Greater London · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in South Hornchurch, Greater London
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in South Hornchurch, and put it all in a photo-illustrated written report.
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Old water stains in the loft space
Tips from our surveys
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Request records of any re-roofing
- Mention any deadline when you contact us
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
With the findings in hand, you can talk to the seller or their agent. Some buyers ask for repairs before completion, others ask for a change to the price. What happens next is your decision and the seller’s, and we cannot promise any result.
Keep the loft ventilated. Condensation in a roof space can look like a leak and can damage timbers over time. Keep insulation clear of eaves vents so air can move.
About our pre-purchase roof survey in South Hornchurch
A RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey covers the whole building, so the roof is one item among many. We do not offer a RICS home survey, and ours isn’t a substitute for one. It adds a focused look at the roof on its own, with photos and written recommendations you can act on. The two sit side by side if you want the fullest picture. We survey chimney stacks, the roof space and gutters and downpipes, and common reasons people get in touch are gutters that overflow or drip at the joints and lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney.
Many London homes have been converted into flats, extended at the back or given a loft conversion with a dormer. Every alteration brings new junctions, flashings and flat-roof areas to look at. If you are buying a flat or house in South Hornchurch, or have just had new roofing work done, those junctions are often where problems start. Dormer cheeks, lead work and new flat roofs are worth checking closely, as faults there are easy to miss.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Place
- South Hornchurch (RM13, RM10, RM12)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
FAQs for South Hornchurch
Will parking be an issue for a roof survey in South Hornchurch?
In much of London, parking needs planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day run more smoothly, so mention what’s available as you book.
Are there drone restrictions around South Hornchurch?
That depends on where the roof is and on the weather. 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. Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions. Strong wind or heavy rain also stops a small drone flying, and the rest of the survey doesn’t depend on the drone.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Our report may flag materials that could contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
How many surveys have you done?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have completed over 5,000 surveys.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. Our survey looks at the roof only, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It complements one rather than replacing it.
Does someone need to be in?
Not always. If we only need the outside, we can agree that beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Do you need to go inside the property?
Where we can, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If we cannot get in, the report says so.
Also near South Hornchurch
Other services in South Hornchurch
What we do, step by step
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof; as a rough guide, the survey takes between one and two hours at most homes, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. If you have questions on the day, just ask. In South Hornchurch, as in much of London, a good many properties are flats or terraces without side access, so the back of the roof is frequently seen from upstairs windows, from inside or, where a flight is allowed, from the air. Mention any building rules, key holders or managing agents when booking.
- Once your offer is accepted, you tell us the address and when you hope to exchange.
- Access to the house and the roof space is agreed beforehand.
- 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
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
How to book
You can call us seven days a week. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Advice
What we can’t see
No survey can tell you everything, and it’s better to know them up front. Keep these in mind:
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Whether timbers meet design loads
- Whether the price should change, which is between you and the seller
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What we look at
- Natural slate
- Gutters and downpipes
- Chimney stacks
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
DIY checks: what’s safe
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are frequently out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Do not go up yourself.
Landlords, agents and block managers in South Hornchurch
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the addresses.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client, photos included.
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
Prices vary from roof to roof, for these reasons:
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- How big the roof is
To find out what your survey will cost, phone 07833 053749 or email us and tell us about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Getting in touch
To price your survey accurately, we’ll ask about:
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- Anything about access we should know
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from the ground or a window, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To get started, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Local roofs and buyers in South Hornchurch
If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. Outer London has a good many Victorian and Edwardian terraces with slate roofs, but also a great many interwar semis, frequently with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles. Hips, bay roofs and later loft conversions are typical of those semis, if your home is one of them. The covering on a house you’re buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest.
Take an older house close to St John's Parish Church: the roof may have had decades of patch repairs, and the survey shows where they are. Parking in South Hornchurch, as in most of London, takes a little planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day easier. For landlords with property near Rainham (Essex) station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
South Hornchurch is about 3 miles south of Romford, in Greater London. Surveys in South Hornchurch work the same way as everywhere we cover: a close look at whatever is safely visible, photographs and a clear written report. We cover towns and villages across Greater London, large and small. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
We survey roofs across the RM13, RM10 and RM12 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. We offer pre-purchase roof surveys to properties on Hood Road, Ford Lane and Philip Road and the roads around them. Neighbouring places we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys include Beam Park (1 mile south-west), Rainham (1 mile south-east), Hornchurch Marshes (1 mile south-west), Dagenham (1 mile north-west) and Elm Park (1 mile north-east). Further out, we also cover London (12 miles west), City of Westminster (15 miles west), Marylebone (14 miles west), St Pancras (13 miles west), Shoreditch (11 miles west) and Walthamstow (10 miles north-west).
Around South Hornchurch
Around South Hornchurch, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Bell pub, The Brittons Academy and Beam Valley Country Park and the streets around them. The closest station to South Hornchurch is Rainham (Essex) station, roughly 0.9 miles south. Other landmarks nearby include St George's Hospital (1.9 miles north-east) and The Brewery (3.1 miles north). Open spaces near South Hornchurch include Ingrebourne Marshes.