Kent · London and the South East
Northdown Flat Roof Survey
Flat roof surveys in Northdown and the rest of Kent. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
- Standing water left after rain
- Leaks around rooflights
- Outlets choked with leaves and silt
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. Recommendations are set out in order of urgency where relevant.
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work around your tenants.
How a flat roof survey works in Northdown
A Basic Survey, from £150, covers a visual inspection, a condition report, photos and written recommendations. The Standard Survey, from £250, adds moisture detection and a structural check. On a flat roof, moisture readings can help show whether water has got under the covering. Bigger commercial roofs are priced on their size and access. If you are worried about blisters and bubbles in the covering and failed seals around rooflight kerbs, we can find out what’s behind it.
Around Northdown, many homes have a garden room, garage or outbuilding with a flat roof. They’re rarely looked at until something gets wet. It is worth mentioning them when you book, so the visit can include them. Felt, rubber and GRP coverings on garages and outbuildings age in just the same way as the main roof’s.
It is not only a list of defects. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend.
- Place
- Northdown (CT9, CT10)
- Region
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
There is not much for you to do on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we will get on with the inspection. A typical survey takes about 1–2 hours at a typical home, and more on a big or complicated roof. A visit to Northdown is planned like any other: the time, the access and where to park are agreed in advance. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. Let us know about any garages, outbuildings or extensions you want included.
- 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’s 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
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
How to book
You can call us seven days a week. For a price or to book, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Common roof problems in Northdown
Flat roofs swing between hot and cold more than most parts of a building. That movement pulls at seams, laps and the joints between boards, and in time it can open up splits and cracks. Older coverings that have lost their flexibility are the most likely to suffer.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Blocked or damaged outlets
- Signs of deflection in the roof deck
- Blistering in felt or asphalt
- Splits, cracks and crazing
For businesses in and around places such as Westwood Cross, flat roofs over shops and units are easy to forget until water comes through a ceiling.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Is VAT included in the price?
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Tips that help
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Check ceilings under the roof for damp patches
- Keep records of when the roof was laid and what work has been done
- Keep clear of rooflights and fragile roof sheets
- Have the roof looked at again after a severe storm
Landlords, owners and managing agents can keep the report as a dated record of the roof. It’s useful when planning upkeep and setting budgets, and it gives a baseline to compare against next time.
Have the roof surveyed every few years, and after any work that goes through it. You will spot changes early and have a record to look back on.
Towns and villages near Northdown
More services for Northdown
Honest limits
Our survey isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Asbestos testing, which needs a specialist asbestos surveyor
- What’s under the membrane without opening it up
- Fragile surfaces, which we don’t walk on
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will point you to the right survey before you book. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Upstands and outlets
- Felt flat roofs
- GRP fibreglass
- Mastic asphalt
- Single-ply membranes
- EPDM rubber
DIY checks: what’s safe
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and a fall can be serious. That’s where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where it applies.
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
FAQs for Northdown
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Northdown?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Is Northdown within the area you cover?
Yes, we do. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it’s useful to know about access.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime, which suits people who work during the week. Just say which days work for you.
Can you survey any kind of flat roof?
We cover the main flat roof coverings: felt, asphalt, EPDM, GRP and single-ply. We record what the covering is and how it’s holding up.
Will you check the loft?
Where it is relevant to the survey and there is safe access, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps, and if the loft cannot be reached safely, the report says so.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the roof space, someone has to give us access; we’ll agree the details when booking.
What happens after the survey?
The report comes by email, and you decide the next step: use it with a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent.
Local flat roofs in Northdown
The coast is about 1 mile or less from Northdown, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Coastal wind works at the edges of flat roofs, and salt air wears metal trims and fixings. Older houses across Kent frequently have handmade clay or peg tiles, and many have tile-hung walls. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. Mixed in with those pitched roofs are plenty of flat ones, over rear extensions, dormers, garages and shops.
Quex Park lies about 4.5 miles west, so building around Northdown goes back a long way. If your home is older, its flat-roofed extension or dormer may be on its second or third covering. Take an older house close to St Philip: flat-roofed rear additions and dormers added over the years are worth checking.
Northdown is about 2 miles east of Margate, in Kent. We carry out flat roof surveys in Northdown for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Our Kent coverage includes Northdown and the places around it. Canterbury is in our area too.
Every address in CT9 and CT10 is covered for flat roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. You’ll find streets such as Old Road, Holly Lane and Green Lane, all of which we cover. Nearby, we also carry out flat roof surveys in Palm Bay (1 mile north-west), Cliftonville (1 mile west), Kingsgate (1 mile east), St Peter's (1 mile south) and Broadstairs (2 miles south). We also work in nearby towns such as Ramsgate (3 miles south), Deal (12 miles south), Herne Bay (12 miles west), Walmer (13 miles south), St Lawrence (3 miles south) and Newington (3 miles south-west).
Near you in Northdown
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Captain Digby Inn and Dane Court Grammar School and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Broadstairs station, about 1.8 miles south. Well-known places in the area include Westwood Cross (2.1 miles south-west) and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital (1.4 miles south-west).