Greater London · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Old Oak Common
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Old Oak Common. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
Why it’s worth a survey now in Old Oak Common
A mortgage valuation isn’t a roof survey. Its job is to check the property’s value for the mortgage, not at the condition of each slate and flashing. A roof survey is carried out for the buyer. Blocked gutters and hoppers on London houses overflow and soak brickwork. A small blockage left for a few winters becomes a damp problem.
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package you pick makes a difference too. We’ll give you the figure before anything is booked.
Why us?
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- 98% customer satisfaction
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Photos and a written report every time
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Old Oak Common
The best time to book is once your offer has been accepted and before you exchange contracts. At that point you can still ask questions, because nothing is binding yet. Visits run on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when the chain is moving fast. Basic reports arrive within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Common reasons to book are gutters that overflow or drip at the joints and ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof, on natural slate, gutters and downpipes and clay and concrete tiles.
Many London homes have been converted into flats, extended at the back or given a loft conversion with a dormer. Each change adds roof details, such as flat roofs, new flashings and junctions with the original slopes. If you’re buying a flat or house in Old Oak Common, or have just had new roofing work done, those junctions are frequently where problems start. Dormer cheeks, lead work and new flat roofs are worth checking closely, as faults there are easy to miss.
What you get is a clear record of the roof on the day we saw it. It is useful right away, and a good reference for later, such as when you want to compare after future work.
- Place
- Old Oak Common (NW10, W3, NW26)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Old Oak Common: your questions answered
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Old Oak Common?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case.
Are there drone restrictions around Old Oak Common?
The answer turns on the exact location and the conditions on the day. 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. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. Strong wind or heavy rain also stops a small drone flying, though the rest of the survey goes ahead either way.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. It is a roof survey by an experienced roof surveyor, with a written report and photos. It doesn’t cover the rest of the property, which a RICS survey does.
Will you need to get into the loft?
Ideally, yes. We look in the loft space where there is safe access, and views from upper windows help too. Access is normally arranged through the agent or seller.
How many surveys have you done?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys.
How long will you be at the property?
On site, it typically takes between one and two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Can you survey in bad weather?
It depends on the weather and the survey. In high wind or heavy rain, a drone cannot fly and access may not be safe, and we’d agree another day.
What we’re asked to look at in Old Oak Common
Asbestos was banned in UK construction in 1999. It is often found in cement sheets, soffits and flue pipes. We do not carry out asbestos surveys, but our report flags materials that could contain it and suggest a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before work starts.
Most people get in touch when they’ve noticed something like this:
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
As a London address, Old Oak Common can be tricky for parking: let us know about permits, visitor bays or off-street space as you book.
What to check before booking
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- What they won’t be able to tell you
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
Every survey has limits, and we’d rather be clear about that before you book. Keep these in mind:
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll point you to the right survey. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roofs we survey in Old Oak Common
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- Clay and concrete tiles
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
Buying a home or a new roof in Old Oak Common
If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. With Kelmscott House about 2.5 miles south, Old Oak Common sits in an area with a long building history. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years.
If you let a flat or house near Willesden Junction station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one. If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near Church of Eritrean Orthodox Brent, the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are.
Old Oak Common is about 1 mile south of Harlesden, in Greater London. Roofs in Old Oak Common get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Greater London. Old Oak Common is one of the towns and villages in Greater London where we work. There is also a page for London.
Every address in NW10, W3 and NW26 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Whether your property is on Atlas Road, Tubbs Road and Waldo Road or a nearby road, we can help. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in College Park (1 mile north-east), Harlesden (1 mile north), Kensal Green (1 mile east), Park Royal (1 mile west) and North Kensington (1 mile east). Larger places within reach include London (7 miles east), City of Westminster (4 miles east), Marylebone (4 miles east), Kensington (3 miles south-east), St Pancras (6 miles east) and Shoreditch (7 miles east).
Around Old Oak Common
Typical jobs here are in homes near Green Man Public House, Library for Iranian Studies and Star Chamber Academy and the streets around them. You’ll also find Little Wormwood Scrubs (0.8 miles east) and St Claudine's Catholic School for Girls (0.8 miles north). There’s a railway station in Old Oak Common itself: Willesden Junction station. Other landmarks nearby include Westfield London (1.7 miles south-east) and Hammersmith Hospital (0.8 miles south-east). Not far away are Hanger Hill Wood and Campden Hill.
How it works
We work from the outside in: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the roof space where it can be reached. All told, expect about one to two hours at the house you’re buying, depending on its size and how much of the roof can be seen. In Old Oak Common, as in much of London, a good many properties are flats or terraces without side access, so rear slopes are viewed from windows, the loft or, where a flight is allowed, by drone. Mention any building rules, key holders or managing agents when you book.
- You book once your offer is accepted and let us know the address and your timetable.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller.
- The roof is inspected from every safe viewpoint, inside and out.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Tell us about parking before the day
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Leave side gates unlocked
How to book
We confirm the exact price before you book, so you know the cost up front. Prices start from £150, including VAT. To book, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
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What you can safely check yourself
It’s useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry and it will help the survey.
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
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Before and after the survey
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Mention any deadline when you contact us
- Ask the seller about past roof repairs
- Check we will be able to get into the loft space
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation to talk the findings through, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. Whichever package you choose, you can ask us what a finding means.
Keep the loft ventilated. Poor ventilation lets condensation build up, wetting timbers and insulation. Keep insulation clear of eaves vents so air can move.