Kent · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Shipbourne, Kent
Roof leak investigations for homes and businesses in Shipbourne. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Staining around the chimney inside
- Water coming in around a roof light or dormer
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
How a roof leak investigation works in Shipbourne
Leaks tend to begin where one part of a roof meets another. Common entry points include chimney and wall flashings, valleys, parapet and box gutters, and the upstands and outlets on flat roofs. Each of these is checked in turn and we follow where the evidence leads. Chimneys, dormers and roof lights each add joints of their own. Each one is looked at from wherever it is safe to see it. We survey rooflights and dormers, slate and tile slopes and the roof space, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are ceiling stains that grow after rain and leaks at a dormer or roof window.
Somewhere as small as Shipbourne, older roofs have often been repaired many times. A new leak may be fresh damage or the latest sign of long-term wear, and the difference matters, particularly to an insurer. The report says what was seen and what it points to. Older walls and timbers hold water for a long time, so it’s worth finding the cause soon.
You receive the findings by email, easy to pass on to a roofer, an agent or an insurer. Basic reports come within 48 hours, Standard within 24–48 hours and Premium on the day.
- Where
- Shipbourne (TN11)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What a survey costs
Not every roof costs the same to survey, for these reasons:
- Which survey package you book
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- The roof’s overall size
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Our price is from £150, including VAT.
Getting in touch
These details help when you contact us:
- The type of building and roof, like pitched or flat
- The property’s address and postcode
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
To book a survey, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
Also near Shipbourne
More services for Shipbourne
Practical tips
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Record whether it leaks in every downpour or only some
- Keep water away from lights and sockets
- Photograph the stain each time it appears
- Stay off ladders and the roof
We email the report to you, with photos of what we found. It explains the likely entry point, the route the water takes and our recommendations. Turnaround is within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Do not block the vents at the eaves. Air movement keeps condensation down, and condensation is a common false alarm. Keep insulation clear of the eaves.
How it works
We don’t take risks to get a closer look. We inspect whatever is safely visible, and if part of the roof can’t be seen, the report says so. Most visits take an hour or two, more where the leak is intermittent or the roof is large. In a hamlet or village like Shipbourne, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- You tell us where the water shows and when it appears.
- Inside, we check the damp area and the roof space above it.
- Outside, we look at every likely route in.
- 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.
How to prepare
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Keep pets in another room
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
How to book
Roof leak investigation starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the details.
Read more
Honest limits
A survey is a careful look at the leaking roof, but it cannot do everything. Its limits include:
- Whether rotten timbers meet design loads
- What’s under the covering or behind the plaster
- Putting the leak right
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will recommend the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Flat roof details
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Lead flashings
- Slate and tile slopes
- Rooflights and dormers
Roof leak investigations around Shipbourne
Ightham Mote, about 1.1 miles north-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Shipbourne. Older homes in the wider area often have features worth a closer look, such as lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles hung on pegs through two holes, are typical of older Kent buildings. You will also find oast houses and timber-framed Wealden hall houses among the county’s older buildings. 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 Borough Green & Wrotham station, a clear finding on where water gets in helps you brief a roofer right away. Homes near green spaces such as Ivy Hatch Nature Reserve can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall. Take a building like Shipbourne School: on a building that size, finding the source of a drip means looking well beyond the stain.
Shipbourne is about 3 miles north of Tonbridge, in Kent. Anywhere in Shipbourne, we can come and survey your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. We cover towns and villages across Kent. Maidstone is in our area too.
We work across TN11 for roof leak investigations and the streets around it. That includes homes and businesses on Upper Green Road, Upper Green Lane and Back Lane and the roads around them. Close by, we survey roofs in Budds (1 mile west), Yopps Green (1 mile north), Sheet Hill (2 miles north), Ivy Hatch (2 miles north) and Coldharbour (2 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (11 miles east), Dartford (14 miles north), Sevenoaks (5 miles north-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (8 miles south), Gravesend (13 miles north) and Tonbridge (3 miles south).
What’s near Shipbourne
Around Shipbourne, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Ivy Hatch Nature Reserve, Hugh Christie Technology College and The Chaser Public House, among other places. The nearest railway station is Borough Green & Wrotham station, about 3.3 miles north of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Ightham Court (3.3 miles north) and Hadlow Tower museum (2.8 miles south-east). The countryside around Shipbourne includes Barden Lake.
How the survey changes by roof type
Valleys
Stains from a valley leak often show some distance off. From inside the roof space, we follow the water’s route back.
Slate and tile slopes
Ridge and hip tiles can loosen as their mortar cracks. Water then gets in along the top of the roof.
Shipbourne: your questions answered
Is Shipbourne in the area you cover?
Yes. We work right across London and South East England, and Shipbourne is part of that. You can call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and a few details.
Will you come out to Shipbourne?
Yes, Shipbourne is covered. We work right across London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned in advance.
Will you check the loft?
If there’s a loft and safe access to it, yes. From inside, the underside of the roof often shows damp, staining or daylight that can’t be seen from outside.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
We carry out surveys seven days a week. To find a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years, across London and South East England.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
That depends on the survey. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in; we will agree the details when booking.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work.
If you own several properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To arrange surveys for several addresses, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the addresses.