Kent · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Martin, Kent
A careful look at the leaking roof at your property in Martin, with photos and a written report.
- Leaks at a dormer or roof window
- Leaks that appear only in driving rain
- Brown rings on upstairs ceilings
About our roof leak investigation in Martin
We use moisture detection and thermal imaging where they help. Moisture readings show which materials are wet. Thermal imaging shows temperature differences that can point to wet areas, not water itself, so its findings are checked with moisture readings. Thermal imaging is part of the Premium Survey, and moisture detection comes with Standard. Thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, on a dry roof with little wind. Common reasons to book are leaks that appear only in driving rain and leaks at a dormer or roof window, on flat roof details, the roof space and slate and tile slopes.
Somewhere as small as Martin, older roofs have often been repaired many times. That makes it hard to tell new damage from old wear, and the difference matters, particularly to an insurer. We look at what can safely be seen and set out what we find. Older walls and timbers hold water for a long time, so it is worth finding the cause soon.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Where
- Martin (CT15)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Should I look at the roof myself first?
It helps to keep a record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That’s where a survey comes in.
FAQs for Martin
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Martin?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces.
Is Martin within the area you cover?
Yes, Martin is covered. We work right across London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
Do you use thermal imaging to find leaks?
Where conditions suit, it can. It works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof surface and little wind. Damp areas can hold heat differently from dry ones. We always check what it shows with moisture readings.
Does someone need to be in?
Not always. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Visits run seven days a week in the daytime, which suits people who work during the week. Let us know your preferred days when you book.
Does the report include photographs?
Yes. The report includes photos of what we found.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Only when it’s safe. Most of what we need can be seen from safe viewpoints, the loft and, where applicable, a drone, and anything out of sight is recorded in the report.
Wind, rain and roofs in Martin
Martin lies within about 3 miles of the sea, so there is more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces, and driving rain finds any gap they leave, and salt air slowly wears metal fixings. Older houses across Kent often have handmade clay or peg tiles, and many have tile-hung walls. The county’s older buildings also include oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses. Each of these roof types has its own typical places for water to get in.
If you let a flat or house near Martin Mill station, finding the cause of a leak fast keeps a tenant’s home dry and the work focused. With Walmer Castle about 3 miles north-east, the area around Martin has a long history. Leaks in period homes nearby frequently come from lead work and valleys that have been patched before. If you look after a building such as Langdon Primary School, tracing a leak on a big roof starts with where the water appears and works back.
Martin is about 3 miles north-east of Dover, in Kent. Surveys in Martin work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Martin is one of the towns and villages in Kent we cover. You can also see our page for Canterbury.
We work across the CT15 postcode area for roof leak investigations and the streets around it. You’ll find streets such as The Street, Waterworks Lane and Ringwould Road. We also cover the places around Martin: Martin Mill (1 mile south-east), East Langdon (1 mile south-west), West Langdon (1 mile west), Ringwould (1 mile north-east) and Sutton (1 mile north). Larger places within reach include Canterbury (13 miles north-west), Margate (14 miles north), Dover (3 miles south-west), Folkestone (10 miles south-west), Ramsgate (12 miles north) and Broadstairs (13 miles north).
What’s near Martin
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Lantern Inn and Duke of York's Royal Military School, among other places. Martin has its own railway station: Martin Mill station. A little further out are Royal Victoria Hospital (3.6 miles south-west) and St Margaret's Museum (2.5 miles south-east). For a walk, there’s Dover Western Heights.
Leave it or get it looked at?
Water damage grows the longer it’s left. Wet timbers start to decay, plaster softens and insulation stops working. Tracing it now means less to put right later. In a small place like Martin, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how safely it can be seen. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
What you get with us
- Packages from £150, with VAT included
- CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
- Visits on any day of the week
- 98% customer satisfaction
See what a roof survey costs or what we found on two real jobs.
Also in Martin
For landlords and managing agents
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. We survey on weekdays and at weekends, which can make access easier.
We survey roofs for landlords and letting agents as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the leaking roof, with photos.
Before and after the survey
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Photograph the stain each time it appears
- Don’t climb onto the roof to look
- Keep water away from lights and sockets
- Tell us if there are tanks or pipes in the loft
If the leak turns out to be condensation, the report says so, with recommendations on ventilation. It saves chasing a leak that is not there.
Keep gutters, valleys and outlets clear, especially in autumn. Blocked outlets on parapet and flat roofs cause many leaks. Leave the clearing to someone with the right equipment.
What we do, step by step
You do not need to do much on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we’ll get on with the inspection. The survey itself takes between one and two hours for most houses, or half a day or so for a commercial building. Cottages and farmhouses around Martin frequently have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- We help you choose the package that suits the leak.
- 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 sure pets are kept safely away
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
Booking a survey
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine. To send them or to book, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
What we can’t see
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- Carrying out the fix
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- Whether rotten timbers meet design loads
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll recommend the right survey. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Lead flashings
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Flat roof details
- Rooflights and dormers
- Slate and tile slopes