Greater London · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in Eltham
Tracing where water is getting into your roof around Eltham, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Leaks at a dormer or roof window
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
- Damp underlay across a wide area
How a roof leak investigation works in Eltham
Our roof leak investigations cover Eltham and the wider South East. Surveys are carried out on weekdays and at weekends. The investigation covers inside and out, from the stain to the likely entry points. The findings come in a written report with photos. If water is coming in now, catch it in a bucket and keep it away from lights and sockets, and then phone 07833 053749 or email us to arrange a visit. We survey lead flashings, rooflights and dormers and slate and tile slopes, and common reasons people get in touch are water that shows only in certain storms and staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall.
In converted houses and blocks across London, water from a roof can run a long way before it shows on a ceiling, 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. In Eltham, we inspect what we can reach safely and are given access to. Tell us when the water shows, and in what kind of weather.
The report doesn’t just list problems. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can plan your next steps.
- Location
- Eltham (SE9, SE12, DA15, BR7)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Roof leak investigations in Eltham: local notes
Outer London has a good many Victorian and Edwardian terraces with slate roofs, but also a great many interwar semis, often with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles. If your home in Eltham is one of them, bay roofs, hips and later dormers each have their own details. Different coverings let water in at different points, which shapes where the search starts. With Eltham Palace about 0.4 miles north-west, Eltham sits in an area with a long building history. If your home is one of the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
Living close to Horn Park is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching. For site and facilities teams at buildings like St Thomas More Catholic Comprehensive School, tracing a leak on a big roof starts with where the water appears and works back.
Eltham is about 7 miles west of Dartford, in Greater London. Eltham gets the same service as everywhere else we work: a careful inspection, photos and a written report. Eltham is one of the places in Greater London we cover. London is in our area too.
Roof leak investigations in SE9, SE12, DA15 and BR7 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Streets in the area include Eltham High Street, Tarnwood Park and Elmslie Court, and we cover them all. Eltham is on the A20 and B263, so it is easy for us to get to. If you’re just outside Eltham, we cover Middle Park (1 mile west), New Eltham (1 mile south-east), Well Hall (1 mile north), Coldharbour (1 mile south) and Avery Hill (1 mile north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover London (8 miles north-west), City of Westminster (10 miles north-west), Marylebone (10 miles north-west), Kensington (12 miles west), St Pancras (9 miles north-west) and Shoreditch (8 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Eltham
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Horn Park, Eltham Church of England Primary School and The Greyhound Public House. There’s a railway station in Eltham itself: Mottingham station. Well-known places in the area include Eltham Community Hospital (under half a mile north) and Metropolitan Police Museum (2.1 miles east). Green spaces nearby include The Tarn and Summer Hill.
Tips from our surveys
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Take dated photos of the leak
- Check the loft is accessible
- Let us know what has already been tried
- Note the weather when the leak shows
Standard includes a follow-up consultation to talk the findings through, and Premium includes an in-person consultation. It’s a chance to ask about anything in the report.
Do not block the vents at the eaves. Air movement keeps condensation down, which is frequently mistaken for a leak. Make sure insulation doesn’t block airflow at the eaves.
What you can safely check yourself
It’s useful to keep a record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us as you book.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date, which helps when we look at the roof.
What we do, step by step
Every roof is different, but as a rough guide the survey takes an hour or two at most homes, and more on a big or complicated roof. If you have questions on the day, just ask. In a London conversion, the way into the loft space is often from a communal landing or the top flat. If that applies to your building, it helps to agree access with the neighbours or the managing agent first. Everything else is planned around the building, not the postcode.
- You pick a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey.
- A visit is booked for a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- The investigation works from the stain back to the roof.
- Moisture detection and thermal imaging are used where your package includes them and they help.
- The report explains the likely entry point and what needs attention.
Preparing for the visit
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- Note where any stains or damp appear
Arrange a survey
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from the ground or a window, and please do not climb up for a closer look. To send them or to book, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
Related advice
Why get it checked now?
Water and electrics do not mix. If water is reaching a light fitting or switch, keep clear of it. Then the source needs tracing. In Eltham, as across London, an overflowing gutter soaks the wall below. A small blockage left for a few winters becomes a damp problem.
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, including VAT, and we can help you choose.
What you get with us
- An independent view of the roof
- Surveys seven days a week
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
Read what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.
Other services in Eltham
Your questions about roof leak investigations in Eltham
Do you carry out roof surveys in Eltham?
Yes, Eltham is within the area we cover. We work right across London and South East England. You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and some details.
Is parking a problem for a survey in Eltham?
Sometimes, yes. If Eltham has controlled parking where you are, a visitor permit is the easiest answer.
What does a roof survey cost?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for your survey before you book. For a price, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Do you look in the loft space?
Where it is relevant to the survey and there’s safe access, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. We will talk about access when you book.
Can you find a leak when it is not raining?
Typically, yes. Moisture detection shows where materials are damp even on a dry day. For leaks that only happen in certain storms, we report the most likely routes.
Will you photograph what you find?
Yes. Photographs are taken throughout the survey, and they go into the written report alongside our recommendations.
What we look for on each type of roof
Slate and tile slopes
On slate roofs, corroded nails let slates slip. Even a single gap can let water in, especially in driving rain.
Valleys
A valley leak can appear well away from the valley inside. We trace the route from the loft where there’s safe access.
Signs you need a roof leak investigation in Eltham
Valleys carry a lot of water. Worn lead, cracked linings or a build-up of leaves and moss can push water under the slates or tiles. The stain may appear well away from the valley itself.
Problems we come across often include:
- Leaks below a flat extension roof
- Brown rings on upstairs ceilings
- Damp patches next to the stack
- Water that shows only in certain storms
For landlords with property near Mottingham station, a tenant living with a leak needs the cause found, not just the stain painted over.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Is VAT included in the price?
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Their insurance cover