Greater London · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Northolt
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat for Northolt, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photos.
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
Common questions in Northolt
Are there drone restrictions around Northolt?
It depends on the exact address and the weather on the day. RAF Northolt is about 3 miles away, so we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before any flight. 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 heavy rain also stops a small drone flying, and the rest of the survey doesn’t depend on the drone.
Can parking be tricky for a visit in Northolt?
Parking in Northolt, as in most of London, takes a little planning: a visitor permit or a bay close to the door helps a lot.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys, over more than 20 years.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
When conditions and the roof make it safe, yes. Many roofs can be seen well from windows, vantage points and the loft.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Can I take the findings back to the seller?
Yes, you can. You will have photos and a written description of each defect, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. We can’t promise how the seller will respond.
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 you book.
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Northolt
Buying a flat brings its own roof questions. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that’s often not the individual flat owner, with costs often passed on through the service charge. We look at as much of the roof as access safely allows, and the report helps you ask your solicitor or the managing agent the right questions. If the building has a flat roof, we check that too where access allows. We are frequently asked to look into sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes and signs of past leaks inside the loft, across clay and concrete tiles, natural slate and lead flashings and valleys.
London’s housing runs from Victorian and Edwardian terraces to interwar semis, post-war estates and new blocks of flats, and a home in Northolt could be any of them. Whether the roof is old or newly laid, the problem areas depend on how and when the building went up. Slate roofs, butterfly valleys, parapet gutters and flat-roofed rear additions each have their own weak points.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent, whichever applies.
- Place
- Northolt (UB5, UB6)
- Region
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
When you need someone else
It’s useful to know what a survey won’t do before booking:
- How a seller will respond, or what the house is worth
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- The condition of the rest of the house (that is a RICS home survey)
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we’ll tell you before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
How it works
We work from the outside in: outside views come first, then the roof space if there is safe access. All told, expect roughly 1–2 hours for most houses, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. In a London conversion, the way into the roof space is often from a communal landing or the top flat. If that applies to your building, it is useful to agree access with the neighbours or the managing agent first. Otherwise, the visit in Northolt runs like any other.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from the ground, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it’s safe.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- Your report arrives by email, with photos and recommendations prioritised by urgency.
Before we arrive
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Let us know about parking near the property
Getting a price
To get a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Northolt, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. A few details about the property and the roof help us price the survey accurately.
Read more
Northolt homes and their roofs
RAF Northolt is about 3 miles from Northolt. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. The wider area around Northolt has a long history of building, with Northolt Manor about 0.3 miles south. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
For a London address like Northolt, it helps to know about controlled parking before the day. For an older house near a landmark such as St Richard's Church, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are. For landlords with property near Northolt Park station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Northolt is about 2 miles south-west of Harrow, in Greater London. Surveys in Northolt work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Northolt is one of the places in Greater London we cover. There’s also a page for London.
We cover every part of the UB5 and UB6 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Church Road, Eastcote Lane North and Tenby Gardens or anywhere close by, we can help. Other places close to Northolt include South Ruislip (1 mile north-west), Greenford (1 mile south-east), South Harrow (1 mile north-east), Yeading (2 miles south-west) and Yiewsley (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include London (12 miles east), City of Westminster (10 miles east), Marylebone (10 miles east), Kensington (8 miles south-east), St Pancras (11 miles east) and Shoreditch (13 miles east).
Local landmarks in Northolt
Typical jobs here are in homes near Northala Fields, The Greenwood Public House and Northolt High School, among other places. The closest station to Northolt is Northolt Park station, about 0.7 miles north-east of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Heath Robinson Museum (3.1 miles north) and Clementine Churchill Hospital (2 miles north-east). Not far away are Islip Manor Meadows and Northala Fields.
Tips that help
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Check the lease for roof repair responsibilities
- Do not leave it until just before exchange
- Mention any deadline when you get in touch
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
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. The Premium Survey includes a 12-month follow-up to see how things have changed.
Check the roof from the garden and the street after a storm. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Small repairs done quickly stop bigger problems later.
What affects the price in Northolt
Survey packages start from £150, with VAT included. What you pay for your roof depends on:
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where it applies, from £400 inc. VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you’d like to know.
Booking your survey
To price your survey accurately, we will ask about:
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- Anything about access we should know
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
Most bookings start with a short call: ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form, and we’ll ask about the building and what you need. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.
Towns and villages near Northolt
More services for Northolt
What we look for on each type of roof
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings are a common source of leaks, so they get close attention in a pre-purchase survey. We photograph any that need work.
Chimney stacks
A stack stands exposed above the roof line. We check the pots, the flaunching, the pointing and the flashings.
For landlords and managing agents
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps when budgeting.
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work.