Greater London · London and the South East
South Hampstead Roof Leak Investigation
Find out what’s going on with the leaking roof before you spend money on it. Roof leak investigations in South Hampstead, with photographs and a clear written report.
- Water that shows only in certain storms
- Drips in the loft during heavy rain
- Damp patches next to the stack
How it works
Before we start, let us know why you’ve booked: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. That way we can focus on what matters to you. The visit usually takes an hour or two for most homes, though a hard-to-trace leak can take longer. Many London properties are flats or terraces with no side access, so rear slopes are viewed from windows, the loft or, where a flight is allowed, by drone. Mention any building rules, key holders or managing agents when you book.
- You tell us where the water appears, when, and what the weather was doing.
- We examine the damp area and the rooms near 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.
Before we arrive
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
How to book
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
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About our roof leak investigation in South Hampstead
Moisture readings and thermal imaging are used where they’re useful. Moisture readings show which materials are wet. A thermal camera shows patterns of temperature rather than water, so its findings are checked with moisture readings. Moisture detection is included in the Standard Survey, and thermal imaging in Premium. The best thermal results come after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. Common reasons to book are wet patches high on an inside wall and ceiling stains that grow after rain, on flat roof details, the roof space and slate and tile slopes.
Water getting into a London home often comes from a detail you cannot see from the street: a butterfly roof’s central valley gutter, a parapet gutter, a chimney flashing or a flat roof over a back addition. For a leak or storm damage in South Hampstead, those hidden details are where the inspection begins. Water from a hidden gutter can run along joists and show up a room or two away.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Place
- South Hampstead (NW3, NW8, NW6)
- Region
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
When to book a survey in South Hampstead
Flashings are one of the commonest sources of roof leaks. Lead or mortar closes the gap wherever a roof meets a wall, chimney or dormer. When lead lifts or splits, or a mortar fillet cracks, rain runs straight in, often well away from where it shows.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Condensation that looks like a leak
- Leaks below a flat extension roof
- Damp on a chimney breast
- A leak that comes and goes with the weather
If yours is one of the older homes in the streets near Church of All Souls, the leak may come from a chimney, a valley or tired lead rather than the covering itself.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- Their report turnaround times
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- What they won’t be able to tell you
South Hampstead: your questions answered
Will parking be an issue for a roof survey in South Hampstead?
In much of London, parking needs planning: a visitor permit or a bay close to the door helps a lot, so mention what’s available when booking.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in South Hampstead?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Why is the stain in a different place from the leak?
Because water travels. It runs along rafters, battens or underlay before it drips, so the entry point is frequently well away from the mark. We follow the route back instead of guessing.
What do I do with the report?
You will receive the report by email, and what you do next is up to you: raise it with a seller, send it to an insurer, brief a roofer or share it with a managing agent.
Does the investigation include the repair?
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.
Is thermal imaging part of a leak investigation?
Where conditions suit, it can. It works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof surface and little wind. Wet insulation holds heat longer than dry, which can show up on the image. We always check what it shows with moisture readings.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
We carry out surveys on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To find a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Leave it or get it looked at?
Wet insulation does not insulate well. Insulation can soak up water quietly before anything shows below. The sooner the cause is found, the less needs replacing. Many older London roofs have only old felt under the slates, or no underlay at all, so a slipped slate can soon mean water inside. Left alone, that means wet timbers and plaster, which is a far bigger job than the roof fault itself.
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The final price depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and the package you choose.
Why us?
- Every finding written up with photos
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Visits on any day of the week
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or two real surveys.
Towns and villages near South Hampstead
Other services in South Hampstead
Can I check my roof myself?
It helps to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us as you book, as it helps us focus the survey.
Fresh stains on ceilings or walls after rain are worth noting. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
How we price roof leak investigations
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- Which survey package you book
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- Height and safe access
Prices quoted always include VAT, and the report is not charged as an extra. Prices start from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
Booking your survey
To price your survey accurately, we’ll ask about:
- Any deadline, like an exchange date
- What’s prompted the survey
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- The kind of building and roof involved
If you’re buying, it’s useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just call 07833 053749 or use the contact form when you’re ready.
Surveys for landlords and agents in South Hampstead
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, with the report sent to whoever needs it. Access is agreed with the tenant in advance.
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 with less disruption.
South Hampstead roofs and the weather
Many homes in inner London are Victorian and Edwardian terraces, often with Welsh slate roofs. Behind many of their parapets sit butterfly roofs and valley gutters that can’t be seen from the pavement. Shared chimney stacks, party-wall upstands and lead work come with this kind of house. Each of these roof types has its own typical places for water to get in. About 0.9 miles south-east lies Winfield House, a reminder of how long the area around South Hampstead has been built on. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
For landlords with property near South Hampstead station, a clear finding on where water gets in helps you brief a roofer right away. For businesses in and around places such as O2 Centre, a quick answer on where water is coming in keeps a business running.
South Hampstead is about 1 mile south of Hampstead, in Greater London. Bookings from South Hampstead are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Across Greater London, we cover South Hampstead.
Here we cover the NW3, NW8 and NW6 postcode area for roof leak investigations. That includes homes and businesses on Avenue Road, Acacia Road and Harben Road and the roads around them. Other places close to South Hampstead include Swiss Cottage (1 mile north), St John's Wood (1 mile south), Haverstock (1 mile east), Belsize Park (1 mile east) and Primrose Hill (1 mile east). We also work in nearby towns such as London (4 miles south-east), Kensington (3 miles south-west), St Pancras (3 miles south-east), Shoreditch (4 miles east), Walthamstow (7 miles north-east) and Hoxton (4 miles east).
Landmarks near South Hampstead
We work in homes and buildings around Cafe Med pub, St. Mary's Town and Country School and Holy Trinity CofE Primary School and the streets around them. You will also find Cecil Sharp House (1.1 miles east) and Primrose Hill (0.6 miles east). There is a railway station in South Hampstead itself: South Hampstead station. A little further out are Isokon Gallery (0.8 miles north-east) and O2 Centre (0.5 miles north-west). Green spaces nearby include Adelaide Nature Reserve and The Long Water.