Greater London · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in Longlands
Wondering about the leaking roof at a property in Longlands? You can book a roof leak investigation in Longlands and across Greater London, with plain-English findings.
- Stains around a skylight
- Damp on a chimney breast
- Damp ceilings under a flat roof
Roof leak investigations for homes and businesses in Longlands
On older houses, leaks often start at lead work and hidden gutters. Worn lead, tired valley linings and blocked parapet outlets are frequent causes. If your home has a butterfly roof, the central valley gutter is a common culprit in heavy rain. Parapet walls and their gutters are checked from wherever it is safe. Our report shows what we found, with photos. If you’re worried about damp ceilings under a flat roof and damp on a chimney breast, we can find out what’s behind it.
Water getting into a London home frequently comes from a detail you can’t see from the street: a butterfly roof’s central valley gutter, a parapet gutter, a chimney flashing or a flat roof over a back addition. Whether you are tracing a leak or recording storm damage in Longlands, those are among the first places to look. A hidden gutter that overflows can send water a long way before it shows.
How fast the report arrives depends on the package: the Basic Survey within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey on the same day.
- Location
- Longlands (DA15, DA14, SE9)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey works
You do not need to do much on the day. Show us any stains, drips or problem areas you know about, and we’ll get on with the inspection. The survey itself takes about 1–2 hours for most houses, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. In Longlands, as in much of London, a good many properties are flats or terraces without side access, so rear slopes are viewed from windows, the loft or, where a flight is allowed, by drone. If the building has a managing agent or access rules, tell us when booking.
- We start with what you’ve seen: where the stain is and when it gets worse.
- Inside, we check the damp area and the loft space above it.
- Likely entry points outside are looked at, from flashings and valleys to gutters and outlets.
- We use moisture detection, and thermal imaging where it is useful.
- Your report sets out where the water is most likely getting in, with photos and recommendations.
Before the survey
- Check pets are kept safely away
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
Getting a price
For a price for roof leak investigations in Longlands, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email. The address, the type of property and what you want to find out help us price the survey accurately.
Read more
Practical tips
There’s plenty you can do without going near the roof. What helps most:
- Don’t touch fittings that water is reaching
- Do not climb onto the roof to look
- Record whether it leaks in every downpour or only some
- Let us know if there are tanks or pipes in the loft
The report gives whoever carries out the work a clear starting point. They’ll see exactly where the problem is, rather than at the stain.
After a storm, check the roof from the garden and the street. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Prompt repairs stop gaps turning into leaks.
Places near Longlands
Also in Longlands
Surveys for landlords and agents in Longlands
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you get in touch and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work.
Longlands roofs and the weather
Further from the centre, London’s housing takes in interwar semis with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles as well as slate-roofed terraces. Bay roofs, hip ridges and dormers from later loft conversions are the details that set these houses apart. Knowing the roof type helps narrow down where water may be getting in. Historic houses such as Eltham Palace, about 2 miles north-west, show how far back building in the area around Longlands goes. If your home is one of the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
For landlords with property near New Eltham station, a tenant living with a leak needs the cause found, not just the stain painted over. If you run a business near Broadway Shopping Centre, water through a ceiling can damage stock and close a sales floor, so the source needs finding fast. If you live in an older home near Christ Church, water on an older roof tends to find its way in at the lead, the valleys or the chimney.
Longlands is about 1 mile west of Sidcup, in Greater London. Longlands is one of many places we visit across Greater London, for homes and businesses alike. Our area takes in places right across Greater London, large and small. London is in our area too.
Every address in DA15, DA14 and SE9 is within our area for roof leak investigations. If you need a roof leak investigation at a property on Main Road, Alder Road and Sidcup Road or a nearby road, we can help. With the A211 close by, Longlands is easy for us to reach for roof leak investigations. Neighbouring places we cover for roof leak investigations include Foxbury (1 mile south), New Eltham (1 mile north-west), Chislehurst (1 mile south-west), Coldharbour (1 mile west) and Blackfen (1 mile north). Further out, we also cover London (9 miles north-west), City of Westminster (12 miles north-west), Marylebone (12 miles north-west), Kensington (13 miles west), St Pancras (11 miles north-west) and Shoreditch (10 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Longlands
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to Waring Park, Chislehurst School for Girls and Ye Olde Black Horse Inn and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is New Eltham station, roughly 0.8 miles north-west of the centre. A little further out are Queen Mary's Hospital (1 mile south-east) and Greenwich Castle (5 miles north-west). The countryside around Longlands includes Summer Hill and The Tarn.
Different roofs, different checks
Lead flashings
Mortar fillets are sometimes used instead of lead. They crack as the roof and wall move, and water runs down behind them.
Slate and tile slopes
On slate roofs, corroded nails let slates slip. Even a single gap can let water in.
Longlands: your questions answered
Is my home in Longlands listed or in a conservation area?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Will parking be an issue for a roof survey in Longlands?
Parking in Longlands, as in most of London, takes a little planning: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day run more smoothly.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it helps and it’s safe, yes. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, and we check for restrictions near airports before flying. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator.
Is it a leak or condensation?
Condensation can look very like a leak. Drips from nail tips, damp underlay over a wide area and poor loft ventilation point towards condensation. We check the pattern of damp and the ventilation, then say which is most likely.
Will I get photos?
Yes. Photographs are taken throughout the survey, and they go into the written report.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. It is a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
What’s in the survey report?
It explains what we saw, what it means and what we’d suggest, with photos throughout. It also says if any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, so you know exactly what was covered.
What affects the cost of roof leak investigations
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before you book. These are the things that affect it:
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- Which survey package you book
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. The price is always agreed first.
Helping us price your survey
There is no need for technical words. Just let us know:
- The property’s address and postcode
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to ring 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
What you can safely check yourself
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
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.