Hertfordshire · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Gravesend, Hertfordshire
Tracing where water is getting into your roof across Gravesend, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Call or email for a price.
- Staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall
- Wet patches on loft insulation
- Damp on a chimney breast
Common questions in Gravesend
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Gravesend?
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 smaller places like Gravesend?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
What happens next?
The report comes by email, and you decide the next step: use it with a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
How should I prepare for the leak investigation?
Keep a note of when it leaks. Move stored items away from the loft hatch. Keep away from any light or socket that water is reaching.
Does the report include photographs?
Yes, every report has them. Pictures sit next to the findings they show, so you can see what we mean.
How do I book a survey in Gravesend?
To book, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us the address and what you want to find out. We will confirm the price and agree a day with you.
Roof leak investigation in Gravesend
Our job is to find the likely source and tell you. The report shows, with photos, where we believe the water gets in and how it travels, and recommends what should be done. It gives any roofer a clear brief. We find and report the source, while the repair is a separate matter. Typical surveys look at damp ceilings under a flat roof and water dripping from rafters or underlay, on flat roof details, valleys and parapet gutters and rooflights and dormers.
Many homes in small places like Gravesend face open ground, 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 record with photos is useful if you need to show the damage to anyone else.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: a seller or estate agent, an insurer, a roofer, a builder or a managing agent.
- Where
- Gravesend (SG11)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What you can safely check yourself
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.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Different roofs, different checks
Parapet and box gutters
Hidden gutters run behind parapets or between roofs. A blocked outlet sends water over the lining and into the building.
Valleys
Stains from a valley leak often show some distance off. From inside the loft space, we follow the water’s route back.
When you need someone else
In fairness, a roof survey has limits:
- Plumbing leaks that look like roof leaks
- A structural engineer’s report
- Putting the leak right
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you. The full list of what we check.
What we check
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- The roof space
- Slate and tile slopes
- Lead flashings
- Flat roof details
- Rooflights and dormers
- Chimney stacks
Why it is worth a survey now in Gravesend
Water damage grows the longer it is left. Wet timbers start to decay, plaster softens and insulation stops working. Finding the source early keeps the damage down. In a small place like Gravesend, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package you pick makes a difference too. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
Why us?
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- 98% of customers satisfied
- Every finding written up with photos
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
See how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
How it works
The visit usually starts outside and finishes in the loft: outside views come first, then the roof space if there’s safe access. All told, expect about one to two hours for most homes, though a hard-to-trace leak can take longer. Somewhere like Gravesend needs a little journey planning: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. The roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from the loft where there is safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- We help you choose the package that suits the leak.
- We agree a date, including weekends.
- 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.
- You get photos, the likely cause and clear recommendations.
Before the survey
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
Arrange a survey
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form to find out.
Advice
Gravesend roofs and the weather
The wider area around Gravesend has a long history of building, with Much Hadham Palace about 3.6 miles south. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile, with flat-roofed extensions, dormers and garages common everywhere. Different coverings let water in at different points, which shapes where the search starts.
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St Mary, lead flashings, valleys and old chimneys are typical places for water to get in. If you look after a building such as Albury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, water through a big roof can travel a long way before it drips, so the search covers more than the obvious spot.
Gravesend is about 4 miles north-west of Bishop's Stortford, in Hertfordshire. We carry out roof leak investigations for householders, landlords and businesses in Gravesend. Gravesend is one of the places in Hertfordshire we cover. There is also a page for Chelmsford.
Surveys in SG11 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. If you are just outside Gravesend, we cover Albury (1 mile west), Clapgate (1 mile south-east), Furneux Pelham (2 miles north), Braughing (3 miles west) and Hay Street (3 miles west). We also work in nearby towns such as Stevenage (12 miles west), Bishop's Stortford (4 miles south-east), Welwyn Garden City (14 miles south-west), Hoddesdon (12 miles south-west), Cheshunt (15 miles south-west) and Hertford (11 miles south-west).
Landmarks near Gravesend
Around Gravesend, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Catherine Wheel pub. The nearest railway station is Bishops Stortford station, roughly 4.2 miles south-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Herts and Essex Hospital (4.6 miles south-east) and Bishops Stortford Local History Museum (3.1 miles south-east).
Nearby places to Gravesend
What else we do in Gravesend
When to book a survey in Gravesend
Many leaks begin at a flashing. Lead or mortar closes the gap wherever a roof meets a wall, chimney or dormer. Once that seal cracks or lifts, water gets behind it, often well away from where it shows.
Typical things we’re asked to look at include:
- Staining around the chimney inside
- Brown rings on upstairs ceilings
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
- Damp ceilings under a flat roof
Landlords with a home close to Bishops Stortford station may find that a tenant living with a leak needs the cause found, not just the stain painted over.
Questions to ask before you book
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Whether the price includes VAT