Greater London · London and the South East
Roof leak investigation in West Hampstead, Greater London
Find out what’s going on with the leaking roof before you spend money on it. We carry out roof leak investigations in West Hampstead.
- Damp walls below an overflowing gutter
- Drips from nail tips in a cold loft
- Water through the ceiling under a flat roof
Roof leak investigations for homes and businesses in West Hampstead
We use moisture detection and thermal imaging where they help. 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. The best thermal results come after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. We’re often asked to look into drips from nail tips in a cold loft and water marks that spread in wet weather, across lead flashings, rooflights and dormers and the roof space.
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. That makes the source hard to pin down, and finding it matters for whoever has to deal with it. We check what we’re given access to in West Hampstead, inside and out. Tell us when the water shows, and in what kind of weather.
If any part of the leaking roof couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You will know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Location
- West Hampstead (NW3, NW6, NW2)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Wind, rain and roofs in West Hampstead
Inner London’s Victorian and Edwardian terraces often have 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. In a house like that, shared stacks, party-wall upstands and lead flashings all need looking at as far as they can be seen. The covering and its details give the first clues when tracing where water is coming from. About 0.5 miles north-east lies Fenton House, a reminder of how long the area around West Hampstead has been built on. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Homes near green spaces like Kilburn Grange Park can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching. Landlords with a home close to Finchley Road & Frognal station may find that tracing a leak quickly matters when a tenant is living with it.
West Hampstead is about 3 miles north-west of City of Westminster, in Greater London. In West Hampstead, as across Greater London, every roof gets the same careful survey. We cover towns and villages across Greater London, large and small. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
All of NW3, NW6 and NW2 is within our area for roof leak investigations. Streets in the area include Mill Lane, Acol Road and Ajax Road. West Hampstead sits on or near the A502. Neighbouring places we cover for roof leak investigations include Fortune Green (1 mile west), Hampstead (1 mile east), Greenhill (1 mile east), Childs Hill (1 mile north-west) and Vale of Health (1 mile north-east). Larger places within reach include London (6 miles south-east), City of Westminster (3 miles south-east), Marylebone (3 miles south-east), Kensington (4 miles south), St Pancras (4 miles south-east) and Shoreditch (5 miles east).
Near you in West Hampstead
Typical jobs here are in homes near South Hampstead High School, Holly Bush pub and Kilburn Grange Park. West Hampstead has its own railway station: Finchley Road & Frognal station. Nearby you will also find Isokon Gallery (1.2 miles east) and New End Hospital (0.5 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Parliament Hill and Westbere Copse.
Different roofs, different checks
Slate and tile slopes
Slipped, cracked or missing slates and tiles let rain onto the underlay. Older felt may hold for a while, but it tears with age.
Parapet and box gutters
Parapet and box gutters sit behind walls or inside the roof. A blocked outlet sends water over the lining and into the building.
What a roof leak investigation does not cover
Before booking, it is worth knowing what a survey will not do:
- Leaks from plumbing, tanks or pipework rather than the roof
- Faults hidden behind ceilings or boarding
- Structural calculations (that’s a structural engineer’s job)
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will recommend the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
Roof types and parts we check
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Rooflights and dormers
- Lead flashings
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Flat roof details
- Slate and tile slopes
Towns and villages near West Hampstead
What else we do in West Hampstead
What happens on the day
There isn’t much for you to do on the day. Point out anything you’ve noticed, such as stains, drips or loose pieces, and we will take it from there. A typical survey takes roughly 1–2 hours for most houses, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. In West Hampstead, visits are available on weekdays and at weekends. It helps if you can point us to a visitor permit or a nearby bay. Upstairs rooms at the back are useful too, as they frequently give the best view of a rear addition.
- 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’s useful and included, we take moisture readings and use thermal imaging.
- The report explains the likely entry point and what needs attention.
Getting ready for the survey
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
How to book
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine; never climb up to get a better view. To send them or to book, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
How we price roof leak investigations
To price your survey, we check:
- Whether it is a home or a commercial building
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
Every price we give includes VAT, and the written report is part of the package. Prices start from £150, including VAT. Size, height and access decide where your roof falls.
Getting in touch
What helps most when you contact us:
- The kind of building and roof involved
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- Your timetable, like an exchange date
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
Our phone lines are open seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
DIY checks: what’s safe
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when you book.
A lot can be seen from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
When to book a survey in West Hampstead
A roof valley collects the rain from two slopes. Worn lead, cracked linings or a build-up of leaves and moss can send that water under the coverings. The stain may appear well away from the valley itself.
It is worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Water marks that spread in wet weather
- Staining where a gutter or parapet meets the wall
- Water dripping from rafters or underlay
- Leaks at a dormer or roof window
For businesses in and around places such as O2 Centre, finding where water is getting in quickly keeps disruption down.
Before you book anyone
- Are they insured for the work?
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- When you will get the report
West Hampstead: your questions answered
Is West Hampstead in the area you cover?
Yes. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and West Hampstead is part of that. You can phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and a few details.
Is my home in West Hampstead listed or in a conservation area?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. 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.
How long does a roof leak investigation take?
On site, it normally takes roughly 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
How do I arrange a roof leak investigation in West Hampstead?
Just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address. After a few questions, we confirm the price and fix a day, weekday or weekend.
What’s in the survey report?
It sets out what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, with photographs throughout. Anything we couldn’t see safely is noted too.
Why isn’t the leak directly above the stain?
Water follows the easiest path, not the shortest. On a pitched roof it often runs down a rafter before it shows. Following that route is what our investigation does.
How fast do I get the report?
It depends on the package: the Basic Survey report arrives within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey the same day. Reports are sent by email.