Greater London · London and the South East
West Dulwich Flat Roof Survey
A careful look at the flat roof at your property in West Dulwich, with photos and a written report.
- Cracked or split membrane
- Raised blisters across the surface
- Water getting in at rooflights
About our flat roof survey in West Dulwich
A flat roof survey looks at the covering, the edges, the outlets and the details where the roof meets walls and rooflights. We cover felt, mastic asphalt, EPDM rubber, GRP fibreglass and single-ply roofs. It suits a small roof over an extension or garage as well as a large one over flats, offices or units. The findings go into a written report with photos, setting out the defects and what we’d recommend. If you’ve noticed cracked or split membrane and standing water left after rain, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
On a London roof terrace or a flat roof over a back addition, water frequently runs under the covering before it shows. Outlets, upstands against parapet walls and joins with the main roof are frequent culprits. In a converted house in West Dulwich, the roof above may belong to the building rather than one flat.
We keep jargon out of it: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, and where it can wait, that’s said too.
- Location
- West Dulwich (SE21, SE27, SE19)
- Region
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What a flat roof survey looks like in West Dulwich
With Kingswood House about 0.2 miles south, West Dulwich sits in an area with a long building history. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. Inner London’s Victorian and Edwardian terraces often have Welsh slate roofs. A butterfly roof with a central valley gutter, tucked behind a parapet wall, is common on these houses. 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.
If you let a flat or house near Sydenham Hill station, a flat roof over a rented flat is easy to forget until the tenant reports a leak. If you live in an older home near Church of St Stephen, later flat-roofed additions are common on older houses, and their edges and upstands frequently show the first signs of wear. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Dulwich Wood Primary School, a large flat roof with plenty of outlets and rooflights has many places where a membrane can fail.
West Dulwich is about 1 mile north-east of West Norwood, in Greater London. Surveys in West Dulwich work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful look at everything that’s safely in view, photos and a clear written report. We cover towns and villages across Greater London, large and small.
Every address in SE21, SE27 and SE19 is within our area for flat roof surveys. That includes homes and businesses on Berry Lane, Clive Road and Myton Road and the roads around them. With the A2199 close by, West Dulwich is simple for us to get to. We also cover Sydenham Hill (1 mile east), West Norwood (1 mile south-west), Gipsy Hill (1 mile south), Dulwich (1 mile north) and Upper Norwood (1 mile south). Larger places within reach include London (5 miles north), City of Westminster (6 miles north-west), Marylebone (6 miles north-west), Kensington (7 miles north-west), St Pancras (7 miles north) and Shoreditch (6 miles north).
Around West Dulwich
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Wood House, Dulwich Prep & Senior and Kingsdale Foundation School. There’s a railway station in West Dulwich itself: Sydenham Hill station. Other landmarks nearby include British Vintage Wireless And Television Museum (under half a mile west) and St Christopher's Hospice (1.3 miles south-east). The countryside around West Dulwich includes Battersea Park Lake and Dulwich Upper Wood.
How it works
When we arrive, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you’d like to know. After that, we check everything we can see safely, using the ground, windows, the loft and a drone where applicable. Most surveys take an hour or two on an ordinary house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. In West Dulwich, visits are available on weekdays and at weekends. It helps if you can point us to a visitor permit or a nearby bay. A back bedroom window can be the best vantage point for a rear addition, so we may ask to use one.
- 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.
- The covering is checked for wear, splits, blisters and standing water.
- We photograph and record the outlets, upstands, trims and rooflights.
- A written report with photos and recommendations is emailed to you.
Preparing for the visit
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Book a survey
If you’re buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form whenever suits you.
Related advice
Towns and villages near West Dulwich
What else we do in West Dulwich
Landlord and commercial surveys in West Dulwich
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, from shops and offices to industrial units. Larger roofs take longer.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out with the most urgent first where relevant, which helps with budgets and planning.
Your questions about flat roof surveys in West Dulwich
Will parking be an issue for a roof survey in West Dulwich?
Usually it is manageable with a little notice. Tell us what parking is available nearby, and the visit is planned around it.
Do you carry out roof surveys in West Dulwich?
Yes. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and West Dulwich is part of that. Just ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know about the property, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Do you need to get into the loft?
If there is a loft and safe access to it, yes. The roof space can show things the outside can’t, such as damp timbers, staining or daylight.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We are roof surveyors, not structural engineers, and it does not include calculations. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we will recommend one.
Do you take photos of the roof?
Yes. Photographs are part of every report, so you can see exactly what each finding refers to.
How do I arrange a flat roof survey in West Dulwich?
The quickest way is to phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. Give us the address and a few details about the roof, and we will point you to the right survey. We survey on weekdays and at weekends.
What does ponding on a flat roof mean?
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. The survey looks at each and records the likely cause.
What affects the price in West Dulwich
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so they’re priced to match. You will know the figure before booking.
What to let us know when you get in touch
A little information up front helps. It’s useful to include:
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- The property’s address and postcode
Most bookings start with a short call: phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll ask a few questions about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Leave it or get it looked at?
On a commercial building, a flat roof leak can disrupt tenants, staff and stock. A planned survey lets you budget for work rather than deal with an emergency around the business. In a London terrace or conversion, a roof defect rarely stays your problem alone: failed flashings and blocked valley gutters can send water into more than one home. Finding it early keeps the work smaller.
There are three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you need to know.
Why book with us
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Visits on any day of the week
What we look for on each type of roof
Rooflights and upstands
Rooflights, lanterns and upstands are where many flat roof leaks begin. We look at how the covering is finished around each rooflight and upstand.
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.
Before and after the survey
Small things make a difference. Our tips:
- Have the roof looked at again after a severe storm
- Note where water lies after a downpour
- Keep people off the roof unless they need to be there
- Never stand on rooflights or fragile sheeting
After the visit, we write up the report with photos of what we found. It covers the type of covering, its condition and each defect, with our recommendations. Turnaround is within 48 hours for a Basic Survey, 24 to 48 hours for a Standard Survey and the same day for a Premium Survey.
After heavy rain, look at the roof from an upstairs window if you can. Water still lying a day or two later is worth getting looked at.