Greater London · London and the South East
Cranham Roof Leak Investigation
Tracing where water is getting into your roof across Cranham, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Call or email for a price.
- Leaks below a flat extension roof
- Brown rings on upstairs ceilings
- Leaks that appear only in driving rain
Before and after the survey
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Keep a photo record of the damp patch
- Catch drips in a bucket and protect the floor
- Write down the wind direction and rain when it leaks
- Do not touch fittings that water is reaching
If the leak turns out to be condensation, the report says so, with recommendations on ventilation. It saves chasing a leak that is not there.
After a storm, check the roof from the garden and the street. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Small faults dealt with quickly rarely become leaks.
About our roof leak investigation in Cranham
A leak that comes and goes can be the hardest to pin down. 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 and so do photos. Even on a dry day, a leak usually leaves clues: stained timbers, tide marks and damp underlay. Moisture readings show where materials are still wet. If you’ve noticed damp on a chimney breast and a leak that comes and goes with the weather, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on lead flashings, chimney stacks and valleys and parapet gutters alike.
In a London flat, water can travel some way before it shows, sometimes in a different flat from the one below the defect. That makes the source hard to pin down, and finding it matters for whoever has to deal with it. We look at what we’re given access to in Cranham, inside and out. Let us know when the water shows, and in what kind of weather.
The report does not just list problems. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Location
- Cranham (RM14)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney stacks
We look at the outside of the stack and the breast inside, and it isn’t a flue or gas safety check.
Slate and tile slopes
‘Nail fatigue’ is a common cause of slipped slates. Even a single gap can let water in.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Cranham
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps when budgeting.
Letting agents and landlords in Cranham book surveys as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the leaking roof, with photographs, which helps you plan work between tenancies.
Cranham roofs and the weather
In outer London, interwar semis with hipped, tiled roofs sit alongside older slate-roofed terraces. Bay roofs, hip ridges and dormers from later loft conversions are the details that set these houses apart. Each of these roof types has its own typical places for water to get in. Hare Hall, about 3 miles north-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Cranham. If you own one of the older houses, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof.
The streets around a church such as St Luke's Cranham are often among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, leaks on older roofs often start at lead flashings, valleys or around old chimney stacks. If you run a business near The Mercury Mall, water through a ceiling can damage stock and close a sales floor, so the source needs finding fast.
Cranham is about 2 miles east of Hornchurch, in Greater London. Roofs in Cranham get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Greater London. Our area takes in places right across Greater London. You can also see our page for Chelmsford.
Surveys in RM14 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Local streets include Avon Road, Moor Lane and Front Lane, all of which we cover. We also cover Upminster (1 mile west), Puddle Dock (1 mile east), Upminster Bridge (1 mile west), North Ockendon (2 miles south-east) and Emerson Park (2 miles north-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Shoreditch (15 miles west), Walthamstow (13 miles west), Hoxton (15 miles west), Whitechapel (15 miles west), Orpington (14 miles south-west) and Plaistow (11 miles west).
What’s near Cranham
We work in homes and buildings around The James Oglethorpe Primary School, The Crumpled Horn pub and St. Andrew's Park and the streets around them. The closest station to Cranham is Upminster station, about 0.7 miles west of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include The Mercury Mall (3.7 miles west) and Upminster Tithe Barn Museum of Nostalgia (0.6 miles north-west). Open spaces near Cranham include Cranham Brickfields.
How it works
You don’t need to do much 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 about 1–2 hours, more where the leak is intermittent or the roof is large. Surveys in Cranham can be booked for any day of the week. It helps if you can point us to a visitor permit or a nearby bay, and to clear a path to the loft hatch. Upstairs rooms at the back are useful too, as they often give the best view of a rear addition.
- You let us know 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.
- We inspect the likely entry points outside, from ground level, windows and the roof where safe.
- We email a written report showing where the water most likely gets in.
Getting ready for the survey
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Find any records of previous roof work
Booking a survey
When you’re ready to go ahead, call 07833 053749 or send us an email. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date.
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FAQs for Cranham
Is parking a problem for a survey in Cranham?
Parking in Cranham, as in most of London, takes a little planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day run more smoothly.
How do I find out if my home in Cranham is listed?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
How do you tell a leak from condensation?
The two can look alike. 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.
Can you find a leak when it isn’t raining?
In many cases, yes. Stains, tide marks, damp timbers and moisture readings usually point the way. Some leaks only show in particular weather, so your photos and notes from wet days are very useful.
Does someone need to be in?
Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that ahead of time, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
Will you check the loft?
Where it is relevant to the survey and there is safe access, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps, and if the loft can’t be reached safely, the report says so.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling are not something we do. The report may flag materials that could contain asbestos on buildings built or refurbished before 2000, with a recommendation to have a specialist asbestos surveyor check before it’s disturbed.
Why get it checked now?
Water damage grows the longer it is left. Wet timbers start to decay, plaster softens and insulation stops working. Finding the source early keeps the damage down. Any roof job in Cranham means planning around parking, neighbours and access. That’s a good reason to find problems early, while there’s time to plan.
We offer three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Why book with us
- An independent view of the roof
- 98% customer satisfaction
- PI and public liability insurance
- Packages from £150, including VAT
Also near Cranham
More services for Cranham
When to book a survey in Cranham
Flashings are one of the commonest sources of roof leaks. Lead or mortar closes the gap wherever a roof meets a wall, chimney or dormer. When lead lifts or splits, or a mortar fillet cracks, rain runs straight in.
Most people get in touch after spotting something like this:
- Damp underlay across a wide area
- Wet patches on loft insulation
- Ceiling stains that grow after rain
- Damp walls below an overflowing gutter
Homes near green spaces like St. Andrew's Park can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
What to check before booking
- What the survey will not cover
- Their report turnaround times
- Are they insured for the work?
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?