Greater London · London and the South East
Roof Leak Investigation in The Burroughs
Find out what’s going on with the leaking roof before you spend money on it. Roof leak investigations in The Burroughs.
- Water coming in around a roof light or dormer
- Damp underlay across a wide area
- Damp ceilings under a flat roof
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Do not go up yourself.
Roof leak investigation in The Burroughs
Moisture readings and thermal imaging are used where they’re useful. Moisture readings show which materials are wet. Thermal imaging shows temperature differences that can point to wet areas, not water itself, so its findings are checked 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. Common reasons to book are water marks that spread in wet weather and wet patches on loft insulation, across rooflights and dormers, lead flashings and flat roof details.
In converted houses and blocks across London, water from a roof can run a long way before it shows on a ceiling, sometimes in a different flat from the one below the defect. Tracing it back matters, both for dealing with the cause and for any insurance claim. In The Burroughs, we inspect what we can reach safely and are given access to. Tell us when the water shows, and in what kind of weather.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Place
- The Burroughs (NW4, NW9, NW11)
- Region
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
For landlords and managing agents
We survey roofs for landlords and letting agents as well as householders. The report gives you a dated record of the leaking roof, with photos, which helps you plan work between tenancies.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps when budgeting.
Why it’s worth a survey now in The Burroughs
Damp loft insulation loses much of its value. Insulation can soak up water quietly before anything shows below. Catching it early limits what has to be replaced. Any roof job in The Burroughs means planning around parking, neighbours and access. Knowing what’s needed early gives you time to plan it calmly.
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where applicable) come with the Premium Survey, from £400 including VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you need to know.
Why book with us
- A written report with photos
- Drone and thermal imaging surveys available
- Packages from £150, with VAT included
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Places near The Burroughs
Other services in The Burroughs
What happens on the day
Before we start, let us know why you’ve booked: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. The visit typically takes an hour or two on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. In converted houses and mansion blocks, the loft hatch is often on a shared landing. Where that’s the case, access needs agreeing with whoever controls that landing. Otherwise, the visit in The Burroughs runs like any other.
- We help you choose the package that suits the leak.
- We agree a date, including weekends.
- The investigation works from the stain back to the roof.
- 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.
Before the survey
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- Keep pets in another room
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
Getting a price
To book a survey, ring 07833 053749 or email us and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. You will know the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
Signs you need a roof leak investigation in The Burroughs
When a slate slips or a tile cracks, the underlay takes the water. Ageing felt underlay eventually tears and lets water through, and very old roofs may have no underlay at all. Corroded nails, known as ‘nail fatigue’, are a frequent cause on slate roofs.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- A leak that comes and goes with the weather
- Drips from nail tips in a cold loft
- Brown rings on upstairs ceilings
- Wet patches high on an inside wall
If you look after a building such as St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, tracing a leak on a big roof starts with where the water appears and works back.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Are they insured for the work?
- When you’ll get the report
- What the survey will not cover
- What happens after the report arrives
How the survey changes by roof type
Valleys
A valley leak can appear well away from the valley inside. We trace the route from the loft where there’s safe access.
Lead flashings
A leak at a flashing often shows some way from the joint. That’s why we check the flashings near a stain, not just the one directly above.
Questions from The Burroughs
Is The Burroughs in the area you cover?
We do. The survey and report are the same in The Burroughs as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
How do I find out if my home in The Burroughs is listed?
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.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. Our survey isn’t a structural engineer’s report, and it doesn’t include calculations. We’ll recommend an engineer if we see signs that call for one.
What does a roof survey cost?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Our three packages are Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, including VAT.
What happens after the survey?
You’ll get the report by email. With Standard there is a follow-up consultation; with Premium, an in-person consultation, so you can talk the findings through.
How fast do I get the report?
Each package has its own report time. Basic: within 48 hours. Standard: 24 to 48 hours. Premium: the same day. Mention any deadline when booking.
How do I book a survey in The Burroughs?
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know the address and what you’d like to know. We will confirm the price and find a day that suits.
The Burroughs roofs and the weather
The wider area around The Burroughs has a long history of building, with Heath Hall about 2.6 miles east. 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 any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first. Outer London has plenty of Victorian and Edwardian terraces with slate roofs, but also a great many interwar semis, often with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles. On a semi of that age, the small roofs over the bays, the hip tiles and any later dormer each need their own look. Where water gets in depends a good deal on what the roof is made of and how it’s detailed.
If you live near a park such as Hendon Park, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching. If you own a rental within reach of Hendon station, a tenant living with a leak needs the cause found, not just the stain painted over.
The Burroughs is about 2 miles south-east of Burnt Oak, in Greater London. Bookings from The Burroughs are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Our Greater London coverage includes The Burroughs. London is in our area too.
We cover every part of NW4, NW9 and NW11 for roof leak investigations and the streets around it. If you need a roof leak investigation at a property on Bell Lane, Eaton Road and Lodge Road or anywhere close by, we can help. Being close to the A41, The Burroughs is simple for us to get to. Nearby, we also carry out roof leak investigations in Hendon (1 mile south-east), Colindale (1 mile west), Brent Cross (1 mile south-east), West Hendon (1 mile south-west) and The Hyde (1 mile south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover London (8 miles south-east), City of Westminster (6 miles south-east), Marylebone (6 miles south-east), Kensington (6 miles south), St Pancras (6 miles south-east) and Shoreditch (8 miles south-east).
Landmarks near The Burroughs
We work in homes and buildings around The Claddagh Ring pub, Brampton College and Kisharon College. The Burroughs’s nearest station is Hendon station, about 0.8 miles south-west of the centre. Nearby you will also find Church Farmhouse Museum (less than half a mile north) and Brent Cross Shopping Centre (0.8 miles south). Open spaces near The Burroughs include Parliament Hill and Darland's Lake.