Greater London · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Friern Barnet, Greater London
Flat roof surveys around Friern Barnet, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Edge trims that have lifted or split
- Signs of deflection in the roof deck
- Leaks around rooflights
What we are asked to look at in Friern Barnet
People go onto flat roofs for all sorts of reasons: cleaning windows, fitting aerials or air conditioning, or clearing gutters. A covering that wasn’t designed for foot traffic can crack or puncture. Fixings added through the covering frequently start leaks too.
Problems we come across frequently include:
- Leaks around rooflights
- Gaps at upstands and abutments
- Loose or cracked edge trims
- Signs of deflection in the roof deck
If you look after a building such as Holly Park Primary School, large flat roofs, common on schools and other public buildings, need their outlets, upstands and coverings checked regularly.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Will the report include photos?
- What they will not be able to tell you
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
Flat roof survey in Friern Barnet
Ponding is often the first sign that something on a flat roof isn’t right. It can point to poor falls, a blocked outlet or a deck that is deflecting. We record where water sits, check the outlets and look for dips that suggest deflection. If the deck itself looks like a structural concern, we will recommend a structural engineer. We survey GRP fibreglass, mastic asphalt and felt flat roofs, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are failed upstands where the roof meets a wall and loose or cracked edge trims.
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, each with its own weak points. Which one is on a roof in Friern Barnet shapes how it’s checked. Many older flat roofs are felt or asphalt, and many newer ones EPDM rubber or GRP.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Where
- Friern Barnet (N11, N12, N10, N20)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
The survey, step by step
The visit has one job: to see as much of the flat roof as can safely be seen and record it clearly. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. It usually takes about one to two hours for an extension, garage or dormer roof, and around 3–4 hours for a commercial flat roof. London terraces rarely offer a view of the whole roof from one spot, so a visit in Friern Barnet moves between viewpoints: the pavement, upstairs windows, the loft and any safe spot at the back. Shared stairs or a basement flat? Let us know who holds the keys.
- We agree the roof to be surveyed, its use and any leaks you know about.
- The roof is viewed from safe positions, including the roof itself where that is safe.
- We check the covering for splits, blisters, ponding and wear.
- Upstands, outlets, edge trims and rooflights are checked and photographed.
- A written report with photos and recommendations is emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
Arrange a survey
Most bookings start with a short call: phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Related advice
Common questions in Friern Barnet
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Friern Barnet?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Do you cover Friern Barnet?
Yes, Friern Barnet is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Friern Barnet as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
What do I do with the report?
You’ll get the report by email. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation, so you can talk the findings through.
Can you survey in bad weather?
A survey can typically go ahead in light rain, 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 we will agree a new date if the weather is not suitable.
How long will you be at the property?
It typically takes about 1–2 hours for a small flat roof at home, and longer for a large commercial one. The report follows by email.
Do I need to be at home?
Not always. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
How we price flat roof surveys
To price your survey, we check:
- Height and safe access
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- Which survey package you book
- Roof area
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and which survey you book.
Booking your survey
Getting the details right at the start saves time. Please include:
- Anything about access we should know
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- What made you get in touch
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
Booking is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email, tell us about the property and we will explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Friern Barnet
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, with the most urgent items set out first.
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Let us know about it as you book and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
What a flat roof survey looks like in Friern Barnet
Further from the centre, London’s housing takes in interwar semis with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles as well as slate-roofed terraces. On a semi of that age, the small roofs over the bays, the hip tiles and any later dormer each need their own look. Alongside them, flat-roofed extensions, dormers, garages and commercial units are common almost everywhere. Heath Hall, about 2.7 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Friern Barnet. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
For an older house near a landmark like St John's Church, the flat roofs on later extensions tend to wear out long before the main roof. Controlled parking zones are common in London, so mention any permit rules for Friern Barnet, along with any off-street space.
Friern Barnet is about 2 miles north-east of Finchley, in Greater London. Roofs in Friern Barnet get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Greater London. We cover towns and villages across Greater London, from the larger towns to small villages. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in N11, N12, N10 and N20 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. You will find streets such as Martock Gardens, Shapwick Close and Radstock Close. Being close to the A406 and B550, Friern Barnet is simple for us to get to. Other places close to Friern Barnet include New Southgate (1 mile east), Brunswick Park (1 mile north), North Finchley (1 mile west), Arnos Grove (1 mile east) and Whetstone (1 mile north-west). Larger places within reach include London (8 miles south), City of Westminster (7 miles south), Marylebone (7 miles south), Kensington (8 miles south), St Pancras (6 miles south) and Shoreditch (7 miles south-east).
Near you in Friern Barnet
Around Friern Barnet, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum, Friary Park and Friern Barnet School and the streets around them. Friern Barnet has its own railway station: New Southgate station. Nearby you’ll also find Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum (1.4 miles west) and Grand Arcade (1 mile west). For a walk, there’s Highgate Hill and Darland's Lake.
Nearby places to Friern Barnet
What else we do in Friern Barnet
What we look for on each type of roof
Single-ply membranes
Plant, fixings and foot traffic can all damage a single-ply roof. We note any punctures, tears and loose areas we can see.
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.
Before and after the survey
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Check the outlets after the leaves fall
- Ask contractors to protect the roof if they work on it
- Have the roof looked at again after a severe storm
- Treat rooflights and old sheeting as fragile
Landlords, owners and managing agents can keep the report as a dated record of the roof. It is useful when planning upkeep and setting budgets, and it makes changes easy to spot at the next survey.
Clear leaves and silt from outlets and gutters, above all in autumn. Water that can drain away does far less harm than water that sits.