Greater London · London and the South East
Dalston Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Dalston and the rest of Greater London. Surveys run on any day of the week.
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Dalston
Our packages start with the Basic Survey from £150, with the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all with VAT included. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check. Premium adds thermal imaging, a drone inspection where it applies and an in-person consultation. Pick the one that fits the property. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. We are often asked to look into roof slopes that look uneven or sagging and slipped or missing slates and tiles, on natural slate, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and gutters and downpipes.
Many London homes have been converted into flats, extended at the back or given a loft conversion with a dormer. Every alteration brings new junctions, flashings and flat-roof areas to look at. For a purchase in Dalston, or for new roofing work there, those junctions deserve a proper look. Lead work around dormers and new flat roofs is easy to get wrong and easy to miss.
It is not only a list of defects. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Where
- Dalston (E8, N1, N16)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we are asked to look at in Dalston
Asbestos was banned in UK construction in 1999. It is often found in cement sheets, soffits and flue pipes. We do not carry out asbestos surveys, but we flag materials that might so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check before anything is disturbed.
Things that frequently lead to a survey include:
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Blocked or leaking gutters
Parking in Dalston, as in most of London, takes a little planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day easier, as a space near the door cannot be promised.
What to check before booking
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- What insurance they carry
- Whether VAT is added on top
- What they won’t be able to tell you
Nearby places to Dalston
Also in Dalston
What we do, step by step
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof, but as a rough guide the survey takes about one to two hours for a house, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. You’re welcome to ask questions while we are there. Many London properties are flats or terraces with no 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 as you book.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- 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.
Preparing for the visit
- Check pets are kept safely away
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Note where any stains or damp appear
Book a survey
Photos help, if you have them. Take them safely from the ground or a window; never climb up to get a better view. To send them or to book, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Read more
Dalston homes and their roofs
Sutton House, about 0.9 miles east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Dalston. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
For an older house near a landmark such as Holy Trinity Church, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are. If you own a rental within reach of Dalston Junction station, it’s worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
Dalston is about 1 mile north-east of Hoxton, in Greater London. Wherever you are in Dalston, we can carry out pre-purchase roof surveys at your property. Across Greater London, we cover Dalston and the places around it.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in E8, N1 and N16 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. That includes homes and businesses on Glebe Road, Forest Road and Boleyn Road. Being close to the A107 and A1207, Dalston is easy for us to reach. If you’re just outside Dalston, we cover Kingsland (1 mile west), De Beauvoir Town (1 mile west), Hackney Central (1 mile east), London Fields (1 mile south-east) and Shacklewell (1 mile north). Further out, we also cover London (3 miles south), City of Westminster (4 miles south-west), Marylebone (4 miles south-west), Kensington (6 miles south-west), Walthamstow (4 miles north-east) and Hampstead (5 miles west).
Around Dalston
Around Dalston, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Kingsland Secondary School, The Petchey Academy and The Duke Of Richmond Public House and the streets around them. Other local landmarks include Haggerston Park (0.8 miles south) and Bishopsgate Institute Special Collections and Archives (1.9 miles south). There’s a railway station in Dalston itself: Dalston Junction station. Well-known places in the area include Clowns Gallery-Museum (under half a mile west) and Montfichet's Tower (2.6 miles south-west). Open spaces near Dalston include Gillespie Park and Ludgate Hill.
Dalston questions
Is drone flying allowed in Dalston?
It depends on the exact address and the weather on the day. London’s airspace includes flight restriction zones around Heathrow, London City Airport and London Heliport, and restricted areas over Hyde Park, the City of London and the Isle of Dogs. Each address is checked against all of them before the drone goes up. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. High wind or heavy rain also stops a small drone flying, and the rest of the survey doesn’t depend on the drone.
Can parking be tricky for a visit in Dalston?
It depends on the street. Where there are permit zones, a visitor permit or nearby pay-and-display bay works well, and a driveway is even better.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
They do different things. A RICS home survey covers the whole building, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Our survey complements a RICS survey and does not replace one.
What if it rains on the day?
A survey can normally go ahead in light rain, and it can even help show where water is getting in. Heavy rain or strong wind can ground a drone and make the roof unsafe, so we will agree a new date if the weather isn’t suitable.
Does someone need to be in?
That depends on the survey. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in.
When will the report arrive?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Reports are emailed with photos included.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. It is a roof survey by an experienced roof surveyor, and you get a written report with photos. It isn’t a RICS survey and doesn’t cover the rest of the house.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Dalston
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which helps when tenants work during the week.
DIY checks: what’s safe
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
You can learn a lot from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
Tips that help
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Ask whether there are papers for past roof work
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Mention any deadline when you contact us
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
You may want to pass the report to your solicitor or conveyancer so questions can go to the seller’s solicitor. Past repairs, re-roofing and any records of that work are all fair questions, particularly where we’ve found patch repairs.
Keep an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Watch for gaps in the pointing, cracked flaunching and loose lead. A pair of binoculars from the garden shows a lot.
What affects the price in Dalston
All our prices include VAT. What changes the price is:
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- Height and safe access
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- The roof’s overall size
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all inc. VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
What to let us know when you get in touch
When you call or email, these details help:
- The address and postcode of the property
- When you need the report by
- Access details, like a loft hatch or a shared roof
- What’s prompted the survey
If you’re buying, it’s useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form when you are ready.