Surrey · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in Grafham
Tracing where water is getting into your roof in Grafham, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Call or email for a price.
- Staining around the chimney inside
- Brown rings on upstairs ceilings
- Drips from nail tips in a cold loft
Roof leak investigation in Grafham
Some ‘leaks’ aren’t leaks at all. Condensation in a cold, poorly ventilated loft can drip from nails and timbers, leaving marks that look just like rainwater. Knowing which it is means the right fix can be done, since the cure for one won’t solve the other. The pattern of the damp, the ventilation and the timing all help us decide. We survey slate and tile slopes, lead flashings and flat roof details, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are staining around the chimney inside and water coming in around a roof light or dormer.
Roofs in small places like Grafham frequently stand in the open, so storms hit ridges, verges and chimneys hard. Once water gets into older walls, it takes a long time to dry, which makes finding the cause quickly worthwhile. A written record also helps if you need to explain it to anyone else.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photographs, sent by email. It explains the condition of the leaking roof, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Where
- Grafham (GU5)
- Wider area
- Surrey
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Grafham: your questions answered
Will you come out to Grafham?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Grafham?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Is there anything I need to do before the visit?
Keep a note of when it leaks. Move stored items away from the loft hatch. If water is near any fittings, have an electrician check them.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Only if it’s safe. We check everything that can be seen safely: from the ground, from windows and vantage points, from the roof space, from the roof itself where safe and by drone where it applies. The report says if anything couldn’t be seen.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We point out what can be seen, like sagging or deflection, but we are not structural engineers and do not carry out calculations. Where an engineer is needed, we say so in the report.
Can you find a leak when it is not raining?
In most cases, 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.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To arrange a date, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
What happens if roof problems are left?
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. Matching old materials, such as handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
There are three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Grafham
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Package prices that include VAT
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or our case studies.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Grafham
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, putting the urgent items at the top.
Shared roofs need a little more planning: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you get in touch and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
Nearby places to Grafham
More services for Grafham
What affects the cost of roof leak investigations
We confirm the price for your survey before you book. This is what makes a difference:
- The roof’s overall size
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
- Building height and the viewpoints available
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so the price reflects that. The price is confirmed before you book.
Helping us price your survey
If you can, have these to hand when you get in touch:
- The property’s address and postcode
- What made you get in touch
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
To get a price for roof leak investigations in Grafham, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email. Some details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.
Signs you need a roof leak investigation in Grafham
When a slate slips or a tile cracks, the underlay takes the water. Old bitumen felt may cope for a while, but it tears and sags with age, and very old roofs may have no underlay at all. On slate roofs, slipping is often caused by corroded nails.
Look out for signs like these:
- Staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall
- Water coming in around a roof light or dormer
- Water through the ceiling under a flat roof
- Staining around the chimney inside
The streets around a church like Church of St Andrew are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, the leak may come from a chimney, a valley or tired lead rather than the covering itself.
Questions to ask before booking
- Are they insured for the work?
- Their report turnaround times
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
The survey, step by step
We do not take risks to get a closer look. We inspect everything that’s safely in view, and if part of the roof cannot be seen, the report says so. Most visits take about one to two hours for most houses, and longer for a large or complex roof. Older rural homes like those around Grafham can have a main roof, lower lean-to roofs and outbuildings all joined together. Each part is looked at from wherever it can be seen safely.
- You tell us where the water shows and when it appears.
- Inside, we check the damp area and the roof space above it.
- We check the likely entry points outside, such as flashings, valleys, chimneys and gutters.
- Moisture readings and thermal imaging are used where they help.
- We email a report with photographs, the likely entry point and recommendations.
Before the survey
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
Getting a price
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know the cost up front. Roof leak investigation starts from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Related advice
Roof leak investigations in Grafham: local notes
Handmade clay tiles and tile-hung walls are typical of Surrey’s older houses. A few of Surrey’s oldest buildings have heavy Horsham stone slab roofs. Knowing the roof type helps narrow down where water may be getting in. With Chilworth Manor about 3.8 miles north, Grafham sits in an area with a long building history. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
Living close to Cucknell's Wood is pleasant, but mature trees mean leaves in gutters and valleys each autumn, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall. For landlords with property near Chilworth station, finding the cause of a leak fast keeps a tenant’s home dry and the work focused.
Grafham is about 6 miles south of Guildford, in Surrey. From houses to flats and shops in Grafham, we can survey the roof on a weekday or at the weekend. We cover towns and villages across Surrey, from the larger towns to small villages. For surveys nearby, see our Guildford page.
All of GU5 is covered for roof leak investigations. Other places close to Grafham include Birtley Green (1 mile north), Shamley Green (1 mile north), Thorncombe Street (1 mile west), Stroud Common (1 mile north-east) and Rowly (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Guildford (6 miles north), Woking (11 miles north), Camberley (14 miles north-west), Farnham (11 miles west), Reigate (15 miles east) and Dorking (10 miles north-east).
Around Grafham
In Grafham, that means homes and buildings near Cucknell's Wood. The nearest railway station is Chilworth station, roughly 3.5 miles north of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Godalming Museum (3.6 miles north-west) and Guildford Castle (4.9 miles north). Green spaces nearby include St Martha's Hill and Colyer's Hanger and Lower Lake.
Before and after the survey
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Stay off ladders and the roof
- Record whether it leaks in every downpour or only some
- Make sure the loft is accessible
- Put a bucket under the drip and move valuables
If condensation is the cause, we explain it, and suggest how the roof space could be better ventilated. It saves chasing a leak that isn’t there.
Do not block the vents at the eaves. Good airflow reduces condensation, which is often mistaken for a leak. Keep insulation clear of the eaves.