Greater London · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Temple Bar, Greater London
Know where you stand with the roof before you spend money on it. Pre-purchase roof surveys in Temple Bar.
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Temple Bar
Older homes often have roofs that have been patched over the years. Slates slip when their nails corrode, lead valleys and flashings wear, and chimney pointing crumbles. Most of it cannot be seen from the street. We look closely and record what we see, with photographs that show you exactly where. Each finding is explained in plain words, so it is clear what it means for your purchase. We survey natural slate, the roof space and flat-roofed extensions and dormers, and people most often book us about flashings that have lifted or split and slates or tiles that have slipped or gone.
London terraces and converted houses frequently share a roof line, chimney stacks and gutters with the house next door. That matters for anyone buying in Temple Bar or checking a new roof there: we inspect what we are given access to and can see safely, which may not include a neighbour’s side. For a flat, the lease typically says who looks after the roof.
The written findings come by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Where
- Temple Bar (WC2B, WC2E, EC1N)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Checking the roof from ground level
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.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Temple Bar
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Mention it when you contact us and we will plan the survey around it.
With a portfolio of properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Also near Temple Bar
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What we can’t see
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
- Confirmation of asbestos in cement sheets or soffits
- A structural engineer’s report
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will tell you before you book. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Natural slate
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
What happens on the day
We photograph the roof as we go, so the report shows exactly what we saw. We take close-ups from wherever is safe. Most surveys take about one to two hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. London terraces rarely offer a view of the whole roof from one spot, so in Temple Bar we work round the house, using the street, the windows, the loft and any safe vantage point behind it. If other people live in the building, let us know who can let us into the shared parts.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
Before the survey
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Getting a price
Getting a price is simple: just call 07833 053749 or use the contact form, let us know about the property and we will recommend the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
Read more
Leave it or get it looked at?
Sellers aren’t always aware of roof problems. The forms they complete only show what they’re aware of. Our survey shows you the roof as it is today. Many older London roofs have only old felt under the slates, or no underlay at all, so once the slates or flashings let water past, little stops it reaching ceilings. Left unchecked, water soaks into timber and plaster and the damage spreads.
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. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
What you get with us
- Photographs and a written report every time
- Satisfaction rate of 98%
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
See what a roof survey costs and our case studies.
Roof by roof
Natural slate
Older slate roofs often have bitumen felt under them, and very old ones may have none. From inside the loft space, we report what we can see of it.
Chimney stacks
We inspect the outside of the stack, and it isn’t a flue or gas safety check. We’ll say if the flue needs a specialist.
Temple Bar homes and their roofs
Close to the centre of London, a great many houses are Victorian or Edwardian terraces, many of them roofed in Welsh slate. A butterfly roof with a central valley gutter, tucked behind a parapet wall, is common on these houses. In a house like that, shared stacks, party-wall upstands and lead flashings all need looking at as far as they can be seen. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most. Temple Bar is about 1 mile from the restricted area over the City of London, where drone flights need permission from NATS. If your survey includes the drone, the address is checked against it before any flight.
Landlords with a home close to City Thameslink station may find that a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one. If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Temple Church, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming. Controlled parking zones are common in London, so mention any permit rules for Temple Bar, along with any off-street space.
Temple Bar is about 1 mile south of St Pancras, in Greater London. Temple Bar is part of the area we cover and the surrounding area across London and South East England. Our Greater London coverage includes Temple Bar.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: WC2B, WC2E and EC1N. Whether your property is on Shoe Lane, Drury Lane and New Square or anywhere close by, we can help. With the A4 and A40 close by, Temple Bar is easy for us to reach. We also cover Temple (1 mile south), Clare Market (1 mile west), Aldwych (1 mile west), Blackfriars (1 mile east) and Covent Garden (1 mile west). We also work in nearby towns such as Kensington (4 miles west), Walthamstow (6 miles north-east), Hampstead (4 miles north-west), Ruislip (13 miles west), Brompton (3 miles south-west) and Stockwell (3 miles south).
Around Temple Bar
Around Temple Bar, our work takes us to homes and buildings near British Library of Political and Economic Science, Mercers' School and London Nautical School. You will also find Lincoln's Inn Fields (under half a mile north-west) and Queen's Head Tavern (less than half a mile north-east). There’s a railway station in Temple Bar itself: City Thameslink station. Nearby you will also find Montfichet's Tower (0.5 miles east) and Twinings Museum (under half a mile south-west). Open spaces near Temple Bar include Ludgate Hill and Barnsbury Wood.
Common questions in Temple Bar
Is parking a problem for a survey in Temple Bar?
Parking in Temple Bar, as in most of London, takes a little planning: a visitor permit or a bay close to the door helps a lot.
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Temple Bar?
That depends on where the roof is and on the weather. Temple Bar is about 2 miles from the edge of the flight restriction zone around London Heliport in Battersea. The exact boundary is checked for each address before any flight, and a roof inside it needs permission before we fly. Temple Bar 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 is granted. 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, though the rest of the survey goes ahead either way.
Do I need to be at home?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the loft space, someone has to give us access, while outside access can be discussed when booking.
Are you insured?
We are covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Do you work in Temple Bar?
Yes, we do. Temple Bar is part of the area we cover.
Do you need to go inside the property?
If it can be arranged, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If we can’t get in, the report says so.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Only where it is safe to do so. We inspect from ground level, from windows and vantage points, from the loft and from the roof itself where safe. The Premium Survey adds a drone inspection where it applies.