Kent · London and the South East
Saltwood Roof Leak Investigation
Roof leak investigations in Saltwood from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us across London and the South East.
- Ceiling stains that grow after rain
- Damp ceilings under a flat roof
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
How a roof leak investigation works in Saltwood
Water is good at hiding where it gets in. It can run along a rafter, a batten or the underlay before it drips, so a ceiling stain is rarely directly below the cause. We follow it back towards where it starts, one likely route at a time. A repair aimed only at the stain can miss the cause entirely. Finding the route first lets the repair go where it is needed. We’re often asked to look into damp on a chimney breast and leaks at a dormer or roof window, on slate and tile slopes, valleys and parapet gutters and rooflights and dormers.
Somewhere as small as Saltwood, older roofs have frequently been repaired many times. That makes it hard to tell new damage from old wear, which matters if you are thinking of an insurance claim. We check everything that’s safely in view and set out what we find. Damp in old walls and timbers is slow to dry, so the sooner the cause is found the better.
It isn’t only a list of defects. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can plan your next steps.
- Place
- Saltwood (CT21)
- Region
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Landlords and letting agents in Saltwood book surveys as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the leaking roof, with photos, useful for planning maintenance.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in. Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, which can make access easier.
DIY checks: what’s safe
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That is where a survey comes in.
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Share it with us as you book, as it helps us focus the survey.
What a roof leak investigation doesn’t cover
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- Carrying out the fix
- Water from pipes, tanks or heating systems
- Faults hidden behind ceilings or boarding
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Flat roof details
- Slate and tile slopes
- Lead flashings
- Rooflights and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- The roof space
When to book a survey in Saltwood
Every flat roof covering has a working life. A felt roof often lasts around 15 to 20 years, and splits, blisters and lifting laps let water in. Upstands and outlets are common weak points.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Leaks below a flat extension roof
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
- Damp patches next to the stack
- Water marks that spread in wet weather
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Saltwood CofE Primary School, on a building that size, finding the source of a drip means looking well beyond the stain.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- How soon the report will arrive
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
What affects the price in Saltwood
Survey packages start from £150, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on:
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- The shape of the roof and its details
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- Building height and the viewpoints available
We offer three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, all including VAT. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you’d like to know.
Booking your survey
A little information up front helps. It’s useful to include:
- When you need the report by
- Whether there is a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- What made you get in touch
- Where the property is, with the postcode
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email to find out.
What we do, step by step
After the inspection, everything we found is written up in a report with photos, sent to you by email. As for time on site, most surveys take roughly 1–2 hours for most houses, and longer for a large or complex roof. Around Saltwood, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it helps to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. We only go where it is safe.
- You let us know where the water appears, when, and what the weather was doing.
- Inside, we look at 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 the ground, windows and the roof where safe.
- We email a written report showing where the water most likely gets in.
Preparing for the visit
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
- Tell us about parking before the day
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
How to book
To get a price for roof leak investigations in Saltwood, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. The address, the type of property and what you want to find out help us give you an accurate price.
Advice
What a roof leak investigation looks like in Saltwood
The coast is about 1 mile or less from Saltwood, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Strong wind lifts anything already loose, and driving rain gets in wherever it can, and salt air slowly wears metal fixings. Handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles hung on pegs through two holes, are typical of older Kent buildings. Oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses are part of the county’s older buildings too. Where water gets in depends a good deal on what the roof is made of and how it is detailed.
If you let a flat or house near Sandling station, finding the cause of a leak fast keeps a tenant’s home dry and the work focused. Westenhanger Castle lies about 2.2 miles north-west, so building around Saltwood goes back a long way. On older roofs nearby, leaks often trace back to lead flashings, valleys and gutters.
Saltwood is about 1 mile north of Hythe, in Kent. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Saltwood can all book roof leak investigations. Our Kent coverage includes Saltwood. There is also a page for Canterbury.
Surveys in CT21 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Whether your property is on Old Saltwood Lane, The Green and Bartholomew Lane or a nearby road, we can survey it. We also cover Hythe (1 mile south), Sandling (1 mile north-west), Pedlinge (1 mile west), Palmarsh (2 miles south-west) and Newingreen (2 miles west). Larger places within reach include Ashford (10 miles north-west), Canterbury (14 miles north), Dover (10 miles north-east), Folkestone (4 miles east), Tower Hamlets (10 miles east) and Hawkinge (4 miles north-east).
Around Saltwood
Typical jobs here are in homes near Brockhill Park Performing Arts College, Brockhill Country Park and Red Lion Public House and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Sandling station, about 0.9 miles north-west. Other landmarks nearby include Royal Victoria Hospital (4.1 miles east) and Hythe Museum (0.8 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Tolsford Hill.
FAQs for Saltwood
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Saltwood?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Is Saltwood within the area you cover?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
How long does the visit take?
The visit normally takes about 1–2 hours for most homes, though a hard-to-trace leak can take longer. We will give you an idea of timing as you book.
Do you use thermal imaging to find leaks?
We use thermal imaging where it helps, and it’s part of the Premium Survey. It picks up temperature patterns rather than water, so we confirm its findings with moisture readings.
Is this an asbestos survey?
No. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys or testing. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings, and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Not always. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
Is the repair included in the leak investigation?
A leak investigation finds and reports the likely source. The repair itself is a separate job. You get a report with photos showing where the water is getting in and what needs attention.