Greater London · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Avery Hill
A careful look at the roof at your property in Avery Hill, and put it all in a report with photos.
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
Pre-purchase roof survey in Avery Hill: what you get
Tall, steep or hidden roofs are hard to judge from the street. Our Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and, where applicable, a drone inspection, along with a same-day report. Where a flight is not possible, because of airspace rules or the weather, we tell you and look from ground level, windows and the loft instead. If you are worried about blocked or leaking gutters and standing water on a flat extension roof, we can find out what’s behind it, on the roof space, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and lead flashings and valleys alike.
Homes across London range from Victorian and Edwardian terraces to interwar semis, post-war blocks and new developments, and a home in Avery Hill 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. Slates, hidden valley gutters, parapets and flat roofs over back additions all need checking in their own way.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Where
- Avery Hill (SE9, DA15, DA16)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
DIY checks: what’s safe
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
What we’re asked to look at in Avery Hill
Asbestos was banned in UK construction in 1999. It’s frequently found in cement sheets, soffits and flue pipes. We do not test for it or carry out asbestos surveys, but we flag materials that might and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before work starts.
We’re frequently asked to look at:
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of Holy Trinity, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Questions to ask before booking
- What the survey won’t cover
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
Local roofs and buyers in Avery Hill
The flight restriction zone around London City Airport comes within about 2 miles of Avery Hill. If the drone is used for your survey, the exact boundary is checked for the address first. With Eltham Palace about 1.2 miles west, Avery Hill sits in an area with a long building history. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Controlled parking zones are common in London, so mention any permit rules for Avery Hill. If you own a rental within reach of Falconwood station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Avery Hill is about 1 mile north-east of Eltham, in Greater London. Avery Hill is part of the area we cover and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and the South East. Across Greater London, we cover Avery Hill. London is in our area too.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: SE9, DA15 and DA16. We cover properties on Bexley Road, Glenure Road and Perpins Road. With the A210 close by, Avery Hill is simple for us to get to for pre-purchase roof surveys. We also cover the places around Avery Hill: Blackfen (1 mile east), Eltham (1 mile south-west), New Eltham (1 mile south), Falconwood (1 mile north-east) and Well Hall (1 mile west). Further out, we also cover London (8 miles north-west), City of Westminster (11 miles north-west), Marylebone (11 miles north-west), Kensington (12 miles west), St Pancras (10 miles north-west) and Shoreditch (8 miles north-west).
Landmarks near Avery Hill
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Shoulder of Mutton Green and Alderwood Primary School. For rail, the closest station is Falconwood station, about 0.6 miles north. A little further out are Greenwich Castle (3.8 miles north-west) and Metropolitan Police Museum (1.7 miles south-east). Open spaces near Avery Hill include Summer Hill and The Tarn.
What this survey cannot tell you
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- A structural engineer’s report
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Avery Hill
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
What happens on the day
A survey visit follows a simple order: we listen to what’s been worrying you, inspect the roof from every safe vantage point, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. It typically takes about one to two hours at a typical home, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. In a London conversion, the way into the roof space is frequently from a communal landing or the top flat. If that applies to your building, it helps to agree access with the neighbours or the managing agent first. Otherwise, the visit in Avery Hill runs like any other.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- We agree a time and how we will get in, including the loft.
- We look at the roof from ground level, from windows, from the roof space and from the roof where safe.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- We email a report with photographs and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
Booking a survey
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To find a date that works for you, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
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Nearby places to Avery Hill
What else we do in Avery Hill
Before and after the survey
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Do not leave it until just before exchange
If the report shows work is needed, you can raise it with the seller or agent. Some buyers ask for repairs before completion, others ask for a change to the price. What happens next is your decision and the seller’s.
Look in the loft now and then, with care and a good torch. Damp patches, daylight through the roof or water stains on timbers are worth noting. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
Questions from Avery Hill
Can parking be tricky for a visit in Avery Hill?
Parking in Avery Hill, as in most of London, takes a little planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day run more smoothly.
Is drone flying allowed in Avery Hill?
That depends on where the roof is and on the weather. The flight restriction zone around London City Airport comes within about 2 miles of Avery Hill. The exact boundary is checked for each address before any flight, and a roof inside it needs permission before we fly. Across London there are restriction zones around Heathrow, London City and London Heliport, plus restricted areas over Hyde Park, the City of London and the Isle of Dogs. Every London address is checked against them before a flight. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain, though the rest of the survey goes ahead either way.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
It depends on what we need to see. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in, while outside access can be discussed as you book.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. The report is most useful before exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
What’s the best way to book?
It’s easiest to ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Give us the address and a few details about the roof, and we’ll take it from there. We survey on any day of the week.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning. Mention it when you get in touch and we’ll plan the survey around it.
Does the weather affect the survey?
Some surveys depend on the weather more than others. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. If the conditions aren’t right, we will talk to you about another date.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Avery Hill
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, with the report sent to whoever needs it. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work with less disruption.