Medway · London and the South East
Cooling Roof Leak Investigation
We carry out roof leak investigations in Cooling and the rest of Medway. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
- Leaks that appear only in driving rain
- Condensation that looks like a leak
- Brown rings on upstairs ceilings
Roof leak investigation in Cooling: what you get
On older houses, leaks often start at lead work and hidden gutters. Worn lead, tired valley linings and blocked parapet outlets are frequent causes. If your home has a butterfly roof, the central valley gutter is a common culprit. Parapet walls and their gutters are checked from wherever it’s safe. Our report shows what we found, with photos. We survey the roof space, valleys and parapet gutters and slate and tile slopes, and the problems we are asked to look at most are damp underlay across a wide area and leaks below a flat extension roof.
Many homes in small places like Cooling face open ground, so storms hit ridges, verges and chimneys hard. Damp in old stone, brick or timber walls is slow to dry out, so it pays to find the cause quickly. A written record also helps if you need to explain it to anyone else.
Where we cannot see part of the leaking roof, the report says so. That way, it’s clear what was covered and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Where
- Cooling (ME3)
- Region
- Medway
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Can I check my roof myself?
A lot can be seen from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
It is useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when you book and it will help the survey.
How the survey works
There isn’t much for you to do on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we will take it from there. The survey itself takes an hour or two for most houses, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. Cottages and farmhouses around Cooling often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- We start with your notes and photos of the leak.
- Inside, we look at the stain and the ceiling around it.
- From the roof space, we trace the water’s route where there’s safe access.
- Outside, we check flashings, valleys, chimneys, gutters and flat roof details from each safe vantage point.
- We email a written report showing where the water most likely gets in.
Before we arrive
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
Getting a price
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Advice
Why act early in Cooling
A leak near lights or wiring needs attention quickly. If water is reaching a light fitting or switch, keep clear of it. Finding where the water is getting in should follow straight away. In a place like Cooling, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
We offer three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you’d like to know.
Why book us in Cooling
- Prices that include VAT
- Surveys seven days a week
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- Plain-English reports with photos
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
Tips that help
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Catch drips in a bucket and protect the floor
- Don’t touch fittings that water is reaching
- Let us know what has already been tried
- Stay off ladders and the roof
With the Standard Survey you get a follow-up consultation, while Premium includes one in person. It’s a chance to ask about anything in the report.
After a downpour, look in the roof space with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Look for drips, damp patches and stains on timbers. Photograph anything new.
What a roof leak investigation looks like in Cooling
Cooling is within about 3 miles of the coast, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Strong wind lifts anything already loose, and driving rain gets in wherever it can, while salt slowly corrodes metal fixings and flashings. Restoration House, about 4.9 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Cooling. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead.
For landlords with property near Higham station, a clear finding on where water gets in helps you brief a roofer straight away.
Cooling is about 5 miles north of Rochester, in Medway. Surveys in Cooling work the same way as everywhere we cover: a close look at what can safely be seen, photographs and a clear written report. Cooling is one of the places in Medway we cover for roof leak investigations. We also survey roofs in Maidstone.
We work across ME3 for roof leak investigations. You’ll find streets such as Main Road and Cooling Road, and we cover them all. We also cover the places around Cooling: Cooling Street (1 mile south-west), High Halstow (2 miles east), Sharnal Street (2 miles south-east), Fenn Street (2 miles east) and Chattenden (2 miles south). Further out, we also cover Gillingham (6 miles south), Chatham (7 miles south), Rochester (5 miles south), Rainham (7 miles south-east), Strood (5 miles south-west) and Luton (6 miles south).
Near you in Cooling
The closest station to Cooling is Higham station, roughly 3.3 miles south-west. Well-known places in the area include Upnor Castle (3.4 miles south) and French Hospital (4.8 miles south). Not far away are Canvey Wick and Gad's Hill.
Nearby places to Cooling
More services for Cooling
Signs you need a roof leak investigation in Cooling
Blocked gutters can look like a roof leak. Hidden gutters behind parapets cause the most trouble, because when they block, water backs up and runs inside.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Leaks below a flat extension roof
- Ceiling stains that grow after rain
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
- Wet patches on loft insulation
If you live in an older home near St James' Church, the leak may come from a chimney, a valley or tired lead rather than the covering itself.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- How soon the report will arrive
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
Questions from Cooling
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Cooling?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
Is Cooling within the area you cover?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Could my leak actually be condensation?
Condensation can look very like a leak. Widespread damp on the underside of the roof in cold weather, with blocked vents, suggests condensation. We check the pattern, take moisture readings and tell you which is more likely.
Is thermal imaging part of a leak investigation?
It can, when the conditions are right. The best results come after a sunny day, on a dry roof with little wind. Wet insulation holds heat longer than dry, which can show up on the image. Its findings are confirmed with a moisture check.
Why is the stain in a different place from the leak?
Rain that gets in will run along whatever it lands on. On a pitched roof it frequently runs down a rafter before it shows. Following that route is what our investigation does.
Can you trace a leak in dry weather?
In many cases, yes. Stains, tide marks, damp timbers and moisture readings typically point the way. Some leaks only show in particular weather, so your photos and notes from wet days are very useful.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We can flag materials that might contain asbestos, but only a specialist asbestos surveyor can confirm it. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain it.
Honest limits
It’s useful to know what a survey won’t do before you book:
- What’s under the covering or behind the plaster
- An intermittent leak that shows no trace on the day
- A structural engineer’s report
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 our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Rooflights and dormers
- Slate and tile slopes
- Flat roof details
- Lead flashings