Greater London · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in Foots Cray
Roof leak investigations in Foots Cray from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys.
- Water dripping from rafters or underlay
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
- Water marks that spread in wet weather
Roof leak investigation in Foots Cray: what you get
We use moisture detection and thermal imaging where they help. Moisture detection confirms where timbers, plaster or insulation are damp. Thermal imaging shows temperature differences that can point to wet areas, not water itself, so its findings are checked with moisture readings. Thermal imaging is part of the Premium Survey, and moisture detection comes with Standard. The best thermal results come after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. We survey rooflights and dormers, lead flashings and flat roof details, and people most often book us about brown rings on upstairs ceilings and water through the ceiling under a flat roof.
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 Foots Cray, we inspect what we can reach safely and are given access to. It’s useful to know when the water appears and in what weather.
Most points in the report come with a picture, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Where
- Foots Cray (DA14, BR5)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Honest limits
It helps to know what a survey will not do before you book:
- Faults hidden behind ceilings or boarding
- An intermittent leak that shows no trace on the day
- Leaks from plumbing, tanks or pipework rather than the roof
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll point you to the right survey before you book. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- Flat roof details
- Lead flashings
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Slate and tile slopes
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Rooflights and dormers
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out by urgency where it matters, which helps when budgeting.
Why get it checked now?
Guesswork repairs are a common reason leaks keep coming back. Because water travels, the real entry point may be somewhere else. An investigation finds the likely cause first, so the repair is aimed at the right place. In Foots Cray, as in much of London, water from a roof defect can reach a neighbour’s home as easily as yours: a blocked parapet gutter or slipped slate can let water into the flat below or the house next door. Finding it early keeps the work smaller.
There are 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.
What you get with us
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Photos and a written report every time
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or our case studies.
Useful tips for Foots Cray property owners
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Leave roof access to professionals
- Mention earlier attempts to fix the leak
- Write down the wind direction and rain when it leaks
- Make sure the loft is accessible
Standard includes a follow-up consultation to talk the findings through, while Premium includes one in person. You can ask us about anything that is not clear.
Have leaves and moss cleared from gutters, valleys and outlets, ideally once the leaves have fallen. Blocked outlets on parapet and flat roofs cause many leaks. Leave the clearing to someone with the right equipment.
Also near Foots Cray
Also in Foots Cray
Your questions about roof leak investigations in Foots Cray
Is Foots Cray in the area you cover?
Yes. Our area covers London and the South East, and Foots Cray is part of that. Just call 07833 053749 or email us and tell us about the property, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Foots Cray?
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. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Will I get photos?
Yes, every report has them. Pictures sit next to the findings they show, so you can see what we mean.
How soon will I get the report?
It depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day. The report is emailed to you.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is often shared, so the freeholder or managing agent needs to agree access. We can only inspect what we’re given access to.
What happens next?
The report arrives by email, with photographs and clear recommendations. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation, so you can talk the findings through.
Are you structural engineers?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. The report will say if you need an engineer.
What happens on the day
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof; as a rough guide, the survey takes between one and two hours at most homes, and longer for a large or complex roof. You are welcome to ask questions while we’re there. For a visit in Foots Cray, parking and access are the things to plan: tell us about permits, visitor bays or off-street space, which floor the property is on and how to get into the loft. We then look at whatever is safely visible from ground level, windows, the loft and, where it’s safe, the roof itself.
- You tell us 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.
- Outside, we check flashings, valleys, chimneys, gutters and flat roof details from every safe vantage point.
- We email a written report showing where the water most likely gets in.
How to prepare
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Arrange a survey
Getting a price is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form, let us know about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Read more
What a roof leak investigation looks like in Foots Cray
About 2.8 miles north lies Danson House, a reminder of how long the area around Foots Cray has been built on. 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. In outer London, interwar semis with hipped, tiled roofs sit alongside older slate-roofed terraces. If your home in Foots Cray is one of them, bay roofs, hips and later dormers each have their own details. The covering and its details give the first clues when tracing where water is coming from.
For an older house near a landmark like Parish Church of All Saints, water on an older roof tends to find its way in at the lead, the valleys or the chimney. For site and facilities teams at buildings like Orchard Primary School, water through a big roof can travel a long way before it drips, so the search covers more than the obvious spot. Landlords with a home close to Sidcup station may find that a tenant living with a leak needs the cause found, not just the stain painted over.
Foots Cray is about 1 mile south-east of Sidcup, in Greater London. We carry out roof leak investigations for homes and businesses in Foots Cray and nearby. We cover towns and villages across Greater London, large and small. We also survey roofs in London.
Roof leak investigations in DA14 and BR5 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Streets in the area include Cray Road, Evry Road and The Avenue, and we cover them all. Foots Cray is on the A223, which makes it straightforward to reach. We also cover the places around Foots Cray: Ruxley (1 mile east), Albany Park (1 mile north-west), Upper Ruxley (1 mile east), Sidcup (1 mile north-west) and North Cray (2 miles north-east). We also work in nearby towns such as London (11 miles north-west), City of Westminster (13 miles north-west), Marylebone (13 miles north-west), Kensington (15 miles north-west), St Pancras (13 miles north-west) and Shoreditch (11 miles north-west).
Around Foots Cray
Typical jobs here are in homes near Foots Cray Meadows, Kemnal Technology College and Walsingham School and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Sidcup station, roughly 1.4 miles north of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Metropolitan Police Museum (1.3 miles north-west) and Queen Mary's Hospital (0.6 miles west). Open spaces near Foots Cray include Summer Hill and The Warren.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry and it will help the survey.