Greater London · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in Downe
Roof leak investigations for homes and businesses in Downe. We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Damp patches next to the stack
- Brown rings on upstairs ceilings
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
How a roof leak investigation works in Downe
Our job is to find the likely source and tell you. You get a report with photos showing the likely entry point and the route the water is taking, and recommends what should be done. Whoever does the work then has a clear starting point. We find and report the source, and the repair itself is a separate job. We survey flat roof details, rooflights and dormers and chimney stacks, and common reasons people get in touch are stains around a skylight and brown rings on upstairs ceilings.
Water getting into a London home often comes from a detail you can’t see from the street: a butterfly roof’s central valley gutter, a parapet gutter, a chimney flashing or a flat roof over a back addition. Whether you’re tracing a leak or recording storm damage in Downe, those are among the first places to look. Water from a hidden gutter can run along joists and show up a room or two away.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Place
- Downe (BR6)
- Region
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Downe roofs and the weather
Alongside Victorian and Edwardian terraces, outer London has a great many interwar semis, often with hipped roofs of clay or concrete tiles. Hips, bay roofs and later loft conversions are typical of those semis, if your home is one of them. Each of these roof types has its own typical places for water to get in. Down House, about 0.6 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Downe. If your house is among the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Anyone responsible for a site like Downe Primary School will know that tracing a leak on a big roof starts with where the water appears and works back. Take an older house close to St Mary's Church: the leak may come from a chimney, a valley or tired lead rather than the covering itself. For landlords with property near Chelsfield station, a clear finding on where water gets in helps you brief a roofer right away.
Downe is about 4 miles south-west of Orpington, in Greater London. Anywhere in Downe, we can come and survey your property. Downe is one of the places in Greater London we cover. There’s also a page for London.
Here we cover the BR6 postcode area for roof leak investigations. You’ll find streets such as High Street, North End Lane and Belle Vue Road. Neighbouring places we cover for roof leak investigations include Farthing Street (1 mile north-west), Hazelwood (1 mile east), Luxted (1 mile south), Leaves Green (1 mile west) and Single Street (2 miles south). We also work in nearby towns such as London (13 miles north-west), City of Westminster (15 miles north-west), Marylebone (15 miles north-west), St Pancras (15 miles north-west), Shoreditch (14 miles north-west) and Hoxton (15 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Downe
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Queens Head pub, Charles Darwin School and South Park and the streets around them. Downe’s nearest station is Chelsfield station, roughly 2.6 miles north-east. Nearby you’ll also find Crofton Roman Villa (2.7 miles north-east) and Princess Royal University Hospital (1.8 miles north). For a walk, there’s Downe Bank Nature Reserve and Betsom's Hill.
Also in Downe
What a survey costs
What a survey costs depends on the time and equipment it needs. That comes down to:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- The size of the roof
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the size and height of the roof, access and the package you choose.
Booking your survey
The more you let us know, the easier it is to price the survey. When you contact us, let us know:
- The type of building and roof, such as pitched or flat
- What’s prompted the survey
- Your timetable, like an exchange date
- Where the property is, with the postcode
If you are buying, it’s useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply call 07833 053749 or email us whenever suits you.
Roof by roof
Lead flashings
Wherever a roof meets a wall or stack, a flashing keeps rain out. Lifted, split or slipped lead is a common cause.
Valleys
Leaves and moss build up in valleys and hold water back. During a downpour, water can back up under the coverings.
Questions from Downe
How do I find out if my home in Downe is listed?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it is in a conservation area. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Can parking be tricky for a visit in Downe?
London parking needs a little planning, so let us know about permits, bays or a driveway when booking. That way the visit can be planned around it.
What will the report tell me?
It works through the roof part by part, in writing and with photos, finishing with recommendations. The most urgent items are made clear.
What do I do with the report?
You receive the written report by email, with photos and recommendations. It is yours to share with a seller, insurer, roofer or managing agent, whichever applies.
Do I need to be at home?
Someone needs to let us in if we are looking inside or in the loft. We’ll talk about access as you book.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it is applicable. Flights depend on the weather on the day and airspace rules. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator.
Can you tell me if my roof has asbestos?
No. We do not carry out asbestos surveys or testing. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings.
What you can safely check yourself
A lot can be seen from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, which helps when we check the roof.
What we cannot see
In fairness, there are limits to any roof survey:
- Whether rotten timbers meet design loads
- Leaks from plumbing, tanks or pipework rather than the roof
- A promise to find every leak on a single visit
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will give you a straight answer before you book. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Slate and tile slopes
- Flat roof details
- Lead flashings
- Rooflights and dormers
- The roof space
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Chimney stacks
What we do, step by step
The visit has one job: to look at the leaking roof as closely as is safe and record what we find. Notes and photos go into the written report. It normally takes about one to two hours, more where the leak is intermittent or the roof is large. London terraces rarely offer a view of the whole roof from one spot, so a visit in Downe moves between viewpoints: the pavement, upstairs windows, the loft and any safe spot at the back. Shared stairs or a basement flat? Let us know who holds the keys.
- You tell us where the water appears, when, and what the weather was doing.
- Inside, we look at the stain and the ceiling around it.
- From the loft space, we trace the water’s route where there is safe access.
- Outside, we check flashings, valleys, chimneys, gutters and flat roof details from every safe viewpoint.
- You receive a report with the likely source, photos and recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
- Let us know about parking near the property
Booking a survey
We confirm the price for your roof before you book, so you know where you stand. Our price is from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Related advice
Before and after the survey
You do not need to be a roofer to help. Here’s what helps most:
- Protect furniture and flooring under the leak
- Note the weather when the leak shows
- Keep water away from lights and sockets
- Clear the loft hatch so we can get in
The report gives whoever carries out the work a clear starting point. The photos show the defects and where they are, so the repair is aimed at the cause.
Look at the roof from ground level after strong winds. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles and debris on the ground are signs to act on. Prompt repairs stop gaps turning into leaks.