Greater London · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Lessness Heath, Greater London
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Lessness Heath, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
Pre-purchase roof survey in Lessness Heath
Some roofs cannot be seen well from the ground or from windows. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, plus a drone inspection where applicable, and the report arrives the same day. If airspace rules or the weather rule out a flight, we’ll say so and inspect from every other safe vantage point. We are frequently asked to look into loose pots and cracked flaunching and lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney, on gutters and downpipes, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and clay and concrete tiles.
London terraces and converted houses frequently share a roof line, chimney stacks and gutters with the house next door. That matters for anyone buying in Lessness Heath or checking a new roof there: we inspect what we are given access to and can see safely, which may not include a neighbour’s side. For a flat, the lease normally says who looks after the roof.
The written findings come by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Place
- Lessness Heath (DA17, DA8, DA7)
- Region
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so there are some things a survey can’t cover:
- A valuation or a promise of a lower price
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or email us and we will tell you before you book. What a survey covers and does not.
What we check
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
- Lead flashings and valleys
Lessness Heath: your questions answered
Is parking a problem for a survey in Lessness Heath?
Sometimes, yes. If Lessness Heath has controlled parking where you are, a visitor permit is the easiest answer, and a driveway is even better.
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Lessness Heath?
It depends on the exact address and the weather on the day. Lessness Heath is about 2 miles from the edge of the flight restriction zone around London City Airport. 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. Each address is checked against all of them before the drone goes up. Strong wind or a downpour also stops a small drone flying, though the rest of the survey goes ahead either way.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes. The report sets out what we found, with photos, which you can share with the seller or agent. We cannot promise how the seller will respond.
How long does the survey visit take?
Allow about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, and more on a big or complicated roof. We will confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
Are you insured?
We are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance, for every survey we carry out.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it isn’t a RICS home survey. It complements one rather than replacing it.
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.
DIY checks: what’s safe
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight.
You can learn a lot from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
What we do, step by step
There isn’t much for you to do on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we’ll get on with the inspection. The survey itself takes about 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. In converted houses and mansion blocks, the loft hatch is frequently on a shared landing. If that applies to your building, it helps to agree access with the neighbours or the managing agent first. Otherwise, the visit in Lessness Heath runs like any other.
- 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.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Preparing for the visit
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Keep pets in another room
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
Book a survey
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Read more
When to book a survey in Lessness Heath
Most viewings never get near the roof. You walk round the rooms, but the roof stays out of sight, and a quick glance from the street misses a lot. Fresh decoration can also cover the marks an old leak left behind, so a closer look is worth having before you commit.
Common reasons to book include:
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Parish Church of All Saints, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Before you book anyone
- Are they insured for the work?
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Lessness Heath: local notes
Red House, about 2.3 miles south-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Lessness Heath. If your house is among the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Lessness Heath is about 2 miles from the edge of the flight restriction zone around London City Airport. Where the drone is part of the survey, the exact boundary is checked for the address first.
If you own a rental within reach of Belvedere station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in. Parking in Lessness Heath, as in most of London, takes a little planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day easier.
Lessness Heath is about 3 miles east of Plumstead, in Greater London. Anywhere in Lessness Heath, we can come and survey your property. Our area takes in places right across Greater London. There’s also a page for London.
We cover every part of the DA17, DA8 and DA7 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. Whether your property is on Cray Road, Clive Road and Erith Road or a nearby road, we can help. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Belvedere (1 mile east), Erith (1 mile south-east), Northumberland Heath (1 mile south-east), West Heath (1 mile south-west) and Bexley Riverside (1 mile south-east). We also work in nearby towns such as London (11 miles west), City of Westminster (13 miles west), Marylebone (13 miles west), Kensington (15 miles west), St Pancras (12 miles west) and Shoreditch (10 miles west).
Landmarks near Lessness Heath
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Priory Club pub, Trinity Church of England School and Trinity School, among other places. The closest station to Lessness Heath is Belvedere station, roughly 0.5 miles north. Other landmarks nearby include Broadway Shopping Centre (2.1 miles south) and Erith and District Hospital (0.9 miles south-east). The countryside around Lessness Heath includes Crossness Nature Reserve.
Also near Lessness Heath
More services for Lessness Heath
Tips that help
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Ask for loft access on the day
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Look for fresh paint on upstairs ceilings at viewings
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, and we cannot promise any result.
Every so frequently, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Watch for stains, damp timbers and chinks of daylight. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings close the gaps at chimneys, walls and abutments. We check whether they’ve lifted, split or been replaced with mortar or bitumen.
Clay and concrete tiles
Tiled roofs often last half a century or longer. We check for slipped, cracked and missing tiles, along with odd replacement tiles that hint at earlier leaks.