Hampshire · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Gilbert Street, Hampshire
Roof leak investigations in Gilbert Street and the rest of Hampshire. We survey on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
- Leaks that appear only in driving rain
- Leaks at a dormer or roof window
- Drips from nail tips in a cold loft
What you can safely check yourself
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground.
A lot can be seen from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Never climb onto the roof to look.
How a roof leak investigation works in Gilbert Street
On a flat roof, water can travel a long way under the covering. Splits, blisters, failed laps, worn upstands and blocked outlets are common causes. Ponding water makes any weakness worse. We look at the roof surface and the ceiling below to narrow it down. Leaks under flat extension, garage and dormer roofs are common. Felt frequently lasts around 15 to 20 years, so age is part of the picture. If you are worried about drips from nail tips in a cold loft and wet patches on loft insulation, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
For a small place like Gilbert Street, the inspection is the same as anywhere: we simply plan the journey and access ahead. Tell us where the water shows, when it appears and anything you’ve noticed outside, plus any earlier repairs. If you have photos of the water coming in, they help as well.
The written findings come by email, ready to forward to whoever needs them. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Place
- Gilbert Street (SO24)
- Region
- Hampshire
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
What we look for on each type of roof
Flat roof upstands and outlets
The upturned edge of a flat roof covering keeps water out at walls. If it is too low, cracked or poorly dressed, water gets behind it.
Lead flashings
Mortar fillets are sometimes used instead of lead. They crack as the roof and wall move, and water runs down behind them.
Roof leak investigations in Gilbert Street: local notes
With Bentworth Hall about 4.2 miles north, Gilbert Street sits in an area with a long building history. 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. Thatch survives on some older buildings in Hampshire’s villages. Older houses in the South East often have slate or clay tile roofs, while many later estates have concrete tiles. Each of these roof types has its own typical places for water to get in.
The streets around a church like Church of St Peter are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, the leak may come from a chimney, a valley or tired lead rather than the covering itself. If you look after a building such as Ropley Church of England Primary School, a leak through a large roof is often found some distance from where the water shows inside.
Gilbert Street is about 6 miles south-west of Alton, in Hampshire. We carry out roof leak investigations in Gilbert Street for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. We cover towns and villages across Hampshire, from the larger towns to small villages. Southampton is in our area too.
All of SO24 is within our area for roof leak investigations, from the main roads to the quietest streets. That includes homes and businesses on Andrew's Lane, Gilbert Street and Swelling Hill and the roads around them. We also cover Ropley (1 mile south-west), Kitwood (1 mile north-east), North Street (1 mile north-west), Charlwood (1 mile south-east) and Ropley Dean (1 mile west). Within a short drive, we also cover Basingstoke (12 miles north), Winchester (11 miles west), Eastleigh (15 miles south-west), Horndean (13 miles south), Alton (6 miles north-east) and Waterlooville (14 miles south).
Around Gilbert Street
A little further out are Barton Castle (4.1 miles north-west) and Alton Community Hospital (4.8 miles north-east). The countryside around Gilbert Street includes Shutts Copse and Red Hill.
Questions from Gilbert Street
Is Gilbert Street in the area you cover?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photographs, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Gilbert Street?
Your council is the best source, with Historic England’s list for listed buildings. A change of roofing material may need consent in either case, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Where it helps and it’s safe, yes. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.
What do I do with the report?
You’ll get the report by email. With Standard there’s a follow-up consultation; with Premium, an in-person consultation, so you can talk the findings through.
How should I prepare for the leak investigation?
Clear the loft hatch so we can get into the roof space. Gather any photos and notes about when it leaks, plus details of past repairs. Keep catching drips and keep water away from electrics.
What’s in the survey report?
A written report with photos, explaining the condition of the leaking roof, any defects and our recommendations. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check, and the Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable and structural analysis.
Do you take photos of the roof?
Yes. Photos are part of every report.
How the survey works
We look at the roof from outside and, where it is relevant and there’s safe access, from inside the loft space too. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging, as far as the space allows. The whole visit usually takes between one and two hours for most homes, though a hard-to-trace leak can take longer. In a hamlet or village like Gilbert Street, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- 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.
- 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.
- You receive a report with the likely source, photos and recommendations.
Before the survey
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Find any records of previous roof work
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with whoever owns or manages the building
Getting a price
We confirm the price for your roof before booking, so you know where you stand. Prices start from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
Surveys for landlords and agents in Gilbert Street
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work.
Where a roof is shared: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Tell us about it as you book and we will plan the survey around it.
Towns and villages near Gilbert Street
What else we do in Gilbert Street
Honest limits
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- A structural engineer’s report
- What’s under the covering or behind the plaster
- Water from pipes, tanks or heating systems
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll point you to the right survey before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Slate and tile slopes
- The roof space
- Flat roof details
- Rooflights and dormers
Useful tips for Gilbert Street property owners
Nothing here needs a ladder. Our suggestions:
- Move stored items away from the hatch
- Check whether pipes or tanks run near the stain
- Take dated photos of the leak
- Don’t climb onto the roof to look
Keep the report after the work is done. If the leak returns, it is a useful record of what was found, which makes the next step quicker.
Check the loft after heavy rain, with care and a good torch. Look for drips, damp patches and stains on timbers. Take photos of anything that changes.