Greater London · London and the South East
Harlesden Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat across Harlesden, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Call or email for a price.
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
- Roof slopes that look uneven or sagging
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
Pre-purchase roof survey in Harlesden: what you get
The roof is one of the most expensive parts of a home to repair, and one of the hardest for a buyer to see. A pre-purchase roof survey looks at it closely before you’re tied in. We check the coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters, plus the loft where there’s safe access. You get a written report with photos. If you’ve noticed lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney and roof slopes that look uneven or sagging, we can find out what’s behind it, on flat-roofed extensions and dormers, lead flashings and valleys and gutters and downpipes alike.
Many London homes have been converted into flats, extended at the back or given a loft conversion with a dormer. Each change adds roof details, like flat roofs, new flashings and junctions with the original slopes. If you are buying a flat or house in Harlesden, or have just had new roofing work done, those junctions are often where problems start. Lead work around dormers and new flat roofs is easy to get wrong and easy to miss.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent, whichever applies.
- Where
- Harlesden (NW10, W3, NW26)
- Region
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
No survey can tell you everything, and it’s better to know them up front. Keep these in mind:
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- The condition of the rest of the house (that’s a RICS home survey)
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or email us and we will recommend the right survey. What our survey covers.
What we check
- Gutters and downpipes
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
How it works
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. Then the inspection itself takes between one and two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. In Harlesden, as in much of London, lots of properties are flats or terraces without side access, so the back of the roof is frequently seen from upstairs windows, from inside or, where a flight is allowed, from the air. Mention any building rules, key holders or managing agents when booking.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Getting ready for the survey
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
How to book
Getting a price is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email, let us know about the property and we will explain which survey suits. The price is agreed up front.
Advice
Before and after the survey
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Mention any deadline when you contact us
With the findings in hand, you can talk to the seller or their 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.
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 a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Harlesden
Outer London has plenty of Victorian and Edwardian terraces with slate roofs, but also a great many interwar semis, often with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles. Bay roofs, hip ridges and dormers from later loft conversions are the details that set these houses apart. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about. If the drone is used for your survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Church of All Souls, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are. Historic houses like Pitzhanger Manor, about 3.1 miles south-west, show how far back building around Harlesden goes. When you buy an older home, the roof’s age, past repairs and any listing all affect what you might spend later. As a London address, Harlesden 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.
Harlesden is about 4 miles west of City of Westminster, in Greater London. We survey roofs in Harlesden across London and South East England. Our Greater London coverage includes Harlesden and the places around it. There’s also a page for London.
We cover every part of NW10, W3 and NW26 for pre-purchase roof surveys. Local streets include Fry Road, Wood Road and Park Road, all of which we cover. Close by, we survey roofs in College Park (1 mile south-east), Old Oak Common (1 mile south), Church End (1 mile north), Stonebridge (1 mile north-west) and Willesden Green (1 mile north-east). Further out, we also cover London (7 miles east), City of Westminster (4 miles east), Marylebone (5 miles east), Kensington (3 miles south-east), St Pancras (6 miles east) and Shoreditch (7 miles east).
Local landmarks in Harlesden
Typical jobs here are in homes near St Claudine's Catholic School for Girls, Royal Oak Inn and Roundwood Park, among other places. There is a railway station in Harlesden itself: Willesden Junction station. A little further out are Central Middlesex Hospital (1 mile west) and Brent Museum and Archives (1.1 miles north-east). Not far away are Castlebar Hill and The Long Water.
Also near Harlesden
More services for Harlesden
Should I look at the roof myself first?
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
Why get it checked now?
It’s tempting to skip the roof to keep a sale moving. We visit on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and a Premium report comes the same day, which helps it fit around your exchange date. Blocked gutters and hoppers on London houses overflow and soak brickwork, which can lead to damp inside. A small blockage left for a few winters becomes a damp problem.
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so the price reflects that. The price is confirmed before booking.
Why book us in Harlesden
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- A report with photos
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Read what a roof survey costs or two real surveys.
FAQs for Harlesden
Is parking a problem for a survey in Harlesden?
Sometimes, yes. Where there are permit zones, a visitor permit or nearby pay-and-display bay works well, and a driveway is even better.
Is drone flying allowed in Harlesden?
Normally it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. 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. Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions. Strong wind or a downpour also stops a small drone flying, though the rest of the survey goes ahead either way.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Where it’s safe, yes. Much of the inspection is done from ground level, from windows and from the roof space. The Premium Survey adds a drone inspection where applicable.
Does the weather affect the survey?
Some surveys depend on the weather more than others. Drones can’t fly safely in strong wind or a downpour, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. We’ll rearrange with you if the weather is not right.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day, which suits people who work during the week. Let us know your preferred days when booking.
When is the best time to have the roof checked when buying?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. The report is most useful before exchange, because after that the roof is yours to deal with.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes. Buyers use the findings to ask questions, ask for repairs before completion or ask for a price change. What the seller agrees to is their decision, so we can’t promise any saving.
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before booking. This is what makes a difference:
- House, block, shop or office
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, inc. VAT, and we will tell you which fits.
Booking your survey
When you call or email, these details help:
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know where you stand. Our price is from £150, including VAT. To book, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.