Greater London · London and the South East
Canning Town Gutter Survey
We carry out gutter surveys in Canning Town and the rest of Greater London. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends.
- Water backing up from a hidden gutter
- Leaves and moss blocking gutters
- Joints that drip after rain
Roof by roof
Lead-lined valley and parapet gutters
We look at the lining, the joints and the outlets where it’s safe to see them. Missing lead is something we check for too.
Aluminium and other metal gutters
On big buildings, one blocked outlet can affect a long run, so we check the outlets carefully.
How a gutter survey works in Canning Town
Gutters carry rain off the roof and away from the walls. When they block, leak or lose their fall, the water goes where it shouldn’t, often down the brickwork or into the building. We check the full rainwater system above ground, including gutters, valleys, outlets, hoppers and downpipes. The findings go into a written report with photos. We survey fascias and soffits, valley gutters and parapet and box gutters, and the problems we are asked to look at most are dripping or leaking gutter joints and downpipes that are split or coming away.
Many London terraces have a butterfly roof, with two slopes meeting in a central valley gutter that drains to the rear. Hidden behind the parapet, that gutter can block or split without anyone seeing it. If your home in Canning Town has one, it needs checking from somewhere that can actually see it.
After the visit, you get a photo-illustrated written report, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the gutter, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Place
- Canning Town (E16, E13, E6)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Nearby places to Canning Town
What else we do in Canning Town
Gutter surveys around Canning Town
With Queen's House about 2.7 miles south-west, Canning Town sits in an area with a long building history. 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 the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. 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 can’t be seen from the pavement. If your home in Canning Town is one of them, lead flashings, party-wall upstands and shared chimney stacks are part of the picture too. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
If you live in an older home near St Cedd's Church, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first. Homes near green spaces like Keir Hardie Park can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn.
Canning Town is about 5 miles east of London, in Greater London. We cover Canning Town and the rest of Greater London, as part of our work across London and South East England. Our area takes in places right across Greater London, large and small.
Here we cover the E16, E13 and E6 postcode area for gutter surveys. Streets in the area include Ivy Road, Star Lane and Bell Lane. Being close to the A1020, Canning Town is easy for us to reach. If you’re just outside Canning Town, we cover Custom House (1 mile south), Plaistow (1 mile north), Limmo Peninsula (1 mile west), West Silvertown (1 mile south) and Leamouth (1 mile west). Larger places within reach include London (5 miles west), City of Westminster (8 miles west), Marylebone (7 miles west), Kensington (10 miles west), St Pancras (6 miles west) and Shoreditch (5 miles west).
Landmarks near Canning Town
Around Canning Town, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Royal Docks Academy, Keir Hardie Park and The Royal Docks Community School, among other places. There’s a railway station in Canning Town itself: Custom House station. Other landmarks nearby include Greenwich Castle (2.8 miles south-west) and West Ham United Football Club Museum (1.4 miles north-east). Not far away are Gilbert's Pit and Hollow Pond.
How the survey works
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so you can see in the report what we found and where. We take close-ups from wherever is safe. Most surveys take between one and two hours for a house, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. For a visit in Canning Town, parking and access are the things to plan: let us know about parking, the floor the property is on, any shared entrance and loft access. We then look at whatever is safely visible from ground level, windows, the loft and, where it is safe, the roof itself.
- We agree which parts of the building you’re most worried about.
- Each gutter run is checked for blockages, sags and leaking joints.
- We check the outlets, hoppers, downpipes and any overflows.
- Fascias, soffits and the walls below are looked at for signs of overflow.
- Findings are photographed and set out in a written report.
How to prepare
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Booking a survey
To book a survey, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price before booking.
Related advice
Common questions in Canning Town
Can a landlord with a rental near Custom House station book a roof survey?
Yes, that is a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
Is my home in Canning Town listed or in a conservation area?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Could my damp wall be caused by the gutters?
Overflowing gutters often lead to damp walls, and we check for exactly that. If the evidence points elsewhere, we’ll say so, based on what we can see.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. Our survey is a roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey of the whole building. It focuses on the roof, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
Will the survey check for asbestos?
No. We don’t carry out asbestos testing. If rainwater goods or soffits look like they could contain asbestos, we note it and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
What’s the price of a gutter survey?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The size of the property and the access affect the price. For a price, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Is there a good time of year to book a gutter survey?
Whenever suits you. If you’ve already seen a gutter overflowing, it’s best not to wait, because the walls take the water.
What you can safely check yourself
It is useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Do you need a gutter survey in Canning Town?
Many people get in touch after seeing water pour over a gutter in heavy rain. Others spot damp patches, ceiling stains or green marks on the walls. The survey helps pin down the source before it causes more harm.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Overflowing eaves gutters
- Rotten fascias or stained soffits
- Dripping or leaking gutter joints
- Gutters packed with leaves or moss
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Rosetta Primary School, its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Before you book anyone
- How they’ll see the roof: from the ground, the loft, the roof or by drone
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- What happens after the report arrives
- Which limits apply to the survey
Tips from our surveys
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Look out for overflows when it pours
- Include valley, parapet and box gutters when clearing
- Get the gutters cleaned out every year
- Make sure downpipe clips are holding
After any work is done, watch the gutters in the next heavy rain. Rain should flow to the outlets and down the downpipes, and if it doesn’t, raise it with whoever did the job.
Deal with drips, sags and loose downpipes early. They tend to get worse and spilled water harms brickwork and woodwork.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Canning Town
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, putting the urgent items at the top.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, with the report sent to whoever needs it. Access is agreed with the tenant beforehand.