Greater London · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Old Chiswick
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Old Chiswick, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Call or email for a price.
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Blocked or leaking gutters
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Old Chiswick
Older homes frequently have roofs that have been patched over the years. 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. We look closely and record what we see, with photos that show you exactly where. We explain each finding in plain English, so it is clear what it means for your purchase. We’re often asked to look into flashings that have lifted or split and blistered or split felt on a flat roof, across the roof space, lead flashings and valleys and gutters and downpipes.
Homes across London range from Victorian and Edwardian terraces to interwar semis, post-war blocks and new developments, and a home in Old Chiswick could be any of them. Whether you are buying or have just had a roof replaced, the details that cause trouble depend on the age of the building. Slate roofs, butterfly valleys, parapet gutters and flat-roofed rear additions each have their own weak points.
If any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You’ll know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Place
- Old Chiswick (W4, SW13, W6)
- Region
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
We do not take risks to get a closer look. Everything that can be seen safely is inspected, and anything we can’t see is noted in the report. The survey usually takes about 1–2 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 Old Chiswick we work round the house, using the street, the windows, the loft and any safe vantage point behind it. Shared stairs or a basement flat? Tell us who holds the keys.
- You book once your offer is accepted and tell us the address and your timetable.
- We agree a time and how we’ll get in, including the loft.
- We inspect the roof from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it’s safe.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- Your report arrives by email, with photos and recommendations prioritised by urgency.
How to prepare
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Book a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? The easiest way is to call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Related advice
What a survey costs
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- The size of the roof
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where applicable, which starts from £400, including VAT. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Booking your survey
These details help when you contact us:
- Access details, like a loft hatch or a shared roof
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Dates you are working to, such as exchange
We survey roofs on any day of the week. To find a date that works for you, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and the days you’d prefer.
What happens if roof problems are left?
Even if you go ahead regardless, knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan. You will know which jobs are urgent and which can wait, so you can plan work before small faults get bigger. In Old Chiswick, as across London, an overflowing gutter soaks the wall below, which can lead to damp inside. A small blockage left for a few winters becomes a damp problem.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
Why us?
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- A report with photos
- PI and public liability insurance
Read our cost guide and two real surveys.
Signs you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Old Chiswick
Chimneys take the worst of the weather. Mortar erodes, the flaunching around the pots cracks and the flashings work loose. On terraced and semi-detached homes, a stack may be shared with next door, which matters if work is needed.
A survey can pick up problems like:
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Old water stains in the loft space
If you own a rental within reach of Chiswick station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Is VAT included in the price?
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
Should I look at the roof myself first?
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
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.
Local roofs and buyers in Old Chiswick
The flight restriction zone around London Heliport in Battersea comes within about 1 mile of Old Chiswick. Where the drone is part of the survey, the exact boundary is checked for the address first. In outer London, interwar semis with hipped, tiled roofs sit alongside older slate-roofed terraces. On a semi of that age, the small roofs over the bays, the hip tiles and any later dormer each need their own look. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new.
Parking in Old Chiswick, as in most of London, takes a little planning: let us know about parking bays, permits or a driveway when you book. Hogarth's House, about 0.4 miles west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Old Chiswick. Buying a period property here means asking about the roof’s age and repairs, and about any listing or conservation area.
Old Chiswick is about 2 miles south of Acton, in Greater London. Anywhere in Old Chiswick, we can carry out pre-purchase roof surveys at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. We cover towns and villages across Greater London, from the larger towns to small villages. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
Every address in W4, SW13 and W6 is covered for pre-purchase roof surveys. Whether your property is on Short Road, Quick Road and Paxton Road or a nearby road, we can help. We also cover the places around Old Chiswick: Turnham Green (1 mile west), Chiswick (1 mile north-west), Grove Park (1 mile west), Barnes (1 mile south) and Hammersmith (1 mile north-east). Further out, we also cover London (7 miles east), City of Westminster (5 miles north-east), Marylebone (5 miles north-east), St Pancras (6 miles north-east), Shoreditch (8 miles east) and Walthamstow (12 miles north-east).
What’s near Old Chiswick
Around Old Chiswick, our work takes us to homes and buildings near George and Devonshire pub, The Swedish School and Polish Library POSK in London. Also close by are Turnham Green (0.8 miles north-west) and Chiswick School (0.5 miles south-west). The nearest railway station is Chiswick station, about 0.8 miles south-west. Nearby you will also find Kurdish Museum Library and Archive (0.7 miles north-east) and West London Hospital (1.3 miles east). The countryside around Old Chiswick includes Campden Hill and Kew Gardens Lake.
How the survey changes by roof type
Lead flashings and valleys
Many leaks start at a flashing, so they get close attention in a pre-purchase survey. Any that need attention are photographed and explained.
Natural slate
Natural slate can last 100 years or more, but the nails holding it corrode long before that. Slipped or missing slates are a sign of ‘nail fatigue’.
Places near Old Chiswick
Other services in Old Chiswick
Questions from Old Chiswick
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Old Chiswick?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Is drone flying allowed in Old Chiswick?
The answer turns on the exact location and the conditions on the day. The flight restriction zone around London Heliport in Battersea comes within about 1 mile of Old Chiswick. The exact boundary is checked for each address before any flight, and a roof inside it needs permission before we fly. London’s airspace includes flight restriction zones around Heathrow, London City Airport and London Heliport, and 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.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime. Just say which days work for you.
Can I use the report to negotiate on price?
Yes. The report sets out what we found, with photos, so you can raise them with the seller or their agent. How the seller responds is up to them.
Can you survey in bad weather?
A survey can typically go ahead in light rain. Heavy rain or strong wind can ground a drone and make the roof unsafe, so we’ll agree a new date if the weather isn’t suitable.
How quickly will I get the report?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Reports are emailed with photos included.
Are you insured?
We hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance, for every survey we carry out.