Greater London · London and the South East
New Roof Snagging in Downe
New roof snagging around Downe, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Gutters or fascias damaged during the job
- Underlay ending short at the eaves
- Untidy or loose verge details
Checking the roof from the ground
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
How new roof snagging works in Downe
Ideally, book snagging before you settle the final invoice while the roofer can still come back easily. If that is passed, it’s worth checking before a defects or warranty period ends. That gives you time to raise any snags. Our report gives you a clear, photographed list of snags to send to your roofer in good time. We survey flashings and valleys, ridges and verges and new flat roofs, and people most often book us about underlay ending short at the eaves and cracked or slipped new tiles or slates.
Homes across London range from Victorian and Edwardian terraces to interwar semis, post-war blocks and new developments, and a home in Downe could be any of them. Whether you’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, the details that cause trouble depend on the age of the building. Slate roofs, butterfly valleys, parapet gutters and flat-roofed rear additions each have their own weak points.
We write the report in plain English, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Photos show what each point refers to.
- Location
- Downe (BR6)
- Region
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips from our surveys
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Diary the defects period end date
- Look for debris left in gutters from the ground
- Keep warranty papers safe
- Raise snags in writing with your roofer
Once the snags have been dealt with, keep the report with your roof paperwork. It records the roof’s condition at that point.
Put the warranty or defects period end date in your diary. Book a check well before it so snags can be raised.
How the survey works
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so the report shows exactly what we saw. We take close-ups from wherever is safe. Most surveys take about one to two hours on an ordinary house, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. In Downe, as in much of London, plenty of properties are flats or terraces without side access, so the back of the roof is often seen from upstairs windows, from inside or, where a flight is allowed, from the air. If the building has a managing agent or access rules, tell us when you book.
- We start with what the roofer did and when they finished.
- The new coverings and roof edges are inspected as far as can safely be seen.
- We check valleys, flashings, gutters and the underlay at the eaves.
- We check the loft where safe and look for debris or damage.
- You get a photo report of each snag.
Getting ready for the survey
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Find any records of previous roof work
Book a survey
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to ring 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We’ll talk you through the options and what they cost.
Related advice
What affects the cost of new roof snagging
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. The main factors are:
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- The roof’s overall size
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- House, block, shop or office
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report isn’t charged as an extra. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
Getting in touch
Here’s what helps us most when you get in touch:
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- When you need the report by
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
You can call us seven days a week. For a price or to book, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Do you need new roof snagging in Downe?
Owners often get in touch when the finish looks uneven or a leak appears. Others want an independent check as a matter of course before the job is closed.
We are often asked to look at:
- Debris left in gutters or valleys
- Loose flashings at walls or chimneys
- Tiles or slates sitting out of line
- Verge tiles or slates not secured
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near St Mary's Church, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Questions to ask before booking
- Is VAT included in the price?
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- How soon the report will arrive
- Will the report include photos?
New roof snagging around Downe
Further from the centre, London’s housing takes in interwar semis with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles as well as slate-roofed terraces. If your home in Downe is one of them, bay roofs, hips and later dormers each have their own details. Whether you’re buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds. Down House, about 0.6 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Downe. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
If you own a rental within reach of Chelsfield station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full. For a London address like Downe, it’s useful to know about controlled parking before the day.
Downe is about 4 miles south-west of Orpington, in Greater London. We carry out new roof snagging for homes and businesses in Downe. Across Greater London, we cover Downe and the places around it. You can also see our page for London.
Here we cover the BR6 postcode area for new roof snagging. If you need new roof snagging at a property on High Street, North End Lane and Belle Vue Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. We also cover Farthing Street (1 mile north-west), Hazelwood (1 mile east), Luxted (1 mile south), Leaves Green (1 mile west) and Single Street (2 miles south). Further out, we also cover London (13 miles north-west), City of Westminster (15 miles north-west), Marylebone (15 miles north-west), St Pancras (15 miles north-west), Shoreditch (14 miles north-west) and Hoxton (15 miles north-west).
Near you in Downe
In Downe, that means homes and buildings near The Queens Head pub, Charles Darwin School and South Park and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Chelsfield station, roughly 2.6 miles north-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Crofton Roman Villa (2.7 miles north-east) and Princess Royal University Hospital (1.8 miles north). The countryside around Downe includes Downe Bank Nature Reserve and Betsom's Hill.
Downe: your questions answered
Do you carry out roof surveys in Downe?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Will parking be an issue for a roof survey in Downe?
Parking in Downe, as in most of London, takes a little planning: a visitor permit or a bay close to the door helps a lot, so mention what’s available when you book.
Do you use drones?
Where it’s applicable and safe, yes. We are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. It’s included in the Drone Roof Survey and, where applicable, the Premium Survey.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, so it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
How many surveys have you done?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys.
What does a new roof inspection include?
Everything we can see safely, from the ridge and verges down to the eaves and gutters. The loft space is checked where there’s safe access, and we note any mess or damage left after the work.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
We carry out surveys seven days a week. To arrange a date, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
What else we do in Downe
Roof by roof
Slate roofs
Broken slates left on a new roof are a common snag. They’re photographed for the report.
Underlay and ventilation
Vents at the ridge, eaves or in the tiles help keep the loft space dry. Fitted vents are checked.