Greater London · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Greenwich, Greater London
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Greenwich. We have completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Flashings that have lifted or split
Pre-purchase roof survey in Greenwich: what you get
Older homes often have roofs that have been patched over the years. Corroded nails let slates slide, valley linings wear thin and chimney mortar erodes. Most of it can’t be seen from the street. We look closely and record what we see, with photographs that show you exactly where. Each finding is explained in plain words, so you know what it means for the house you are buying. If you’re worried about lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney and slates or tiles that have slipped or gone, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
London’s housing runs from Victorian and Edwardian terraces to interwar semis, post-war estates and new blocks of flats, so a property in Greenwich 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.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets. It records what’s sound as well as what isn’t.
- Place
- Greenwich (SE10, SE3, SE8)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips from our surveys
There is plenty you can do without going near the roof. Here’s what helps most:
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Let us know your exchange date when you book
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
After you move in, keep the report somewhere safe. Work through the urgent items before anything else, and keep the photos to compare against later. Premium comes with a follow-up after 12 months to see how things have changed.
Every so often, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Watch for stains, damp timbers and chinks of daylight. Take photos so you can show whoever looks at it.
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings and valleys
Many older houses have lead in their valleys and hidden gutters. Splits in a lead valley send water inside, and missing lead is not unknown, as it’s a target for thieves.
Natural slate
On a slate roof, the underlay may be old bitumen felt, or there may be none at all on very old roofs. From inside the loft space, we report what we can see of it.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, with the most urgent items set out first.
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
Checking the roof from the ground
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly 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.
Places near Greenwich
Also in Greenwich
When to book a survey in Greenwich
Most viewings never get near the roof. You see the rooms, not the slates. New paint on a ceiling can hide old water stains, which is why buyers book a closer look before committing.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
Queen's House, about 0.2 miles north-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Greenwich. If you are buying an older home nearby, it is worth knowing whether it’s listed or in a conservation area before you plan any re-roofing.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What happens after the report arrives
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Their report turnaround times
Questions from Greenwich
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Greenwich?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Is parking a problem for a survey in Greenwich?
It can be, so it is useful to let us know about permits, visitor bays or off-street space when you book. The visit is then planned around what’s available.
At what stage of buying should I get the roof surveyed?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. The report is most useful before exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
Do I need to be at home?
Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that ahead of time, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll explain what’s needed.
How experienced are you?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have completed over 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Ideally, yes. We look in the loft space where there’s safe access, and upstairs windows give useful views. Access is normally arranged through the agent or seller.
Local roofs and buyers in Greenwich
Greenwich is about 1 mile from the edge of the flight restriction zone around London City Airport. If the drone is used for your survey, we check the exact boundary for the address before flying. Welsh slate on Victorian and Edwardian terraces is a familiar sight across inner London. Many have butterfly roofs draining to a central valley gutter, with parapet walls and gutters hidden behind them. Shared chimney stacks, party-wall upstands and lead work come with this kind of house. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about.
Controlled parking zones are common in London, so mention any permit rules for Greenwich, along with any off-street space. Take an older house close to St Mary's Church: the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Greenwich is about 4 miles east of London, in Greater London. From houses to flats and shops in Greenwich, the roof can be surveyed. Greenwich is one of the towns and villages in Greater London we cover.
We work across the SE10, SE3 and SE8 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. Whether your property is on Cade Road, Webb Road and Creek Road or a nearby road, we can survey it. Main roads around Greenwich include the A2203 and A2211. If you’re just outside Greenwich, we cover Maze Hill (1 mile north-east), Vanbrugh Park Estate (1 mile east), Blackheath (1 mile south-east), Westcombe Park (1 mile east) and Isle of Dogs (1 mile north-west). We also work in nearby towns like London (4 miles west), City of Westminster (7 miles west), Marylebone (7 miles west), Kensington (9 miles west), St Pancras (6 miles north-west) and Shoreditch (5 miles north-west).
Near you in Greenwich
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Plume of Feathers pub, John Roan School and Royal School of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. You’ll also find Island Gardens (0.6 miles north-west) and St. Paul's (1.1 miles west). Greenwich has its own railway station: Maze Hill station. Other landmarks nearby include Greenwich Castle (less than half a mile south-west) and Greenwich District Hospital (0.5 miles north-east). The countryside around Greenwich includes Tower Hill and Creekside Discovery Centre.
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 about 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. In Greenwich, visits are available on weekdays and at weekends. It helps if you can point us to a visitor permit or a nearby bay, and to clear a path to the loft hatch. A back bedroom window can be the best vantage point for a rear addition, so we may ask to use one.
- 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 check the roof from ground level, from windows, from the loft space and from the roof where safe.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- We email a written report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Before the survey
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
Book a survey
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We’ll explain the options and the price.