Greater London · London and the South East
Riddlesdown Flat Roof Survey
Need a flat roof survey in Riddlesdown? We can help, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Failed seals around rooflight kerbs
- Splits and cracks in the covering
- Loose or cracked edge trims
Flat roof survey in Riddlesdown
If the house you are buying has a flat roof on an extension, dormer or garage, it’s worth knowing its condition before exchange. Felt roofs often last around 15 to 20 years, while EPDM and GRP often last longer. Our report records the covering, how it’s holding up and any defects we can see, with a photo of every defect. You then have something specific to put to the seller or agent. We survey upstands and outlets, mastic asphalt and GRP fibreglass, and the problems we are asked to look at most are cracked or split membrane and edge trims that have lifted or split.
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, and each fails in its own way. In Riddlesdown, as anywhere in London, the right approach depends on what the roof is made of. Many older flat roofs are felt or asphalt, and many newer ones EPDM rubber or GRP.
The report is written in plain words, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Photos show what each point refers to, with the urgent items made clear.
- Where
- Riddlesdown (CR8, CR2)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Riddlesdown: your questions answered
Is my home in Riddlesdown listed or in a conservation area?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Is Riddlesdown in the area you cover?
Yes, Riddlesdown is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photographs, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
What will the report tell me?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos, and ends with what we recommend. The most urgent items are made clear.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. On a shared roof we can only inspect the parts we’re allowed to reach, and the report makes that clear.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day, which suits people who work during the week. Just say which days work for you.
How much does a flat roof survey cost in Riddlesdown?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The final figure depends on the roof and the package you choose.
Should I worry about standing water on my flat roof?
Water that lies on a flat roof for days is a sign that something needs attention. It could be the outlets, the falls or a deflecting deck. We check each of these and record what we find.
Flat roof surveys around Riddlesdown
In outer London, interwar semis with hipped, tiled roofs sit alongside older 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. Mixed in with those pitched roofs are lots of flat ones, over rear extensions, dormers, garages and shops. Addington Palace, about 3 miles north-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Riddlesdown. 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, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
If you run a business near St George's Walk, the flat roofs over shops and commercial units are worth checking before a leak, not after. As a London address, Riddlesdown can be tricky for parking: let us know about permits, visitor bays or off-street space when booking, as a space near the door cannot be promised.
Riddlesdown is about 1 mile east of Purley, in Greater London. We carry out flat roof surveys in Riddlesdown for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. We cover towns and villages across Greater London, from the larger towns to small villages. London is in our area too.
Here we cover the CR8 and CR2 postcode area for flat roof surveys. Streets in the area include Hyde Road, Lower Road and Famet Avenue, and we cover them all. Main roads around Riddlesdown include the A22. Nearby, we also carry out flat roof surveys in Kenley (1 mile south), Sanderstead (1 mile north-east), South Croydon (2 miles north), Hamsey Green (2 miles south-east) and Whyteleafe (2 miles south). Further out, we also cover London (12 miles north), City of Westminster (13 miles north), Marylebone (13 miles north), Kensington (13 miles north), St Pancras (14 miles north) and Shoreditch (13 miles north).
Around Riddlesdown
In Riddlesdown, that means homes and buildings near Riddlesdown Collegiate and Dollypers Hill, among other places. Riddlesdown has its own railway station: Riddlesdown station. Well-known places in the area include Croydon Airport Visitor Centre (2 miles north-west) and Purley War Memorial Hospital (1 mile north-west). Open spaces near Riddlesdown include Duppas Hill and Foxley Wood.
When to book a survey in Riddlesdown
Every flat roof covering has a working life. Felt roofs often last around 15 to 20 years, EPDM frequently 30 to 50 years and GRP up to about 30, although how well it was laid and looked after matters a great deal. A survey shows how yours is holding up, whatever its age.
Look out for signs like these:
- A sagging deck under the covering
- Damaged trims at the roof edge
- Failed seals around rooflight kerbs
- Blisters and bubbles in the covering
For site and facilities teams at buildings like Harris Primary Academy Kenley, large flat roofs, common on schools and other public buildings, need their outlets, upstands and coverings checked regularly.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Will the report include photos?
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Their insurance cover
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
Different roofs, different checks
Single-ply membranes
On single-ply roofs, the welds between sheets are the key detail. We look at seams, corners and the joints around outlets and upstands.
GRP fibreglass
Movement in the deck or a thin layer of resin can lead to cracks in GRP. Our report notes cracks and any sign that the deck is flexing.
Checking the roof from ground level
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
Leave it or get it looked at?
If you are buying, find out about the flat roof before you exchange. After that, the cost of any work is yours. Our report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. Behind a London parapet, a blocked gutter can sit full of water without anyone seeing it. By the time a ceiling stains, the timbers underneath may have been wet for a while.
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where applicable) come with the Premium Survey, which starts from £400, inc. VAT. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Why us?
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- 98% of clients satisfied
- Clear package prices, with VAT included
The survey, step by step
The aim of the visit is simple: to look at the flat roof as closely as is safe and record what we find. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. It usually takes an hour or two for a small flat roof at home, and longer for a large commercial one. London terraces rarely offer a view of the whole roof from one spot, so in Riddlesdown we work round the house, using the street, the windows, the loft and any safe vantage point behind it. If other people live in the building, tell us who can let us into the shared parts.
- We start with the details: the address, the roof’s use and any leaks or stains.
- The roof is inspected from safe viewpoints, and from the roof itself where that is safe.
- 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.
- You get a written report with photographs and our recommendations.
How to prepare
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- Let us know about parking before the day
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Getting a price
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just call 07833 053749 or email us when you’re ready.
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Also near Riddlesdown
What else we do in Riddlesdown
For landlords and managing agents
Managing agents and residents’ management companies use roof surveys to plan maintenance. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps when budgeting.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, and the report can go to both. Access is agreed with the tenant beforehand.