Greater London · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in North Finchley, Greater London
Find out the condition of the roof at your property in North Finchley. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
About our pre-purchase roof survey in North Finchley
Many older houses carry decades of roof repairs. Corroded nails let slates slide, valley linings wear thin and chimney mortar erodes. Little of that is easy to judge from the pavement on a viewing. Our survey picks it out, with photos so you can see it for yourself. We explain each finding in plain English, so it’s clear what it means for your purchase. We survey lead flashings and valleys, clay and concrete tiles and chimney stacks, and people most often book us about quick fixes on flashings and valleys and cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing.
In London, a good many houses have been split into flats, extended or fitted with a dormer loft conversion. Every alteration brings new junctions, flashings and flat-roof areas to look at. For a purchase in North Finchley, or for new roofing work there, those junctions deserve a careful look. Dormer cheeks, lead work and new flat roofs are worth checking closely, as faults there are easy to miss.
The report records the roof as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, such as when you want to compare after future work.
- Location
- North Finchley (N12, N20, N11)
- Region
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
The survey, step by step
The aim of the visit is simple: to see as much of the roof as can be seen safely and record it clearly. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. It normally takes about one to two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. From the street, a London terrace normally shows only its front slope or parapet, so in North Finchley we work round the house, using the street, the windows, the loft and any safe vantage point behind it. If other people live in the building, let us know who can let us into the shared parts.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- 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.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Before we arrive
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
How to book
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
For landlords and managing agents
Shared roofs need a little more planning: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Let us know about it as you book and we will plan the survey around it.
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in North Finchley. To discuss a property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Questions from North Finchley
Is my home in North Finchley listed or in a conservation area?
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 North Finchley?
It can be, so it helps to let us know about permits, visitor bays or off-street space when you book. That way the visit can be planned around it.
Will you need to get into the loft?
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.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
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 cannot promise any saving.
When should I book a pre-purchase roof survey?
The sooner after your offer is accepted, the better. The report is most useful before exchange, while you can still ask questions and negotiate.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys, across London and South East England.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
It depends on the roof and how confident you want to be. A home survey may recommend further investigation of the roof, and that’s where a roof survey helps. It is not a replacement for a RICS survey.
Honest limits
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so there are some things a survey can’t cover:
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- Structural calculations (that is a structural engineer’s job)
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll point you to the right survey. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
Useful tips for North Finchley property owners
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out:
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Pass the findings to your conveyancer
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
Your report arrives by email, with photos of what we found. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Findings are set out in plain English, with recommendations prioritised by urgency where relevant.
Look in the loft now and then, with care and a good torch. Damp patches, daylight through the roof or water stains on timbers are worth noting. Take photos so you can show whoever looks at it.
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. The main factors are:
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
- Basic, Standard or Premium
Price depends partly on the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, with VAT included. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Getting in touch
What helps most when you contact us:
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- What kind of property and roof it is
- What made you get in touch
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
If you’re buying, it helps to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply call 07833 053749 or use the contact form whenever suits you.
Places near North Finchley
More services for North Finchley
Different roofs, different checks
Natural slate
Natural slate can last 100 years or more, but the nails holding it corrode long before that. When slates start to slip, corroded nails are frequently the reason.
Chimney stacks
A stack stands exposed above the roof line. We check the pots, the flaunching, the pointing and the flashings.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in North Finchley: local notes
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. Hips, bay roofs and later loft conversions are typical of those semis, if your home is one of them. Whether you’re buying or checking new roofing work, knowing the materials helps make sense of what the inspection finds. Heath Hall, about 2.9 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around North Finchley. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Take an older house close to St. Barnabas Church: a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming. Controlled parking zones are common in London, so mention any permit rules for North Finchley. If you own a rental within reach of New Southgate station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
North Finchley is about 1 mile north of Finchley, in Greater London. North Finchley gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a proper look at everything that’s safely in view, photographs and a clear written report. North Finchley is one of the towns and villages in Greater London where we work for pre-purchase roof surveys. We also survey roofs in London.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: N12, N20 and N11. We cover properties on High Road, Lodge Lane and Percy Road. You will find North Finchley on the A1000, which makes it simple to reach. Other places close to North Finchley include Woodside Park (1 mile west), Oakleigh Park (1 mile north), Whetstone (1 mile north), Friern Barnet (1 mile east) and Finchley (1 mile south). Within a short drive, we also cover London (9 miles south-east), City of Westminster (7 miles south), Marylebone (7 miles south), Kensington (8 miles south), St Pancras (7 miles south) and Shoreditch (8 miles south-east).
Landmarks near North Finchley
Around North Finchley, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Friary Park, Woodhouse College and The Bohemia pub. Also close by are Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum (0.5 miles west) and St Michael's Catholic Grammar School (less than half a mile south-west). North Finchley’s nearest station is New Southgate station, about 1.4 miles east of the centre. A little further out are Finchley Memorial Hospital (0.8 miles south) and Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum (0.5 miles west). Open spaces near North Finchley include Darland's Lake and Glebelands Local Nature Reserve.