Greater London · London and the South East
South Ealing Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat around South Ealing, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
Why it is worth a survey now in South Ealing
The lender’s valuation is done for the lender, not for you. Its job is to check the property’s value for the mortgage, and it won’t look closely at the roof. Our survey is done for you, and the report is written for you to use. In a London terrace or conversion, a roof defect rarely stays your problem alone: a blocked parapet gutter or slipped slate can let water into the flat below or the house next door. Finding it early keeps the work smaller.
There are three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Why us?
- Every finding written up with photos
- 98% of clients satisfied
- 20+ years’ experience
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in South Ealing
A Basic Survey starts from £150, while Standard starts from £250 and Premium from £400, including VAT. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check. Premium goes further, with thermal imaging, a drone where applicable and a same-day report. Choose the level that suits the home you are buying. Every package comes with a written report, photos and recommendations. If you’re worried about slipped or missing slates and tiles and chimney mortar that has eroded, we can find out what’s behind it.
London’s housing runs from Victorian and Edwardian terraces to interwar semis, post-war estates and new blocks of flats, and a home in South Ealing 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.
After the visit, you get a report with photos, sent by email. It explains the condition of the roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Place
- South Ealing (W5, W13, TW8)
- Region
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Common roof problems in South Ealing
The fixings and underlay often fail before good slates or tiles do. Good slate can last well over a century, yet the nails holding it rust and let slates slide. That kind of wear is common on older roofs and easy to miss from ground level.
It is worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- A ridge or slope that dips
- Chimney mortar that has eroded
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Flashings that have lifted or split
Landlords with a home close to Brentford station may find that a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Before you book anyone
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Which limits apply to the survey
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
What we do, step by step
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. The inspection then takes roughly 1–2 hours on an ordinary house; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. Surveys in South Ealing can be booked for any day of the week. London parking is often by permit or pay-and-display, so it helps to know what’s near you, and to clear a path to the loft hatch. A back bedroom window can be the best vantage point for a rear addition, so we may ask to use one.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the loft space is agreed in advance.
- The visit begins outside, from ground level and any safe vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it’s safe.
- The report is emailed with photos and recommendations, ready to use before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Keep pets in another room
- Let us know about parking near the property
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
Arrange a survey
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email to find out.
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Useful tips for South Ealing property owners
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Arrange the survey as soon as your offer is agreed
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Ask the agent to check the loft hatch can be opened
- Ask when the roof was last worked on
If you want quotes for the work, roofers can work from the report. They’ll see exactly what we found, and where, so each quote covers the same ground.
Once you’ve moved in, keep gutters, valleys and outlets clear, particularly after autumn. Blocked gutters cause much of the damp we see. Get a professional in rather than climbing up yourself.
What this survey can’t tell you
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- A structural engineer’s report
- Walls, floors, services and rooms below the roof
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will tell you. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Natural slate
- Chimney stacks
- Gutters and downpipes
- The roof space
Pre-purchase roof surveys around South Ealing
Further from the centre, London’s housing takes in interwar semis with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles as well as 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. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about. If the drone is used for your survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
Take an older house close to St Mary's Church: a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming. Gunnersbury Park, about 0.7 miles east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around South Ealing. Older homes in the area can come with listed status or conservation area rules, which affect re-roofing, so check with the council before you buy.
South Ealing is about 1 mile south of Ealing, in Greater London. We survey roofs in South Ealing across London and South East England. South Ealing is one of the places in Greater London we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. There’s also a page for London.
All of W5, W13 and TW8 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. That includes homes and businesses on South Road, Elers Road and Carew Road. Other places close to South Ealing include Ealing (1 mile north), Hanwell (1 mile north-west), West Ealing (2 miles west), Pitshanger (2 miles north) and Brentham Garden Suburb (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include London (9 miles east), City of Westminster (7 miles east), Marylebone (7 miles east), Kensington (5 miles east), St Pancras (8 miles east) and Shoreditch (10 miles east).
Around South Ealing
In South Ealing, that means homes and buildings near Lammas Park, Ealing Independent College and Ealing Park Tavern, among other places. Nearby too are Library for Iranian Studies (1.4 miles east) and Great Ealing School (within half a mile north). South Ealing’s nearest station is Brentford station, about 0.9 miles south. Nearby you’ll also find Gunnersbury Park House - Large Mansion (0.9 miles east) and Ealing Hospital (1.7 miles west). The countryside around South Ealing includes Kew Gardens Lake and Castlebar Hill.
Common questions in South Ealing
Is my home in South Ealing listed or in a conservation area?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Will parking be an issue for a roof survey in South Ealing?
It can be, so it is useful to let us know about permits, visitor bays or off-street space when booking. The visit is then planned around what’s available.
How long does a pre-purchase roof survey take?
Allow about one to two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. We will confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
Only where it’s safe to do so. Much of the inspection is done from ground level, from windows and from the roof space. On Premium, a drone is used where it applies.
Do you need access inside the house?
Ideally, yes. The loft tells us a lot about the roof, and upstairs windows give useful views. Access is usually arranged through the agent or seller.
Do you work in South Ealing?
Yes. We cover South Ealing and the rest of Greater London. To book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it is not a RICS home survey. It complements one rather than replacing it.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and falls from height are serious. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.