Kent · London and the South East
Hicks Forstal Roof Leak Investigation
Tracing where water is getting into your roof in Hicks Forstal. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Wet patches on loft insulation
- Stains around a skylight
- A leak that comes and goes with the weather
Roof leak investigations for homes and businesses in Hicks Forstal
Some leaks only appear in certain weather. Wind-driven rain, an overflowing gutter or snow melt may be what triggers it. Telling us when it happens helps a lot, along with any photos you’ve taken. We look for the clues it leaves behind, such as tide marks, stained timbers and damp underlay. Moisture detection shows which materials are still damp. If you’ve noticed brown rings on upstairs ceilings and water through the ceiling under a flat roof, we can find out what’s behind it, on lead flashings, rooflights and dormers and the roof space alike.
Roofs in small places like Hicks 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.
You receive the findings by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24–48 hours for Standard and same day for Premium.
- Location
- Hicks Forstal (CT3)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
The visit usually starts outside and finishes in the loft: outside views come first, then the loft space if there is safe access. In total, it takes roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, though a hard-to-trace leak can take longer. Rural addresses near Hicks Forstal can be hard to find from a postcode alone, 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 check the stain and the ceiling around it.
- In the loft, we follow any signs of water back towards the roof.
- We inspect the likely entry points outside, from ground level, windows and the roof where safe.
- You receive a report with the likely source, photos and recommendations.
Before the survey
- Make sure the loft hatch can be reached
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
Book a survey
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email when you’re ready.
Related advice
Places near Hicks Forstal
More services for Hicks Forstal
Roof leak investigations around Hicks Forstal
Hicks Forstal lies within about 3 miles of the sea, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. In a coastal gale, rain is driven sideways into laps, verges and flashings, while salt slowly corrodes metal fixings and flashings. What can be done to an older roof may depend on listing or a conservation area. Your council and Historic England’s list will tell you where you stand, ideally before any re-roofing is planned.
Trees in and around Curtis Wood shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, and blocked gutters overflow and soak walls. Anyone responsible for a site like Spires Academy will know that a leak through a large roof is often found some distance from where the water shows inside. Landlords with a home close to Sturry station may find that a clear finding on where water gets in helps you brief a roofer straight away.
Hicks Forstal is about 2 miles south of Herne Bay, in Kent. We visit Hicks Forstal as part of our work across Kent, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Across Kent, we cover Hicks Forstal and the places around it.
We cover every part of CT3 for roof leak investigations and the streets around it. Other places close to Hicks Forstal include Calcott (1 mile south-west), Herne Common (1 mile north), Knave's Ash (1 mile east), Herne (1 mile north) and Bullockstone (1 mile north-west). Further out, we also cover Canterbury (4 miles south-west), Margate (12 miles east), Dover (15 miles south-east), Ramsgate (12 miles east), Broadstairs (13 miles east) and Whitstable (4 miles west).
Around Hicks Forstal
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Curtis Wood. For rail, the closest station is Sturry station, roughly 2.2 miles south of the centre. Well-known places in the area include St Martins Hospital (3.9 miles south) and Canterbury Castle (4.6 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include West Blean and Thornden Woods.
Why it is worth a survey now in Hicks Forstal
If a leak has been ‘fixed’ before and has come back, the cause was probably missed. A careful investigation looks at every likely route, not just the obvious one. It gives the next repair a far better chance. Older cottages and farmhouses around Hicks Forstal can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it’s left.
To find out what your survey will cost, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and tell us about the roof. We will confirm the figure before booking.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Hicks Forstal
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Surveys on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
Take a look at our cost guide and what we found on two real jobs.
Surveys for landlords and agents in Hicks Forstal
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, including offices, shops and units. Larger roofs take longer.
Letting agents often book on a landlord’s behalf. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney stacks
Water that gets in at the top can show up lower down. Open, unused pots let rain fall down the flue.
Flat roof upstands and outlets
Each flat roof relies on its outlets to drain. When one blocks, water ponds and finds any weak spot. Outlets and the area around them are looked at.
What a roof leak investigation does not cover
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, and that sets some limits:
- An intermittent leak that shows no trace on the day
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Plumbing leaks that look like roof leaks
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll recommend the right survey before booking. The full list of what we check.
What this survey covers
- The roof space
- Lead flashings
- Rooflights and dormers
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Slate and tile slopes
- Flat roof details
- Chimney stacks
What you can safely check yourself
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Don’t go up yourself.
Hicks Forstal: your questions answered
Is my home in Hicks Forstal listed or in a conservation area?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Hicks Forstal?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there’s more wind, and more salt in the air. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it normally shows, and Hicks Forstal is within about 3 miles of the coast.
What insurance do you have?
Our cover is professional indemnity plus public liability, and we can provide details if a managing agent needs them.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime. Let us know your preferred days as you book.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys.
Why is the stain in a different place from the leak?
Rain that gets in will run along whatever it lands on. On a flat roof it can travel under the covering before it finds a way through the ceiling. Following that route is what our investigation does.
How much is a survey?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The final figure depends on the roof and the package you choose, confirmed before anything is booked.