocked outlet ignored for a winter or two can mean damp walls inside.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, with VAT included, and we can help you choose.
Why us?
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- 98% customer satisfaction
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Surveys seven days a week
See what a roof survey costs and our case studies.
Honest limits
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- A promise that the roof won’t leak in future
- What’s under the membrane without opening it up
- Parts of the roof that are not safe to walk on or view
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll point you to the right survey before you book. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- EPDM rubber
- Upstands and outlets
- Felt flat roofs
- GRP fibreglass
- Single-ply membranes
- Mastic asphalt
FAQs for Forest Hill
Is Forest Hill in the area you cover?
Yes. Our area covers London and the South East, and Forest Hill is part of that. You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and some details.
Is parking a problem for a survey in Forest Hill?
Parking in Forest Hill, as in most of London, takes a little planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day run more smoothly.
Does a flat roof survey replace a RICS survey?
No. It is a closer look at the flat roof, not a survey of the whole property. It complements a RICS home survey rather than replacing it, and structural calculations need a structural engineer.
What’s in the report?
It sets out what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, backed by photographs. It also says if any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely.
What happens after the survey?
You receive the written report by email, with photos and recommendations. You can use it to talk to a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent, whichever applies.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it helps and the rules allow, yes. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We’re roof surveyors, not structural engineers. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we’ll recommend one.