Greater London · London and the South East
London Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Pre-purchase roof surveys around London, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in London
Buying a home is a big commitment, and the roof is one of the costliest parts to put right. Our pre-purchase roof survey gives you a close look at it before you are committed. We look at the slates or tiles, the ridges and valleys, the flashings, the chimneys and the gutters, and the loft space where it is safe to get in. The findings come in a written report with photos. If you are worried about sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes and gutters choked with leaves and moss, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on clay and concrete tiles, gutters and downpipes and chimney stacks alike.
Flats above shops, converted houses and newer blocks are common in places the size of London. For a flat, the roof is usually a shared part of the building, so the lease matters. If the roof is newly replaced, whoever paid for it will want the work checked before signing it off.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Place
- London (CR0, E14, CR4, SW11)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Before and after the survey
There is plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Don’t leave it until just before exchange
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
- Mention any deadline when you contact us
Once the home is yours, the report becomes a maintenance list. Deal with the urgent items first, and use the photos as a record of how the roof looked when you bought. Premium comes with a follow-up after 12 months to see how things have changed.
Keep an eye on chimneys and flashings in your new home. Look for leaning pots, missing mortar and lifted lead. Binoculars from ground level are enough for a first look.
Why it is worth a survey now in London
A good many buyers go ahead anyway, but with their eyes open. The report shows what needs doing first, and you can line up a roofer before small faults grow. Whatever the age of a roof in London, small defects only grow if they’re left. What starts as a cracked flashing or a blocked outlet becomes wet timber and stained ceilings in time.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how safely it can be seen. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in London
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Prices that include VAT
- Photographs and a written report every time
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
See what a roof survey costs and our case studies.
When you need someone else
We only report everything that’s safely in view on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer before booking. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Chimney stacks
Landlords, agents and block managers in London
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To discuss a number of properties, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out by urgency where it matters, which helps with budgets and planning.
The survey, step by step
It’s useful to start with what’s prompted the survey: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. The visit normally takes roughly 1–2 hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. In a place the size of London, the building you want surveyed may be a house, a flat above a shop or a whole block. Let us know the type of building and who can let us in, so the right access is in place on the day.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the roof space is agreed in advance.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from vantage points.
- Inside, we check the loft space and look at the roof from windows.
- You get a photo-illustrated written report and recommendations before you exchange.
Before we arrive
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
- Keep pets in another room
- Let us know about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
Book a survey
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To send them or to book, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Read more
London: your questions answered
Is drone flying allowed in London?
The answer turns on the exact location and the conditions on the day. London is about 2 miles from the edge of the flight restriction zone around London Heliport in Battersea. We check the exact boundary for the address before flying, and if the roof falls inside it, we ask for permission first. The restricted area over the City of London, where drone flights need permission from NATS, is about 2 miles from London. We check whether the address falls inside it, and if it does we apply for permission, which is not always given. 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. A small drone cannot fly safely in strong wind or a downpour.
Do you carry out roof surveys in London?
Yes, London is within the area we cover. Our area covers London and South East England. Just phone 07833 053749 or email us and tell us about the property, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but confirming it is a job for a specialist asbestos surveyor. It may be present in buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
When will the report arrive?
It depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Tell us your exchange date and we’ll help you choose.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and we can provide details if a managing agent needs them.
When is the best time to have the roof checked when buying?
Book as soon as your offer is agreed. You need the report before you exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
Do you need access inside the house?
Where possible, yes. We look in the roof space where there is safe access, and views from upper windows help too. The agent or seller can arrange entry.
Buying a home or a new roof in London
The restricted area over the City of London, where drone flights need permission from NATS, is about 2 miles from London. Where the drone is part of the survey, the address is checked against it before any flight. The wider area around London has a long history of building, with Mansion House about 1 mile north. 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 Elephant & Castle station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
London is in Greater London. Wherever you are in London, we can come and survey your property. London is one of the towns and villages in Greater London we cover.
We work across the CR0, E14, CR4 and SW11 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. That includes homes and businesses on Walcot Square, Surrey Square and Sutherland Square and the roads around them. London is on the A2 and A10, which makes it straightforward to reach. If you are just outside London, we cover Walworth (1 mile south), Bermondsey (1 mile east), Camberwell (2 miles south), South Bermondsey (2 miles south-east) and Surrey Canal (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include City of Westminster (3 miles west), Marylebone (3 miles north-west), Kensington (5 miles west), Walthamstow (7 miles north-east), Hampstead (5 miles north-west) and Ruislip (14 miles west). Being one of Greater London’s larger places, London has every kind of building, from houses and flats to offices.
What’s near London
Typical jobs here are in homes near Newington Gardens, Trinity Arms Public House and London School of Musical Theatre and the streets around them. Nearby too are St Mary-at-Hill (0.9 miles north-east), Ark Globe Academy (less than half a mile south) and The BFI Reuben Library (1 mile north-west). London has its own railway station: Elephant & Castle station. A little further out are Surrey Dispensary (less than half a mile south-east) and Baynard's Castle (0.9 miles north). Open spaces near London include Bellenden Road Nature Garden and St. James's Park Lake.
Towns and villages near London
Also in London
Common roof problems in London
The fixings and underlay often fail before good slates or tiles do. Natural slate can last 100 years or more, but corroded nails let slates slip. That kind of wear is common on older roofs.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
For an older house near a landmark like St George the Martyr, the roof’s history matters as much as its looks, and a survey brings the past repairs to light.
Questions to ask before you book
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Whether VAT is in the quoted price