Greater London · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Willesden Green, Greater London
Pre-purchase roof surveys around Willesden Green, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney
Can I check my roof myself?
It helps to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us as you book and it will help the survey.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: 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.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Willesden Green: what you get
Some roofs cannot be seen well from the ground or from windows. Our Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and, where it applies, a drone inspection, and the report arrives the same day. If airspace rules or the weather rule out a flight, we will say so and look from the ground, windows and the loft instead. If you are worried about quick fixes on flashings and valleys and slates or tiles that have slipped or gone, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
In London, a good many houses have been split into flats, extended or fitted with a dormer loft conversion. Each change adds roof details, such as flat roofs, new flashings and junctions with the original slopes. If you are buying a flat or house in Willesden Green, 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.
The report doesn’t just list problems. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, so you can plan your next steps.
- Location
- Willesden Green (NW10, NW2, NW6)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where applicable) come with the Premium Survey, which starts from £400, with VAT included. We can help you choose the package that fits what you need to know.
What to let us know when you get in touch
When you call or email, these details help:
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- When you need the report by
Our phone lines are open seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Roof by roof
Flat roofs
Repeated coatings on a flat roof can mask what’s underneath. We say when the covering would need opening up to know more.
Natural slate
Natural slate can last 100 years or more, but the nails holding it corrode long before that. When slates start to slip, corroded nails are frequently the reason.
Common roof problems in Willesden Green
A chimney stack stands out in the wind and rain and they’re often the least maintained part of a roof. Mortar erodes, the flaunching around the pots cracks and the flashings work loose. On terraced and semi-detached homes, a stack may be shared with next door, which matters if work is needed.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Old water stains in the loft space
Parking in Willesden Green, as in most of London, takes a little planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day easier, as a space near the door can’t be promised.
What to check before booking
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
- What follow-up you get after the report
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- Their track record with similar roofs
The survey, step by step
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. Then the inspection itself takes an hour or two for a house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Surveys in Willesden Green can be booked for any day of the week. London parking is often by permit or pay-and-display, so it’s useful to know what’s near you. Upstairs rooms at the back are useful too, as they often give the best view of a rear addition.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you are buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- You receive the report, with findings prioritised by urgency, so you can raise them with the seller.
How to prepare
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- For flats, make sure roof access has been agreed
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
Booking a survey
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. You will know the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
Towns and villages near Willesden Green
What else we do in Willesden Green
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Willesden Green: local notes
If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. Historic houses like Fenton House, about 2.5 miles north-east, show how far back building in the area around Willesden Green goes. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Take an older house close to Church of St Andrew: a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming. For landlords with property near Kensal Rise station, it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
Willesden Green is about 1 mile south-east of Neasden, in Greater London. In Willesden Green, as across Greater London, every roof gets the same careful survey. Willesden Green is one of the places in Greater London where we work. London is in our area too.
Here we cover the NW10, NW2 and NW6 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. We cover properties on Fry Road, High Road and Dean Road. We also cover Willesden (1 mile north), College Park (1 mile south), Kensal Green (1 mile south), Harlesden (1 mile south-west) and Kensal Rise (1 mile south-east). We also work in nearby towns such as London (7 miles south-east), City of Westminster (4 miles south-east), Marylebone (4 miles south-east), Kensington (3 miles south-east), St Pancras (5 miles east) and Shoreditch (7 miles east).
Landmarks near Willesden Green
In Willesden Green, that means homes and buildings near Roundwood Park, Brondesbury College and Capital City Academy, among other places. The nearest railway station is Kensal Rise station, roughly 0.7 miles south-east. Other landmarks nearby include O2 Centre (2.2 miles east) and Brent Museum and Archives (within half a mile north). Open spaces near Willesden Green include Campden Hill and Westbere Copse.
Willesden Green questions
Are there drone restrictions around Willesden Green?
It depends on the exact address and the weather 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. Every London address is checked against them before a flight. Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions. High wind or heavy rain also stops a small drone flying, though the rest of the survey goes ahead either way.
Is parking a problem for a survey in Willesden Green?
Normally it’s manageable with a little notice. Let us know the parking rules on your street and we will work around them.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it is not a RICS home survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Will you need to get into the loft?
Ideally, yes. The loft tells us a lot about the roof, and upstairs windows give useful views. The agent or seller can arrange entry.
How long will you be at the property?
On site, it normally takes an hour or two at a typical home, and longer for a large or complex roof. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Someone needs to let us in if we’re looking inside or in the loft. Access is agreed with you as you book.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is frequently shared, so whoever owns or manages the building needs to agree access. We inspect only the parts we’re allowed to reach.
Before and after the survey
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Ask for loft access on the day
- Tell us your exchange date when you book
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- For a flat, check who is responsible for the roof
With Standard, you get a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. Whichever package you choose, you can ask us what a finding means.
Chimneys and flashings need watching. Watch for gaps in the pointing, cracked flaunching and loose lead. A pair of binoculars from the garden shows a lot.