Greater London · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Cowley, Greater London
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Cowley. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
What a survey costs
Not every roof costs the same to survey, for these reasons:
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- Roof area
- The shape of the roof and its details
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
One thing that affects the price is the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, including VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Getting in touch
These details help when you get in touch:
- The property’s address and postcode
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- What made you get in touch
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to ring 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Cowley: what you get
Tall, steep or hidden roofs are hard to judge from the street. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, plus a drone inspection where applicable, and the report arrives the same day. 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 ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof and a ridge or slope that dips, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
London’s housing runs from Victorian and Edwardian terraces to interwar semis, post-war estates and new blocks of flats, so a property in Cowley might be any of these. Whether you are 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.
Most points in the report come with a picture, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Place
- Cowley (UB8, UB7, UB10)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we cannot see
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- A structural engineer’s report
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll recommend the right survey. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Cowley
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
- The roof space
- Gutters and downpipes
Cowley homes and their roofs
In outer London, interwar semis with hipped, tiled roofs sit alongside older slate-roofed terraces. If your home in Cowley is one of them, bay roofs, hips and later dormers each have their own details. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about. With Ickenham Hall about 2.9 miles north-east, Cowley 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.
If you let a flat or house near West Drayton station, it’s worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it. Take an older house close to Church of St Laurence: the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Cowley is about 2 miles south-west of Hillingdon, in Greater London. Cowley is one of many places we visit across Greater London. We cover towns and villages across Greater London, large and small. For surveys nearby, see our London page.
We survey roofs across UB8, UB7 and UB10 for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. Whether your property is on Iver Lane, High Road and The Avenue or a nearby road, we can help. Other places close to Cowley include Uxbridge (1 mile north), Yiewsley (1 mile south-east), Hillingdon (2 miles north-east), Thorney (2 miles south) and New Denham (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include City of Westminster (14 miles east), Marylebone (14 miles east), Kensington (12 miles east), Hampstead (13 miles east), Ruislip (5 miles north-east) and Brompton (14 miles east).
Local landmarks in Cowley
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Crown pub, Uxbridge High School and West Middlesex College and the streets around them. The closest station to Cowley is West Drayton station, roughly 1.3 miles south. Well-known places in the area include British Airways Heritage Collection (0.7 miles north-west) and The Chimes (1.3 miles north). Not far away are Uxbridge Moor and Northala Fields.
What happens on the day
On the day, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you want to find out. After that, we look at everything we can see safely, from the ground, from windows, in the roof space and by drone where applicable. Most surveys take about 1–2 hours for most houses, and longer for a large or complex roof. From the street, a London terrace typically shows only its front slope or parapet, so a visit in Cowley moves between viewpoints: the pavement, upstairs windows, the loft and any safe spot at the back. If other people live in the building, let us know who can let us into the shared parts.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- The roof is inspected from every safe viewpoint, inside and out.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Before we arrive
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
Book a survey
We survey roofs seven days a week. To arrange a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Related advice
How the survey changes by roof type
Flat roofs
Standing water, blisters, splits and tired upstands all point to wear. Blocked outlets are checked as well.
Clay and concrete tiles
Concrete interlocking tiles are common on post-war and newer homes. They’re heavy and hard-wearing, but they weather and can crack.
Tips that help
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Let us know your timetable
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
With Standard, you get a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. Whichever package you choose, you can ask us what a finding means.
Once you’ve moved in, keep gutters, valleys and outlets clear, particularly after autumn. Blocked gutters cause much of the damp we see. Use a gutter contractor rather than going up a ladder yourself.
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Cowley
Is parking a problem for a survey in Cowley?
Sometimes, yes. Where there are permit zones, a visitor permit or nearby pay-and-display bay works well.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Cowley?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We do not carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, like cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them.
Do you go up on the roof?
Where it’s safe, yes. We inspect from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the loft and from the roof itself where safe. On Premium, a drone is used where it applies.
Are you insured?
Our surveys are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance. Ask if you need details for a managing agent or building owner.
Does someone need to be in?
Not necessarily. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
It depends on the roof and how confident you want to be. Home surveys sometimes suggest a closer look at the roof, and our survey gives you that closer look. It doesn’t stand in for a RICS survey.
Places near Cowley
Also in Cowley
When to book a survey in Cowley
Asbestos was banned in UK construction in 1999. Cement roof sheets, soffits and flue pipes are typical places to find it. We do not test for it or carry out asbestos surveys, but our report flags materials that could contain it and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before work starts.
Most people get in touch when they’ve noticed one of these:
- Old water stains in the loft space
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
As a London address, Cowley can be tricky for parking: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day easier, as a space near the door cannot be promised.
Before you book anyone
- Which limits apply to the survey
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
- Will the report include photos?