Southampton · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Shirley, Southampton
Roof leak investigations across Shirley, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- A leak that comes and goes with the weather
- Drips from nail tips in a cold loft
- Brown rings on upstairs ceilings
Roof leak investigation in Shirley
Moisture readings and thermal imaging are used where they’re useful. Moisture detection confirms where timbers, plaster or insulation are damp. Thermal imaging shows temperature differences that can point to wet areas, not water itself, so we confirm what it suggests 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. If you’ve noticed stains around a skylight and a leak that comes and goes with the weather, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Older cottages and houses around Shirley may have roofs with little or no underlay. Once the slates or tiles let water past, there is little to stop it reaching the ceiling. Finding where it gets in, and whether it’s old wear or new damage, decides what comes next. Wet battens and insulation in the loft are often the first clue.
Most points in the report come with a picture, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. If something couldn’t be seen safely, the report is clear about it.
- Location
- Shirley (SO15, SO16, SO17)
- Region
- Southampton
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Why get it checked now?
Guesswork repairs are a common reason leaks keep coming back. Because water travels, the real entry point may be somewhere else. An investigation finds the likely cause first, so the repair is aimed at the right place. In an older home around Shirley, water from a roof defect can get into timber and plaster, and that’s a much bigger job than the original defect.
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report is not charged as an extra. Roof leak investigation starts from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Why book us in Shirley
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Prices that include VAT
- 98% of customers satisfied
Also near Shirley
What else we do in Shirley
Tips that help
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out:
- Do not touch fittings that water is reaching
- Tell us if there are tanks or pipes in the loft
- Stay off ladders and the roof
- Note the weather when the leak shows
Standard includes a follow-up consultation to talk the findings through, while Premium includes one in person. You can ask us about anything that is not clear.
Don’t block the vents at the eaves. Air movement keeps condensation down, and condensation is a common false alarm. Keep insulation clear of the eaves.
What we do, step by step
Every roof is different, but as a rough guide the survey takes roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, though a hard-to-trace leak can take longer. You are welcome to ask questions while we’re there. In a smaller place like Shirley, parking is seldom the issue; lanes, gates and long drives are worth mentioning. On bungalows and lower roofs, much can be seen from the ground, with the loft showing the underside.
- You let us know where the water shows and when it appears.
- Inside, we check the damp area and the loft space above it.
- Outside, we look at every likely route in.
- Moisture readings and thermal imaging are used where they help.
- You receive a written report with photos showing the likely source and what needs attention.
Before the survey
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
- Leave a clear route to the loft
Getting a price
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know the cost up front. Roof leak investigation starts from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Advice
Leaks and storm damage in Shirley
Shirley is within about 1 mile of the coast, 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, and salt air slowly wears metal fixings. A number of Hampshire villages keep thatched roofs on their older buildings. Across the South East, older homes tend to have slate or clay tiles, and many later ones concrete tiles. Each of these roof types has its own typical places for water to get in.
If you own a rental within reach of Millbrook (Hants) station, a clear finding on where water gets in helps you brief a roofer straight away. Take a building like Wordsworth Primary School: water through a big roof can travel a long way before it drips, so the search covers more than the obvious spot.
Shirley is about 2 miles west of Southampton, in Southampton. We carry out roof leak investigations in Shirley for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Our Southampton coverage includes Shirley and the places around it.
We survey roofs across SO15, SO16 and SO17 for roof leak investigations. That includes homes and businesses on May Road, Dyer Road and York Road and the roads around them. Shirley sits on or near the A3057. Nearby, we also carry out roof leak investigations in Regents Park (1 mile west), Freemantle (1 mile south), Millbrook (1 mile south-west), Coxford (1 mile north-west) and Maybush (1 mile north-west). Larger places within reach include Townhill Park (3 miles east), Midanbury (3 miles east), Thornhill (4 miles east), Chartwell Green (4 miles east), Harefield (4 miles east) and Itchen (3 miles south-east). Being one of Southampton’s larger places, Shirley has homes, rented property and businesses of every kind.
Near you in Shirley
We work in homes and buildings around The Crown Public House, St James' Park and Regents Park Community College and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Millbrook (Hants) station, about 0.7 miles south of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Netley Castle (4.4 miles south-east) and Foresters Museum & Archive (1 mile south-east). Not far away are Testwood Lakes.
What we look for on each type of roof
Chimney stacks
A stack has several possible ways in for rain. We check each one as far as we can safely see, and look for damp on the breast inside.
Parapet and box gutters
Some older terraces have a butterfly roof with a valley gutter in the middle. If that gutter or its outlet fails, water can come through the top-floor ceiling.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Share it with us as you book, as it helps us focus the survey.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
Questions from Shirley
Will you come out to Shirley?
We do. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
Is the coastal weather around Shirley hard on roofs?
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.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, once access has been agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is frequently shared, so we need permission from whoever owns or manages the building. We can only inspect what we’re given access to.
How do I arrange a roof leak investigation in Shirley?
To book, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and tell us the address and what you’d like to know. We will confirm the price and find a day that suits.
How should I prepare for the leak investigation?
Note when the leak appears and what the weather was doing, and take photos. Clear access to the loft. Keep away from any light or socket that water is reaching.
Can every leak be traced?
Not always, and we’ll be honest about that. Water can travel a long way, and some leaks only show in particular storms. Where the source is not certain, we list the likely routes in order.
How long have you been surveying roofs?
More than 5,000 surveys over 20+ years.
Common roof problems in Shirley
Condensation is frequently mistaken for a leak. Moist air from bathrooms and kitchens condenses on the cold underside of the roof, particularly in lofts with blocked eaves. Wet nail tips and damp underlay over a wide area are classic signs.
Typical things we’re asked to look at include:
- Water that shows only in certain storms
- Water coming in around a roof light or dormer
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
- Damp on a chimney breast
Southampton Tudor House and Garden lies about 1.9 miles south-east, so building around Shirley goes back a long way. Older roofs around here can leak at old repairs as readily as at original details.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- What exactly goes into their report