Greater London · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Woolwich, Greater London
Know where you stand with the roof before you spend money on it. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Woolwich, with photos and a clear written report.
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
What a survey costs
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before you book. This is what makes a difference:
- Which survey package you book
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
Prices start from £150, inc. VAT, for a Basic Survey. Standard is from £250 and Premium from £400, both including VAT. You’ll know the price for the job before booking.
What to tell us when you get in touch
To price your survey accurately, we’ll ask about:
- Dates you’re working to, such as exchange
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
You can call us seven days a week. To book or ask a question, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Pre-purchase roof survey in Woolwich: what you get
A RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey covers the whole building, and the roof is only one part of it. We don’t offer a RICS home survey, and ours is not a substitute for one. What it adds is a closer look at the roof alone, with photos and written recommendations you can act on. You can have both. We survey lead flashings and valleys, clay and concrete tiles and the roof space, and the problems we are asked to look at most are gutters that overflow or drip at the joints and lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney.
In a London terrace or conversion, the roof often joins the neighbours’ roofs and shares their stacks and gutters, with parapet walls and party-wall upstands marking where one roof ends and the next begins. That matters for anyone buying in Woolwich or checking a new roof there: only the parts we are given access to and can see safely are inspected. For a flat, the lease usually says who looks after the roof.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Where
- Woolwich (SE18, E16, SE7)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
There isn’t much for you to do on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we will get on with the inspection. The survey itself takes roughly 1–2 hours at most homes, or half a day or so for a commercial building. In Woolwich, 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 as you book.
- 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.
- 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.
Before we arrive
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
Arrange a survey
Once you know what you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date.
Read more
Woolwich homes and their roofs
About 2.9 miles west lies Queen's House, a reminder of how long the area around Woolwich has been built on. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Woolwich is inside, or right on the edge of, the flight restriction zone around London City Airport. Where the drone is part of the survey, permission from the airport is needed first, and the flight only goes ahead if it’s given.
If you own a rental within reach of Woolwich Dockyard station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer. For a London address like Woolwich, it’s useful to know about controlled parking before the day.
Woolwich is about 6 miles south-east of Leyton, in Greater London. Woolwich is one of many places we visit across Greater London. Woolwich is one of the towns and villages in Greater London where we work for pre-purchase roof surveys. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
All of SE18, E16 and SE7 is within our area for pre-purchase roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. That includes homes and businesses on Market Street, Woolwich High Street and Beresford Square Market Place and the roads around them. Close by, we survey roofs in Plumstead (1 mile east), Charlton (1 mile west), New Charlton (1 mile west), Shooter's Hill (1 mile south) and Kidbrooke (2 miles south-west). Further out, we also cover London (7 miles west), City of Westminster (9 miles west), Marylebone (9 miles west), Kensington (11 miles west), St Pancras (8 miles west) and Shoreditch (7 miles north-west).
What’s near Woolwich
Typical jobs here are in homes near Woolwich Common, Oasis Academy Silvertown and Oasis Academy Silvertown. There’s a railway station in Woolwich itself: Woolwich Dockyard station. Well-known places in the area include Royal Artillery Museum (0.5 miles north-east) and British Hospital for Mothers and Babies (0.5 miles west). For a walk, there is Gilbert's Pit.
Can I check my roof myself?
You can learn a lot from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work with less disruption.
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Before and after the survey
Nothing here needs a ladder. Our suggestions:
- Ask for any paperwork for recent roof work
- Notice patches of new decoration in top-floor rooms
- Give your solicitor a copy of the report
- Let us know your exchange date when booking
You may want to pass the report to your solicitor or conveyancer so they can raise enquiries with the seller’s side. Past repairs, re-roofing and any records of that work are all fair questions, particularly where we’ve found patch repairs.
After strong winds, look at the roof from the ground. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Dealing with them early keeps water out.
Woolwich: your questions answered
Can parking be tricky for a visit in Woolwich?
In much of London, parking needs planning: a visitor permit or a bay close to the door helps a lot, so mention what’s available when you book.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Woolwich?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We survey seven days a week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Let us know which days suit you when booking.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so the freeholder or managing agent needs to agree access. We inspect only the parts we are allowed to reach.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. We survey the roof, not the whole building, and it isn’t a RICS home survey. It works alongside a home survey.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Not always. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
What insurance do you have?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Towns and villages near Woolwich
Also in Woolwich
What we look for on each type of roof
Natural slate
Good slate is one of the longest-lasting roof coverings, yet the nails that fix it often give out first. When slates start to slip, corroded nails are often the reason.
Clay and concrete tiles
Clay and concrete tiles commonly last 50 years or more. We check for slipped, cracked and missing tiles, and for mismatched replacements that point to past repairs.