Greater London · London and the South East
Roof survey in Downe, Greater London
Roof surveys in Downe, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- Leaning or weathered chimney stacks
- Blocked, sagging or leaking gutters
- Valley linings that have cracked or split
About our roof survey in Downe
Most houses have more than one roof to look at. Rear extensions, dormers, porches and garages often have flat roofs. They’re included alongside the main roof, looking for ponding, splits, blisters and worn upstands. Flat roofs often need attention long before the main roof, so they deserve a close look. Felt often lasts around 15 to 20 years, while EPDM rubber can last 30 to 50. If you’ve noticed slipped, cracked or missing slates and tiles and standing water on a flat roof, we can find out what’s behind it, on flat roofs, chimney stacks and clay and concrete tiles alike.
Many London terraces have a butterfly roof, with two slopes meeting in a central valley gutter that drains to the rear. From the street you see only a parapet wall, so blocked outlets and split linings go unnoticed until water comes through a ceiling. For a house in Downe with this kind of roof, the hidden gutter is one of the first things to check.
Findings are set out part by part, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets, with a note and a photo for each point. It records what’s sound as well as what is not.
- Location
- Downe (BR6)
- Region
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Tips that help
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Check the roof from the ground after storms
- Include dormers, porches and garages when you book
- Have details of recent roof work to hand
- Do not climb onto the roof yourself
The recommendations are prioritised by urgency where relevant. Some things need prompt attention, others can be planned for. That helps you decide what to do first.
Look at your roof from ground level after strong winds. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles or pieces in the garden are signs something has moved. Getting small faults fixed quickly keeps water out.
Why act early in Downe
By the time water marks a ceiling, it is frequently been getting in for a while. Damp spreads through insulation and timber before anything shows below. From inside the loft space, we can frequently spot it sooner. Many older London roofs have only old felt under the slates, or no underlay at all, so once the slates or flashings let water past, little stops it reaching ceilings. Left unchecked, water soaks into timber and plaster and the damage spreads.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Roof survey starts from £150, including VAT.
Why book with us
- Clear package prices, with VAT included
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Customer satisfaction of 98%
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
See how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
What a roof survey doesn’t cover
It is a careful look at the roof, not the whole story. Its limits include:
- Confirmation of asbestos in soffits or cement sheets
- A promise that the roof won’t leak in future
- Walls, floors and services below the roof
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will recommend the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- Flat roofs
- Ridges, hips and valleys
- Lead flashings
- The roof space
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Chimney stacks
DIY checks: what’s safe
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: broken slates or tiles in the garden, gaps along the ridge or loose lead are signs to note. Do not go up yourself.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
Questions from Downe
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Downe?
We cannot confirm that for you, but Historic England’s list and your council can. Both listing and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, and councils can also use Article 4 directions.
I let a flat near Chelsfield station. Can you check the roof?
Of course. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
What does a roof survey cost?
Roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay for your roof depends on its size, height, access and the package, confirmed before anything is booked.
Does a roof survey replace a structural engineer?
No. If we see signs that need an engineer, such as serious sagging, we will say so. We don’t provide structural calculations.
Do you carry out asbestos surveys?
No. Asbestos testing is not part of our service. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, like cement sheets or soffits on older buildings, we flag them so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check before any work.
Will you climb onto the roof?
When the roof and the conditions make it safe, yes. Many roofs can be seen well from windows, vantage points and the loft.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll explain what’s needed.
Downe homes and their roofs
Further from the centre, London’s housing takes in interwar semis with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles as well as slate-roofed terraces. If your home in Downe is one of them, bay roofs, hips and later dormers each have their own details. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first. About 0.6 miles south lies Down House, a reminder of how long the area around Downe has been built on. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs.
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Downe Primary School, a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. If you own a rental within reach of Chelsfield station, a roof report helps you deal with small faults before they turn into a call from a tenant. For an older house near a landmark such as St Mary's Church, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Downe is about 4 miles south-west of Orpington, in Greater London. We carry out roof surveys for householders, landlords and businesses in Downe and the surrounding area. Downe is one of the towns and villages in Greater London where we work for roof surveys. You can also see our page for London.
Every address in BR6 is covered for roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. If you need a roof survey at a property on High Street, North End Lane and Belle Vue Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Neighbouring places we cover for roof surveys include Farthing Street (1 mile north-west), Hazelwood (1 mile east), Luxted (1 mile south), Leaves Green (1 mile west) and Single Street (2 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover London (13 miles north-west), City of Westminster (15 miles north-west), Marylebone (15 miles north-west), St Pancras (15 miles north-west), Shoreditch (14 miles north-west) and Hoxton (15 miles north-west).
Around Downe
We work in homes and buildings around The Queens Head pub, Charles Darwin School and South Park. The closest station to Downe is Chelsfield station, roughly 2.6 miles north-east of the centre. Nearby you will also find Crofton Roman Villa (2.7 miles north-east) and Princess Royal University Hospital (1.8 miles north). The countryside around Downe includes Downe Bank Nature Reserve and Betsom's Hill.
What else we do in Downe
What happens on the day
The aim of the visit is simple: to look at the roof as closely as is safe and record what we find. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. It normally takes about one to two hours for most homes, depending on how many separate roofs there are. In converted houses and mansion blocks, the loft hatch is often on a shared landing. If that applies to your building, it is useful to agree access with the neighbours or the managing agent first. Everything else is planned around the building, not the postcode.
- You tell us about the property and any concerns.
- We agree a date, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- The roof is inspected from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it’s safe.
- We check the coverings, ridges, hips, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters, and photograph what we find.
- We email a written report with photographs and recommendations.
Before the survey
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- If it isn’t your property yet, arrange access through the agent
How to book
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, so phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the details.
Read more
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney stacks
Our chimney check is a visual inspection of the stack, not a flue, gas or sweep inspection. We’ll tell you if the flue needs a specialist.
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings and valleys are where many leaks start. They get particular attention in every survey.