Greater London · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Shoreditch
Know where you stand with the roof before you spend money on it. Pre-purchase roof surveys in Shoreditch, with photographs and a clear written report.
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- A ridge or slope that dips
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date, which helps when we look at the roof.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: 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.
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Shoreditch
Our packages start with the Basic Survey from £150, while Standard starts from £250 and Premium from £400, including VAT. Standard adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. Premium adds thermal imaging, a drone inspection where it applies and an in-person consultation. Choose the level that suits the home you are buying. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. We survey lead flashings and valleys, flat-roofed extensions and dormers and clay and concrete tiles, and common reasons people get in touch are ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof and quick fixes on flashings and valleys.
Homes across London range from Victorian and Edwardian terraces to interwar semis, post-war blocks and new developments, and a home in Shoreditch 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.
We keep jargon out of it: where something needs attention, it says so plainly, and where it can wait, that is said too.
- Where
- Shoreditch (E1, E2, N1)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Towns and villages near Shoreditch
What else we do in Shoreditch
The survey, step by step
We photograph the roof as we go, so you can see in the report what we found and where. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available. A typical visit takes about one to two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. In a London conversion, the way into the loft space is frequently from a communal landing or the top flat. Where that is the case, access needs agreeing with whoever controls that landing. Everything else is planned around the building, not the postcode.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- We look at the roof from ground level, from windows, from the loft space and from the roof where safe.
- Coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are checked and photographed.
- We email a written report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Getting ready for the survey
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Tell us about parking before the day
How to book
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine. To send them or to book, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
What a survey costs
All our prices include VAT. What changes the price is:
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: 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.
Helping us price your survey
You do not need to know any roofing terms. It’s enough to tell us:
- Dates you’re working to, such as exchange
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- The property’s address and postcode
- What made you get in touch
Getting a price is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and give us a few details about the property and we’ll point you to the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
FAQs for Shoreditch
Are there drone restrictions around Shoreditch?
The answer turns on the exact location and the conditions on the day. Shoreditch is about 1 mile from the restricted area over the City of London, where drone flights need permission from NATS. If a roof falls inside it, we apply for permission before flying, and the flight only goes ahead if it’s granted. 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. Every London address is checked against them before a flight. Strong wind or heavy rain also stops a small drone flying, and the rest of the survey doesn’t depend on the drone.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Shoreditch?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
It depends on the roof and how confident you want to be. Home surveys sometimes suggest a closer look at the roof, and our survey gives you that closer look. It is not a replacement for a RICS survey.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so we need permission from the building owner or managing agent. We inspect only the parts we’re allowed to reach.
Is your roof survey a RICS survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it isn’t a RICS home survey. It works alongside a home survey.
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 will help you choose.
Leave it or get it looked at?
A slow leak can go unnoticed for months. By the time a stain shows, timber or plaster may already be damp. Spotting it before you buy means you know about it from day one. Any roof job in Shoreditch means planning around parking, neighbours and access. Knowing what’s needed early gives you time to plan it calmly.
Every price we give includes VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Prices start from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
What you get with us
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Surveys seven days a week
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Every finding written up with photos
What a pre-purchase roof survey doesn’t cover
Some things cannot be seen without opening up the roof, so a survey has limits:
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Faults hidden behind ceilings, boards or coverings
- Asbestos testing of any kind
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
Local roofs and buyers in Shoreditch
Inner London’s Victorian and Edwardian terraces frequently have Welsh slate roofs. Many have butterfly roofs draining to a central valley gutter, with parapet walls and gutters hidden behind them. In a house like that, shared stacks, party-wall upstands and lead flashings all need looking at as far as they can be seen. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about. Historic houses such as Mansion House, about 1 mile south-west, show how far back building in the area around Shoreditch goes. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
For a London address like Shoreditch, it helps to know about controlled parking before the day. If you let a flat or house near Shoreditch High Street station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full. The streets around a church such as St Leonard's Church are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Shoreditch is about 2 miles north of London, in Greater London. We provide pre-purchase roof surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Shoreditch. Our Greater London coverage includes Shoreditch.
We cover every part of E1, E2 and N1 for pre-purchase roof surveys. That includes homes and businesses on New Road, Moor Lane and City Road. With the A1 and A10 close by, Shoreditch is easy for us to reach. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Haggerston (1 mile north), Hoxton (1 mile north-west), St Luke's (1 mile west), Spitalfields (1 mile south) and Finsbury (1 mile west). Within a short drive, we also cover City of Westminster (3 miles west), Marylebone (3 miles west), Kensington (6 miles west), Walthamstow (5 miles north-east), Hampstead (5 miles north-west) and Ruislip (15 miles west). As one of the bigger places in Greater London, Shoreditch has every kind of building, from houses and flats to offices.
Landmarks near Shoreditch
We work in homes and buildings around The Prince's School of Traditional Arts, Hackney University Technical College and Bishopsgate Institute Special Collections and Archives, among other places. You’ll also find Artillery Ground (0.5 miles south-west), Former London Apprentice pub (within half a mile north-west) and St Mary-at-Hill (1.1 miles south). Shoreditch has its own railway station: Shoreditch High Street station. Nearby you’ll also find Tower of London (1.2 miles south) and Gabriel's Wharf (1.8 miles south-west). For a walk, there is Tower Hill and St. James's Park Lake.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Shoreditch
Shared roofs need a little more planning: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you contact us and we will plan the survey around it.
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on.