Greater London · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Kensington, Greater London
Flat roof surveys across Kensington, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Damaged trims at the roof edge
- Standing water left after rain
- Cracked or split membrane
Flat roof survey in Kensington
Many commercial buildings and blocks of flats have big flat roofs. On a roof like this, a survey shows where the covering is wearing, where water is ponding and which outlets need attention. The photographed record helps you plan and budget for work. Commercial roofs are quoted for their size and access, so it helps if you ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and a rough idea of the roof area. Common reasons to book are splits, cracks and crazing and damaged trims at the roof edge, across felt flat roofs, upstands and outlets and EPDM rubber.
London has a lot of flat roofs: rear additions, dormers, roof terraces and the roofs of blocks and offices. They’re covered in felt, asphalt, EPDM rubber, GRP fibreglass or single-ply membranes, and each fails in its own way. Which one is on a roof in Kensington shapes how it is checked. Many older flat roofs are felt or asphalt, and many newer ones EPDM rubber or GRP.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Where
- Kensington (W11, W8, W14, SW7)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Flat roofs in Kensington
Welsh slate on Victorian and Edwardian terraces is a familiar sight across inner London. Behind many of their parapets sit butterfly roofs and valley gutters that cannot be seen from the pavement. Shared chimney stacks, party-wall upstands and lead work come with this kind of house. Alongside them, flat-roofed extensions, dormers, garages and commercial units are common almost everywhere. There are several hotels within about a mile and a half of Kensington. If you look after one, a leak through a flat roof can put a room out of use.
Leighton House, about 0.1 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Kensington. On a period home nearby, any flat roof is likely to be a later addition with its own lifespan. If you let a flat or house near Kensington Olympia station, flat roofs on let property tend to be checked only when they fail, which is the costly way round. If you run a business near Kensington Arcade, the flat roofs over shops and commercial units are worth checking before a leak, not after.
Kensington is about 5 miles west of London, in Greater London. Roofs in Kensington 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.
Postcode districts we cover here for flat roof surveys: W11, W8, W14 and SW7. Streets in the area include Kensington High Street, Edwardes Square and Somerset Square, and we cover them all. Main roads around Kensington include the A402 and B316. We also cover Holland Park (1 mile north), Notting Hill (1 mile north), Shepherd's Bush (1 mile west), Notting Dale (1 mile north) and White City (1 mile north-west). Larger places within reach include London (5 miles east), Marylebone (3 miles north-east), St Pancras (4 miles north-east), Shoreditch (6 miles east), Walthamstow (10 miles north-east) and Hoxton (6 miles north-east). Kensington is among the bigger towns we cover in Greater London.
Near you in Kensington
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Holland Park, Scarsdale Tavern and Holland Park School. You will also find Kensington School (0.5 miles east) and Abdus Salam Library (1 mile east). There’s a railway station in Kensington itself: Kensington Olympia station. Well-known places in the area include Kensington Arcade (less than half a mile east) and London Museum (0.7 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include WWT London Wetland Centre and The Long Water.
What happens on the day
You do not need to do much on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we will take it from there. The survey itself takes an hour or two for a house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Surveys in Kensington can be booked for any day of the week. London parking is often 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 frequently give the best view of a rear addition.
- We start with the details: the address, the roof’s use and any leaks or stains.
- We view the roof from ground level, from windows and from the roof where it is safe to do so.
- The covering, falls, upstands, outlets, edge trims and rooflights are checked and photographed.
- Where there’s safe access, we check the ceilings and spaces below for signs of water.
- The findings are written up with photographs and recommendations and emailed to you.
How to prepare
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
Getting a price
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know where you stand. Our price is from £150, including VAT. To book, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Kensington questions
Is my home in Kensington listed or in a conservation area?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Can parking be tricky for a visit in Kensington?
It depends on the street. Where there are permit zones, a visitor permit or nearby pay-and-display bay works well.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We carry out surveys seven days a week. To arrange a date, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
How many surveys have you done?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have completed over 5,000 surveys.
Can you tell me how long my flat roof will last?
A precise figure isn’t something we give, because so much depends on upkeep, exposure and workmanship. Our report describes the condition and what needs doing, and when.
What if it rains on the day?
It depends on the weather and the survey. Strong wind or heavy rain can make access unsafe and ground a drone, and we’d agree another day.
Is Kensington in your area?
Yes. We survey roofs in Kensington and the rest of Greater London. For a price, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
What happens if roof problems are left?
A small split in a flat roof is usually a modest job when it is found early. Leave it, and water can get into the insulation and deck, which can turn a patch into a replacement. A survey now shows which you’re dealing with. Many older London roofs have only old felt under the slates, or no underlay at all, so a slipped slate can soon mean water inside. Left unchecked, water soaks into timber and plaster and the damage spreads.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the size and height of the roof, how it can be seen safely and which survey you book.
Why book with us
- Prices that include VAT
- 20+ years’ experience
- 98% of clients satisfied
- Plain-English reports with photos
Read our cost guide and our case studies.
Places near Kensington
What else we do in Kensington
Tips from our surveys
A little preparation and a few simple habits help, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Some pointers:
- Clear roof outlets and gutters each autumn
- Check ceilings under the roof for damp patches
- Check that new brackets or units haven’t damaged the covering
- Keep people off the roof unless they need to be there
Landlords, owners and managing agents can keep the report as a dated record of the roof. It helps when planning maintenance 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.
For landlords and managing agents
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps when budgeting.
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with the building owner or managing agent. Mention it when you contact us and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
Honest limits
It is a careful look at the flat roof, not the whole story. The main limits are:
- A structural engineer’s assessment of the deck
- Asbestos testing, which needs a specialist asbestos surveyor
- An exact number of years the roof has left
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll tell you before you book. What our survey covers.
What we check
- GRP fibreglass
- Single-ply membranes
- EPDM rubber
- Upstands and outlets
- Mastic asphalt
- Felt flat roofs
Roof by roof
Felt and built-up roofs
Built-up felt is one of the most common flat roof coverings on extensions, garages and dormers. We look for blistering, cracking, split laps and worn mineral surfacing.
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.