Kent · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in Forstal
Roof leak investigations in Forstal from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us.
- Damp walls below an overflowing gutter
- Wet patches on loft insulation
- Water coming in around a roof light or dormer
Roof leak investigations for homes and businesses in Forstal
Roof leaks rarely show up where you’d expect. Water frequently travels along timbers or underlay before it finds a way down, so a ceiling stain is rarely directly below the cause. We follow it back towards where it starts. Patching the spot above the stain often misses the real cause. Tracing the route first means any work can be aimed at the right place. We survey flat roof details, rooflights and dormers and valleys and parapet gutters, and the problems we are asked to look at most are drips in the loft during heavy rain and wet patches high on an inside wall.
Roofs in small places like Forstal often stand in the open, so storms hit ridges, verges and chimneys hard. Damp in old stone, brick or timber walls is slow to dry out, so it pays to find the cause quickly. A record with photographs is useful if you need to show the damage to anyone else.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Where
- Forstal (ME20)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
The visit usually starts outside and finishes in the loft: first the slopes, edges and gutters from every safe viewpoint, then the roof space where it can be reached. In total, it takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. In a small place like Forstal, access is usually the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- You get in touch with details of the leak and any photos.
- We check the stain, the ceiling and the loft above it.
- We check the likely entry points outside, like flashings, valleys, chimneys and gutters.
- We use moisture detection, and thermal imaging where it’s useful.
- Your report sets out where the water is most likely getting in, with photos and recommendations.
Before the survey
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
Arrange a survey
We survey roofs on weekdays and at weekends. To find a date that works for you, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Related advice
More services for Forstal
Questions from Forstal
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Forstal?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do you cover Forstal?
Yes, Forstal is within the area we cover. We survey roofs across London and South East England. Just phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know about the property.
What do I do with the report?
You will get the report by email. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation, so you can talk the findings through.
Do you need to get into the loft?
If the survey needs it and the roof space can be reached safely, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We note visible signs such as sagging or deflection, but we’re not structural engineers and do not carry out calculations. If we think you need an engineer, the report says so.
How much is a survey?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Our three packages are Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, including VAT.
How long will you be at the property?
The visit typically takes roughly 1–2 hours, more where the leak is intermittent or the roof is large. We’ll confirm what to expect when we arrange the visit.
DIY checks: what’s safe
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when booking, as it helps us focus the survey.
When to book a survey in Forstal
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.
Typical things we’re asked to look at include:
- Leaks at a dormer or roof window
- Water that shows only in certain storms
- Damp on a chimney breast
- Staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall
Homes near green spaces like Tyland Barn can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- When you will get the report
Roof by roof
Chimney stacks
Our chimney check is a visual inspection of the stack, and it is not a flue or gas safety check.
Lead flashings
Lead flashings seal the joints at chimneys, walls and dormers. Lifted, split or slipped lead is a common cause.
Wind, rain and roofs in Forstal
Older houses across Kent often have handmade clay or peg tiles, and many have tile-hung walls. Kent’s older buildings take in oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses as well. Each of these roof types has its own typical places for water to get in. Starkey Castle, about 4.4 miles north, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Forstal. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Landlords with a home close to Aylesford station may find that tracing a leak quickly matters when a tenant is living with it. Take an older house close to Methodist Church Including Sunday School: old mortar, worn lead and slipped slates are the usual suspects when water gets in.
Forstal is about 3 miles north-west of Maidstone, in Kent. If you’re in Forstal, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Forstal is one of the places in Kent where we work.
Here we cover the ME20 postcode area for roof leak investigations. If you need a roof leak investigation at a property on Beddow Way and Forstal Road or a nearby road, we can survey it. We also cover Pratling Street (1 mile north-east), Eccles (1 mile north-west), New Hythe (2 miles west), Burham (2 miles north) and Larkfield (2 miles west). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (3 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (11 miles east), Dartford (15 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (13 miles west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (15 miles south-west) and Gravesend (10 miles north-west).
Around Forstal
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Aylesford School, The Bush pub and Tyland Barn and the streets around them. The closest station to Forstal is Aylesford station, about 1.2 miles west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Medway megaliths (1 mile north) and Maidstone Hospital (2 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Boxley Hills and Burham Down.
How we price roof leak investigations
Prices vary from roof to roof, and it comes down to:
- Which survey package you book
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- How big the roof is
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the size and height of the roof, access and which survey you book.
Booking your survey
A few details help us point you to the right survey and price. When you get in touch, it is useful to mention:
- When you need the report by
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
Roof leak investigation starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form to find out.
Honest limits
Our survey isn’t a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- A structural engineer’s report
- Putting the leak right
- A promise to find every leak on a single visit
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
What we look at
- Chimney stacks
- Flat roof details
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Slate and tile slopes
- The roof space
- Lead flashings
- Rooflights and dormers