Kent · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Hartley, Kent
Know where you stand with the leaking roof before you spend money on it. Roof leak investigations in Hartley.
- Water through the ceiling under a flat roof
- Condensation that looks like a leak
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
About our roof leak investigation in Hartley
Flat roofs leak in their own ways. Common causes are splits and blisters, tired upstands and outlets that do not drain. Ponding water makes any weakness worse. We look at the roof surface and the ceiling below to narrow it down. Flat roofs over extensions, garages and dormers are frequent sources of leaks. Felt often lasts around 15 to 20 years, so age is part of the picture. Typical surveys look at leaks below a flat extension roof and wet patches on loft insulation, across valleys and parapet gutters, rooflights and dormers and chimney stacks.
In a smaller place like Hartley, some roofs face open ground, so wind and driving rain find any weakness in ridges, verges and flashings. A leak that only appears in certain weather often points to an exposed detail. It helps to know when and where the water appears. The gutters on the most exposed side can overflow too.
The report does not just list problems. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Place
- Hartley (DA3)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Useful tips for Hartley property owners
Nothing here needs a ladder. Our suggestions:
- Check whether pipes or tanks run near the stain
- Keep water away from lights and sockets
- Let us know what has already been tried
- Record whether it leaks in every downpour or only some
Any roofer you ask to quote can work from the report. They’ll see exactly where the problem is, so the repair is aimed at the cause.
Keep the loft space ventilated. Air movement keeps condensation down, and condensation is a common false alarm. Keep insulation clear of the eaves.
Also in Hartley
What a survey costs
Our packages start from £150, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on:
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Which survey package you book
- Roof area
Price depends partly on the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all with VAT included. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
What to tell us when you contact us
If you can, have these to hand when you get in touch:
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Access details, like a loft hatch or a shared roof
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from ground level or a window, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To send them or to book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Common questions in Hartley
Is Hartley within the area you cover?
Yes, Hartley is covered. We cover the whole of London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
Is my home in Hartley listed or in a conservation area?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Is the repair included in the leak investigation?
Our job here is to trace the leak and explain it, not to carry out the repair. With the report, a roofer knows exactly where to look.
How experienced are you?
We have completed more than 5,000 surveys, across 20+ years of surveying roofs, with 98% customer satisfaction.
What should I do before you arrive?
Clear the loft hatch so we can get into the loft space. Gather any photos and notes about when it leaks, and let us know about past repairs. Keep catching drips and keep water away from electrics.
Why is not the leak directly above the stain?
Rain that gets in will run along whatever it lands on. On a pitched roof it often runs down a rafter before it finds a way through the ceiling. Tracing that path is the heart of a leak investigation.
How long does a roof leak investigation take?
On site, it usually takes about one to two hours for a house, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. Report times depend on the package.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Hartley
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on, photographs included.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Hartley and across Kent can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
How it works
The aim of the visit is simple: to look at the leaking roof as closely as is safe and record what we find. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. The visit normally takes about 1–2 hours for a house, and longer for a large or complex roof. A visit to a smaller place like Hartley is no different on the day: we look from ground level, from windows, from the loft and from the roof where it’s safe. It helps to show us anything you’ve already noticed.
- You pick a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey.
- We agree a date, including weekends.
- We inspect inside and out, starting from the stain.
- Moisture detection and thermal imaging are used where your package includes them and they help.
- You get photos, the likely cause and clear recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
Book a survey
A quick phone call is typically the easiest start: call 07833 053749 or drop us an email, and we will ask about the building and what you need. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.
Read more
Common roof problems in Hartley
A chimney stack has a good many places for rain to get in. Eroded pointing, cracked flaunching, failed flashings and open pots can all be responsible. The damp may appear on a chimney breast, a ceiling or in the loft.
Look out for signs like these:
- Ceiling stains that grow after rain
- Leaks that appear only in driving rain
- Damp patches next to the stack
- Water dripping from rafters or underlay
If you look after a building like Hartley Primary Academy, a leak through a large roof is frequently found some distance from where the water shows inside.
Before booking anyone
- What happens after the report arrives
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- Are they insured for the work?
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
Roof by roof
Chimney stacks
Water that gets in at the top can show up lower down. Unused flues with open pots can let rain straight in.
Slate and tile slopes
Ridge and hip tiles can loosen as their mortar cracks. Water then gets in along the top of the roof.
Wind, rain and roofs in Hartley
Cobham College, about 3.9 miles east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Hartley. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Across Kent, older roofs are frequently handmade clay or peg tiles, and tile-hanging on upper walls is a familiar sight. You will also find oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses among the county’s older buildings. Different coverings let water in at different points, which shapes where the search starts.
Landlords with a home close to Longfield station may find that a clear finding on where water gets in helps you brief a roofer straight away. For businesses in and around places such as Bluewater, a leak can close part of a shop or office, so finding the cause quickly matters.
Hartley is about 4 miles south-west of Northfleet, in Kent. Hartley is one of many places we visit across Kent, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. We cover towns and villages across Kent. You can also see our page for Maidstone.
Every address in DA3 is covered for roof leak investigations, from the main roads to the quietest streets. That includes homes and businesses on Church Road, Dickens Close and Stack Lane. If you are just outside Hartley, we cover Longfield (1 mile north), New Barn (1 mile north-east), Longfield Hill (1 mile east), New Ash Green (1 mile south) and Nash Street (2 miles east). We also work in nearby towns such as Maidstone (13 miles south-east), Dartford (5 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (9 miles south-west), Gravesend (4 miles north-east), Tonbridge (13 miles south) and Northfleet (4 miles north-east).
Around Hartley
Around Hartley, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Railway Tavern, Rectory Meadow and Longfield Academy, among other places. Hartley’s nearest station is Longfield station, about 0.8 miles north-west of the centre. A little further out are Darent Valley Hospital (4 miles north-west) and Stone Castle (4.1 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Sawyers Lake.