Greater London · London and the South East
Finchley Roof Survey
A roof condition survey for homes and buildings across Finchley, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Call or email for a price.
- Blocked, sagging or leaking gutters
- Worn lead at chimneys and abutments
- Water stains on rafters and ceiling joists
About our roof survey in Finchley
We survey roofs in Finchley and across London and the South East. We carry out surveys on weekdays and at weekends. We’re insured for professional indemnity and public liability, and bring 20+ years’ experience. Each survey ends with a written report, emailed with photos and recommendations. Houses, flats and commercial buildings all follow the same careful process. To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. We survey lead flashings, clay and concrete tiles and flat roofs, and common reasons people get in touch are leaking gutter joints and downpipes and standing water on a flat roof.
A London butterfly roof slopes down to a central valley gutter that drains to the back of the house. From the street you see only a parapet wall, so blocked outlets and split linings go unnoticed until water comes through a ceiling. If your home in Finchley has one, it needs checking from somewhere that can actually see it.
Nothing in the report is left vague: where something needs attention, it says so plainly.
- Where
- Finchley (N3, N2, N12, NW11)
- Region
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What a roof survey does not cover
No survey can tell you everything, and it is better to know them up front. Bear these in mind:
- A full building survey of the property
- Faults hidden behind ceilings or boarding
- Confirmation of asbestos in soffits or cement sheets
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will tell you. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
- Ridges, hips and valleys
- Flat roofs
- Lead flashings
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Natural slate
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Finchley
Outer London has lots 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. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If you own a rental within reach of New Southgate station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak. Anyone responsible for a site like Manorside Primary School will know that large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. The streets around a church such as St Paul's Finchley are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, its chimney, valleys and lead work are likely to be the parts that need attention first.
Finchley is about 6 miles north of City of Westminster, in Greater London. Wherever you are in Finchley, we can carry out roof surveys at your property. Finchley is one of the towns and villages in Greater London where we work. There’s also a page for London.
Every address in N3, N2, N12 and NW11 is within our area for roof surveys. Whether your property is on Station Road, Chaplin Square and Market Place or a nearby road, we can help. Being close to the B1462, Finchley is simple for us to get to for roof surveys. If you are just outside Finchley, we cover Church End (1 mile west), Woodside Park (1 mile north), North Finchley (1 mile north), Friern Barnet (2 miles north-east) and Oakleigh Park (2 miles north). We also work in nearby towns like London (8 miles south-east), City of Westminster (6 miles south), Marylebone (6 miles south), Kensington (7 miles south), St Pancras (6 miles south-east) and Shoreditch (7 miles south-east).
Around Finchley
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to The Elephant Inn, Bishop Douglass School and Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum, among other places. You will also find Victoria Park (less than half a mile north) and Woodhouse College (1 mile north-east). Finchley’s nearest station is New Southgate station, about 1.9 miles north-east. Other landmarks nearby include Finchley Memorial Hospital (within half a mile north-east) and Grand Arcade (1 mile north). Green spaces nearby include Highgate Hill and Lakeside Nature Reserve.
Places near Finchley
Also in Finchley
Before and after the survey
From years of surveys, a few habits stand out:
- Watch for slipped slates after bad weather
- File the report with your home documents
- Find records of any re-roofing or repairs
- Leave roof access to professionals
With the Standard Survey you get a follow-up consultation, and the Premium Survey includes an in-person consultation. It is a chance to ask questions about anything in the report.
After a storm, check the roof from the garden and the street. Slipped slates, lifted ridge tiles or pieces in the garden are signs something has moved. Prompt repairs stop small problems growing.
DIY checks: what’s safe
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery. That part is for a survey, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
What happens on the day
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof, but as a rough guide the survey takes roughly 1–2 hours for a house, or half a day or so for a commercial building. You are welcome to ask questions while we’re there. In a London conversion, the way into the roof space is often from a communal landing or the top flat. If that applies to your building, it helps to agree access with the neighbours or the managing agent first. Otherwise, the visit in Finchley runs like any other.
- We help you choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey.
- On the day, we start by hearing what you’ve noticed.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Extra checks are carried out where your package includes them.
- The report is emailed with findings and recommendations.
Before we arrive
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Leave side gates unlocked
Booking a survey
If you’re buying, it is useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply call 07833 053749 or use the contact form whenever suits you.
Related advice
Different roofs, different checks
Concrete interlocking tiles
Concrete interlocking tiles are common on post-war and newer homes. They’re heavy and hard-wearing, but their surfaces weather over the years.
Natural slate
From the loft, we check the underside of a slate roof. There may be old felt underlay, or none at all on very old roofs.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Finchley
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, including offices, shops and units. Larger roofs take longer, so they’re priced to suit.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord, with the report sent to whoever needs it. We agree a time with the tenant beforehand.
Finchley: your questions answered
Is my home in Finchley listed or in a conservation area?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you’re planning to re-roof in a different material.
Is drone flying allowed in Finchley?
The answer turns on the exact location and the conditions on the day. London’s airspace includes flight restriction zones around Heathrow, London City Airport and London Heliport, and restricted areas over Hyde Park, the City of London and the Isle of Dogs. Every London address is checked against them before a flight. Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions. High wind or heavy rain also stops a small drone flying, though the rest of the survey goes ahead either way.
Do you carry out asbestos surveys?
No. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys or testing. If we see materials that could contain asbestos, such as cement sheets or soffits on older buildings, we flag them and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
Do you inspect the roof from on top?
Only when it is safe. We also use views from the ground, windows and the roof space, and Premium includes a drone where applicable.
How much is a survey?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. We confirm the price for the job before booking. For a price, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
How quickly will I get the report?
It depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. It is emailed to you.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, if the building owner or managing agent agrees access. We look at the parts we’re given access to, and the report makes that clear.