Medway · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Borstal, Medway
An experienced roof surveyor for roof leak investigations in Borstal. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Damp walls below an overflowing gutter
- Ceiling stains that grow after rain
- A leak that comes and goes with the weather
How a roof leak investigation works in Borstal
Some leaks only appear in certain weather. Driving rain from one direction, melting snow or a gutter that overflows in a downpour can all set it off. Telling us when it happens helps a lot, along with any photos you’ve taken. We look for the clues it leaves behind, such as tide marks, stained timbers and damp underlay. Moisture readings show where materials are still wet. If you’ve noticed staining around the chimney inside and damp underlay across a wide area, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
Chimney stacks on older houses around places like Borstal can let water in, through worn flaunching, failed pointing or lifted flashings. Damp on a chimney breast is not always rain from above, which is why it is worth tracing properly. It is worth looking at the stack from outside and at the timbers beside it in the loft.
The report records the leaking roof as we found it on the day. It’s useful right away, and a good reference for later, such as when you want to compare after future work.
- Place
- Borstal (ME1, ME2)
- Region
- Medway
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips from our surveys
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Have an electrician check any wet fittings
- Check the loft is accessible
- Let us know what has already been tried
- Photograph the stain each time it appears
Your report arrives by email. It sets out where we believe the water is getting in, how it’s travelling and what needs attention. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Check the loft after heavy rain, with care and a good torch. Watch for water marks, wet underlay and damp wood. Take photos of anything that changes.
What affects the cost of roof leak investigations
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- The size of the roof
- Which survey package you book
- The shape of the roof and its details
Roof leak investigation starts from £150, including VAT. The final price depends on the size and height of the roof, access and which survey you book.
What to let us know when you contact us
These details help when you get in touch:
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- Anything about access we should know
- What made you get in touch
Unsure which package suits your roof? It is easiest to ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will explain the options and the price.
Common questions in Borstal
Is my home in Borstal listed or in a conservation area?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Borstal?
Places near the sea get more wind and more salt in the air than inland, and both are hard on roofs. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, while strong wind lifts anything already loose.
What does the report include?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos, finishing with recommendations. The most urgent items are made clear.
What happens after the survey?
The report arrives by email, with photographs and clear recommendations. With Standard there is a follow-up consultation; with Premium, an in-person consultation, so you can talk the findings through.
Do you cover Borstal for roof leak investigations?
Yes. We carry out roof leak investigations in Borstal, and the service is the same as everywhere else we work.
Why is the stain in a different place from the leak?
Water rarely drops straight down. It can follow a timber or the underlay a long way first, so the stain may be some distance from where it gets in. We follow the route back instead of guessing.
How long does the visit take?
On site, it usually takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Report times depend on the package.
Different roofs, different checks
Flat roof upstands and outlets
Flat roof water can travel under the covering before it shows. Moisture readings and thermal imaging can help narrow it down where conditions suit.
Lead flashings
Some roofs have mortar where you’d expect lead. They crack as the roof and wall move, letting rain run behind the joint.
Checking the roof from the ground
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Don’t go up yourself.
It’s useful to keep a record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry.
Towns and villages near Borstal
Other services in Borstal
How the survey works
A survey visit follows a simple order: we listen to what’s been worrying you, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, take photographs as we go and record our findings for the written report. It normally takes roughly 1–2 hours for a house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. With a bit of garden around a house, as there often is around Borstal, the roof can be viewed from several angles. Let us know if any side is fenced off or hard to reach. The loft, where there is safe access, completes the picture.
- You tell us where the water appears, when, and what the weather was doing.
- We examine the damp area and the rooms near it.
- In the loft, we follow any signs of water back towards the roof.
- Outside, we check flashings, valleys, chimneys, gutters and flat roof details from each safe vantage point.
- You receive a report with the likely source, photos and recommendations.
Before we arrive
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Check we can get to the back of the property
Booking a survey
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Related advice
Roof leak investigations around Borstal
The coast is about 4 miles or less from Borstal, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Strong wind lifts anything already loose, and driving rain gets in wherever it can, and salt air slowly wears metal fixings. Across Kent, older roofs are often handmade clay or peg tiles, and tile-hanging on upper walls is a familiar sight. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. The covering and its details give the first clues when tracing where water is coming from.
Trees in and around Baty's Marsh shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as St William of Perth Roman Catholic Primary School, water through a big roof can travel a long way before it drips, so the search covers more than the obvious spot. Shop and office owners around Pentagon Shopping Centre may find that finding where water is getting in quickly keeps disruption down.
Borstal is about 1 mile south-west of Rochester, in Medway. Borstal is part of the area we cover as part of our work across London and South East England. Our area takes in places right across Medway, large and small. There is also a page for Maidstone.
Here we cover the ME1 and ME2 postcode area for roof leak investigations. Whether your property is on Hill Road, Manor Lane and Mount Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Borstal is on the M2, so it’s easy for us to get to. Neighbouring places we cover for roof leak investigations include Rochester (1 mile north-east), Strood (1 mile north), Cuxton (1 mile west), North Halling (2 miles west) and Wouldham (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Gillingham (4 miles east), Rainham (5 miles east), Park Wood (5 miles east), Lordswood (4 miles south-east), Twydall (4 miles east) and Hoo St Werburgh (5 miles north-east).
Around Borstal
In Borstal, that means homes and buildings near Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School, Former Ordnance Store At Chatham Gun Wharf and St John Fisher RC Comprehensive School, among other places. The nearest railway station is Cuxton station, about 1 mile west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Six Poor Travellers House (1.3 miles north-east) and Rochester Castle (1.3 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Blue Bell Hill and Ranscombe Farm.
For landlords and managing agents
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, with the report sent to whoever needs it. Access is agreed with the tenant ahead of time.
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, including offices, shops and units. Bigger roofs take more time.