Greater London · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in Telegraph Hill, Greater London
Roof leak investigations across Telegraph Hill, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall
- Leaks below a flat extension roof
- Damp underlay across a wide area
Common roof problems in Telegraph Hill
Every flat roof covering has a working life. A felt roof often lasts around 15 to 20 years, and as it ages it splits, blisters and opens at the laps. Leaks frequently start at the edges, upstands and outlets.
Things that often lead to a survey include:
- Water through the ceiling under a flat roof
- Staining around the chimney inside
- Drips from nail tips in a cold loft
- Damp walls below an overflowing gutter
Trees in and around Fordham Park shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Their track record with similar roofs
About our roof leak investigation in Telegraph Hill
We use moisture detection and thermal imaging where they help. Moisture detection confirms where timbers, plaster or insulation are damp. A thermal camera shows patterns of temperature rather than water, 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. We survey slate and tile slopes, the roof space and lead flashings, and common reasons people get in touch are wet patches on loft insulation and condensation that looks like a leak.
London’s Victorian and Edwardian roofs have frequently been repaired many times. Insurers usually exclude wear and tear, so it’s useful to know whether damage is old or new. A careful look in Telegraph Hill tells the two apart where the evidence allows. A written record with photographs helps you explain what was found to whoever deals with it next.
Nothing in the report is left vague: if work is needed, the report says so clearly.
- Where
- Telegraph Hill (SE4, SE15, SE14)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Leaks and storm damage in Telegraph Hill
Many homes in inner London are Victorian and Edwardian terraces, often with Welsh slate roofs. From the street you may see only a parapet, with a butterfly roof and a valley gutter behind it draining to the back. 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. Historic houses such as Queen's House, about 2 miles north-east, show how far back building in the area around Telegraph Hill goes. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs.
If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for instance near Lewisham Shopping Centre, finding where water is getting in quickly keeps disruption down. Anyone responsible for a site like Haberdashers' Hatcham College will know that tracing a leak on a big roof starts with where the water appears and works back.
Telegraph Hill is about 1 mile south-west of New Cross, in Greater London. We cover Telegraph Hill and the rest of Greater London, as part of our work across London and the South East. Across Greater London, we cover Telegraph Hill and the places around it.
Here we cover the SE4, SE15 and SE14 postcode area for roof leak investigations. That includes homes and businesses on Mona Road, Pepys Road and Kitto Road and the roads around them. If you are just outside Telegraph Hill, we cover Nunhead (1 mile south-west), New Cross (1 mile north-east), Peckham (1 mile north-west), St Johns (1 mile east) and Brockley (1 mile south-east). We also work in nearby towns such as London (3 miles north-west), City of Westminster (6 miles north-west), Marylebone (6 miles north-west), Kensington (7 miles west), St Pancras (5 miles north-west) and Shoreditch (4 miles north).
Local landmarks in Telegraph Hill
We work in homes and buildings around Fordham Park and The Brockley Barge pub. There’s a railway station in Telegraph Hill itself: Brockley station. Other landmarks nearby include Southwark Adult Education Institute (0.6 miles north-west) and Lewisham Shopping Centre (1.4 miles east). For a walk, there is St. James's Park Lake and New Cross Gate Cutting.
Practical tips
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Catch drips in a bucket and protect the floor
- Keep a photo record of the damp patch
- Move stored items away from the hatch
- Record whether it leaks in every downpour or only some
With the Standard Survey you get a follow-up consultation, while Premium includes one in person. It is a chance to ask about anything in the report.
Do not block the vents at the eaves. Good airflow reduces condensation, which is often mistaken for a leak. Keep insulation clear of the eaves.
Honest limits
Our findings are based on what we can see safely on the day, so there are some things a survey cannot cover:
- What’s under the covering or behind the plaster
- Plumbing leaks that look like roof leaks
- A structural engineer’s report
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Lead flashings
- Rooflights and dormers
- Chimney stacks
- Flat roof details
- Slate and tile slopes
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- The roof space
FAQs for Telegraph Hill
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Telegraph Hill?
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. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Is Telegraph Hill in the area you cover?
Yes, Telegraph Hill is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Telegraph Hill as anywhere else.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. Our survey isn’t a structural engineer’s report, and it doesn’t include calculations. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we will recommend one.
Why is not the leak directly above the stain?
Because water travels. It can follow a timber or the underlay a long way first, so the entry point is often well away from the mark. That’s why we trace the route rather than patching above the stain.
Do I need to be at home?
It depends on what we need to see. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in; we’ll agree the details when you book.
Could my leak actually be condensation?
It is a common question. Leaks tend to follow wet weather and show in one place, while condensation is often spread out and worse in cold weather. The report explains which it looks like and what to do.
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. Its findings are confirmed with a moisture check.
For landlords and managing agents
Where a roof is shared: access has to be agreed with whoever owns or manages the building. Let us know about it when booking and we will plan the visit with that in mind.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Telegraph Hill and across Greater London can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
The survey, step by step
A survey visit follows a simple order: we hear what you’ve seen, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and record our findings for the written report. It normally takes an hour or two for most homes, though a hard-to-trace leak can take longer. In Telegraph Hill, as in much of London, plenty of properties are flats or terraces without side access, so the back of the roof is often seen from upstairs windows, from inside or, where a flight is allowed, from the air. If the building has a managing agent or access rules, let us know when booking.
- You pick a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey.
- A visit is booked for a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- The investigation works from the stain back to the roof.
- Where it is useful and included, we take moisture readings and use thermal imaging.
- The report explains the likely entry point and what needs attention.
Before we arrive
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Tell us about parking before the day
Arrange a survey
To book a survey, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
Should I look at the roof myself first?
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, which helps when we check the roof.
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way. That part is for a survey.