Greater London · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in East Wickham
Roof leak investigations in East Wickham and the rest of Greater London. Surveys run on any day of the week.
- Stains around a skylight
- Wet patches on loft insulation
- Leaks that appear only in driving rain
Wind, rain and roofs in East Wickham
Outer London has lots of Victorian and Edwardian terraces with slate roofs, but also a great many interwar semis, often with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles. Hips, bay roofs and later loft conversions are typical of those semis, if your home is one of them. Where water gets in depends a good deal on what the roof is made of and how it is detailed. Danson House, about 1.3 miles south-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around East Wickham. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
For landlords with property near Welling station, a tenant living with a leak needs the cause found, not just the stain painted over. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as East Wickham Primary Academy, on a building that size, finding the source of a drip means looking well beyond the stain.
East Wickham is about 1 mile north-west of Welling, in Greater London. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in East Wickham can all book roof leak investigations, with a written report and photographs every time. East Wickham is one of the places in Greater London where we work. We also survey roofs in London.
All of DA16, SE18 and SE2 is within our area for roof leak investigations, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We cover properties on Keats Road, Darwin Road and Edison Road. We also cover the places around East Wickham: Falconwood (1 mile south), Shooter's Hill (1 mile west), Blackfen (1 mile south), Plumstead (1 mile north-west) and Avery Hill (1 mile south-west). We also work in nearby towns such as London (8 miles west), City of Westminster (11 miles west), Marylebone (11 miles west), Kensington (13 miles west), St Pancras (10 miles north-west) and Shoreditch (8 miles north-west).
Near you in East Wickham
We work in homes and buildings around Shooters Hill Sixth Form College, Welling School and Shoulder of Mutton Green. East Wickham has its own railway station: Welling station. Well-known places in the area include Broadway Shopping Centre (2.3 miles south-east) and Greenwich Castle (4.3 miles west). For a walk, there is The Tarn and Summer Hill.
Roof leak investigation in East Wickham: what you get
Leaks tend to begin where one part of a roof meets another. Flashings at chimneys and walls, valleys, gutters, parapets and flat roof upstands and outlets are the usual suspects. Each of these is checked in turn and we follow where the evidence leads. Every chimney, dormer and roof light adds more joints to check. Each one is looked at from wherever it’s safe to see it. We survey lead flashings, slate and tile slopes and rooflights and dormers, and people most frequently book us about leaks below a flat extension roof and staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall.
Many London homes are well over a century old and their roofs have been patched more than once, so a new leak can be the latest sign of wear rather than a single event. Insurers usually exclude wear and tear, so it is useful to know whether damage is old or new. That’s as true in East Wickham as anywhere in London. A written record with photos helps you explain what was found to whoever deals with it next.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, sent by email. It sets out the condition of the leaking roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Location
- East Wickham (DA16, SE18, SE2)
- Region
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What affects the cost of roof leak investigations
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. The main factors are:
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- The roof’s overall size
- House, block, shop or office
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so they’re priced to match. The price is confirmed before booking.
Booking your survey
You don’t need to know any roofing terms. It is enough to tell us:
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- When you need the report by
- The kind of building and roof involved
- What made you get in touch
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and the days you’d prefer.
What we look for on each type of roof
Slate and tile slopes
A gap in the coverings exposes the underlay. Older felt may hold for a while, but it tears with age.
Chimney stacks
Our chimney check is a visual inspection of the stack, and it isn’t a flue or gas safety check.
Signs you need a roof leak investigation in East Wickham
Condensation is often mistaken for a leak. Moist air from bathrooms and kitchens condenses on the cold underside of the roof, especially where ventilation is poor. Drips from nails and damp underlay are typical signs.
Common reasons to book include:
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
- Stains around a skylight
- Staining around the chimney inside
- Water through the ceiling under a flat roof
For an older house near a landmark such as St Mary the Virgin, old mortar, worn lead and slipped slates are the usual suspects when water gets in.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- What they will not be able to tell you
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- How long the report takes to arrive
What we do, step by step
We photograph the roof as we go, so the report shows exactly what we saw. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available. Most surveys take about 1–2 hours for most homes, though a hard-to-trace leak can take longer. Surveys in East Wickham 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. A back bedroom window can be the best vantage point for a rear addition, so we may ask to use one.
- We start with your notes and photos of the leak.
- Inside, we check the stain and the ceiling around 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 every safe viewpoint.
- You receive a report with the likely source, photos and recommendations.
Before the survey
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
- Let us know about parking before the day
Arrange a survey
Unsure which package suits your roof? It’s easiest to call 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We’ll explain the options and the price.
Related advice
Before and after the survey
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out:
- Check the loft is accessible
- Take dated photos of the leak
- Have an electrician check any wet fittings
- Tell us about any past repairs to the roof
Keep the report after the work is done. If the leak returns, it’s a useful record of what was found, which makes the next step quicker.
Look at the roof from the ground after strong winds. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Prompt repairs stop gaps turning into leaks.
Why it is worth a survey now in East Wickham
Guesswork repairs are a common reason leaks keep coming back. The real way in may be a metre or more away. An investigation finds the likely cause first. A hidden valley or parapet gutter on a London house can hold water for weeks before anyone notices. When the stain finally shows, the damage underneath is often older than it looks.
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where it applies, which starts from £400, inc. VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you need to know.
Why book us in East Wickham
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
Take a look at our cost guide and what we found on two real jobs.
Questions from East Wickham
Is East Wickham in the area you cover?
Yes. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and East Wickham is part of that. You can phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and some details.
Can parking be tricky for a visit in East Wickham?
Parking in East Wickham, as in most of London, takes a little planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day run more smoothly.
Are you insured?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and sampling aren’t something we do. The report may flag materials that could contain asbestos on buildings built or refurbished before 2000.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it’s applicable and safe, yes. We fly a sub-250g drone and we are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where it applies.
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. Damp areas can hold heat differently from dry ones. Its findings are confirmed with a moisture check.