Greater London · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in South Ealing
Independent roof leak investigations in South Ealing. We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
- Drips from nail tips in a cold loft
- Damp on a chimney breast
- Water coming in around a roof light or dormer
What affects the price in South Ealing
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. The main factors are:
- House, block, shop or office
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- The size of the roof
One thing that affects the price is the package: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 or Premium from £400, all inc. VAT. The roof’s size, height and access matter as well.
Booking your survey
We will usually ask about:
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Any deadline, like an exchange date
Once you know what you need, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.
How a roof leak investigation works in South Ealing
Most roof leaks start at a joint rather than the middle of a slope. Flashings at chimneys and walls, valleys, gutters, parapets and flat roof upstands and outlets are the usual suspects. Each of these is checked in turn and follow the evidence. Chimneys, dormers and roof lights each add joints of their own. We look at all of them, from every safe vantage point. We survey valleys and parapet gutters, chimney stacks and the roof space, and common reasons people get in touch are brown rings on upstairs ceilings and leaks below a flat extension roof.
Many London homes are well over a century old and their roofs have been patched more than once. Insurers usually exclude wear and tear, so it helps to know whether damage is old or new. A careful look in South Ealing tells the two apart where the evidence allows. Photographs and a written account give you something specific to show an insurer, a landlord or a roofer.
The report records the leaking roof as we found it on the day. It is useful straight away, and a good reference for later.
- Place
- South Ealing (W5, W13, TW8)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
How the survey changes by roof type
Parapet and box gutters
Parapet and box gutters sit behind walls or inside the roof. When their outlets block, water rises over the lining and runs indoors.
Valleys
A valley takes the rain from both sides of the roof. Split lead, cracked linings or slipped tiles let water in.
Roof leak investigations around South Ealing
About 0.7 miles east lies Gunnersbury Park, a reminder of how long the area around South Ealing has been built on. Older homes in the wider area frequently 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. In outer London, interwar semis with hipped, tiled roofs sit alongside older slate-roofed terraces. Bay roofs, hip ridges and dormers from later loft conversions are the details that set these houses apart. Each of these roof types has its own typical places for water to get in.
For landlords with property near Brentford station, a tenant living with a leak needs the cause found, not just the stain painted over. Take a building like Grange Primary School: on a building that size, finding the source of a drip means looking well beyond the stain.
South Ealing is about 1 mile south of Ealing, in Greater London. South Ealing is one of many places we visit across Greater London. Our area takes in places right across Greater London, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for London.
We work across W5, W13 and TW8 for roof leak investigations and the streets around it. Local streets include South Road, Elers Road and Carew Road, all of which we cover. Neighbouring places we cover for roof leak investigations include Ealing (1 mile north), Hanwell (1 mile north-west), West Ealing (2 miles west), Pitshanger (2 miles north) and Brentham Garden Suburb (2 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover London (9 miles east), City of Westminster (7 miles east), Marylebone (7 miles east), Kensington (5 miles east), St Pancras (8 miles east) and Shoreditch (10 miles east).
Near you in South Ealing
Around South Ealing, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Lammas Park, Ealing Independent College and Ealing Park Tavern. Nearby too are Library for Iranian Studies (1.4 miles east) and Great Ealing School (within half a mile north). For rail, the closest station is Brentford station, roughly 0.9 miles south of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Gunnersbury Park House - Large Mansion (0.9 miles east) and Ealing Hospital (1.7 miles west). For a walk, there’s Kew Gardens Lake and Castlebar Hill.
Can I check my roof myself?
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Photograph them and note the date.
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Before and after the survey
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week, before and after a survey:
- Leave roof access to professionals
- Let us know what has already been tried
- Photograph the stain each time it appears
- Tell us if there are tanks or pipes in the loft
Where we find more than one possible route, we say which is most likely and why. We say which items need prompt attention.
Keep the roof space ventilated. Good airflow reduces condensation, and condensation is a common false alarm. Check insulation doesn’t block airflow at the eaves.
What we do, step by step
Safety comes first on every visit. We inspect whatever is safely visible, and anything we cannot see is noted in the report. Most visits take roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, though a hard-to-trace leak can take longer. In a London area like South Ealing, the main things to sort out are parking and access: let us know about parking, the floor the property is on, any shared entrance and loft access. On the day, the roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from inside the loft space and from the roof where it’s safe.
- 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.
- The report explains the likely entry point and what needs attention.
Preparing for the visit
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Make sure we can get to the back of the property
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
Booking a survey
Getting a price is simple: just call 07833 053749 or send us an email, let us know about the property and we will point you to the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
Advice
Also near South Ealing
What else we do in South Ealing
What we’re asked to look at in South Ealing
Flashings are one of the commonest sources of roof leaks. Where a roof meets a chimney, a wall or a dormer, lead or mortar seals the joint. Once that seal cracks or lifts, water gets behind it, frequently well away from where it shows.
Typical things we’re asked to look at include:
- Damp on a chimney breast
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
- Leaks below a flat extension roof
- A leak that comes and goes with the weather
If you live in an older home near St Mary's Church, water on an older roof tends to find its way in at the lead, the valleys or the chimney.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- Are they insured for the work?
Questions from South Ealing
Is South Ealing in the area you cover?
We do. The survey and report are the same in South Ealing as anywhere else.
How do I find out if my home in South Ealing is listed?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
How soon will I get the report?
The Premium Survey report comes the same day, the Standard within 24–48 hours and the Basic within 48 hours. All of them come by email.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. Our survey is a roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey of the whole building. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. Asbestos surveys and testing are not part of what we do. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement roof sheets or soffits on buildings from before 2000, we flag them, and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
Will you definitely find the leak?
We cannot promise to find every leak on one visit. Most leave clues we can follow, but intermittent leaks that need particular weather can be harder. We report what we found and the likeliest sources.
How long does a roof leak investigation take?
The visit typically takes between one and two hours at a typical home; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. We will give you an idea of timing when booking.