Greater London · London and the South East
Roof survey in Hornsey, Greater London
A roof condition survey for homes and buildings in Hornsey. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Ponding, splits or blisters on flat roofs
- Ridge tiles that have lifted or moved
- Blocked, sagging or leaking gutters
What we do, step by step
We will ask a few questions first, such as when any problem began and what work has been done before. Then the inspection itself takes an hour or two for most houses, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. For a visit in Hornsey, parking and access are the things to plan: let us know about permits, visitor bays or off-street space, which floor the property is on and how to get into the loft. We then look at whatever is safely visible from the ground, windows, the loft and, where it’s safe, the roof itself.
- You get in touch with the address and anything you’ve noticed.
- A visit is booked for a weekday or a weekend.
- The roof is inspected from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it’s safe.
- Slates or tiles, ridges, hips, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are all examined and photographed.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations.
Before we arrive
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the freeholder or managing agent
- Let us know where we can park nearby
Arrange a survey
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine. To send them or to book, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
Roof survey in Hornsey
A roof survey tells you what condition your roof is in, before small faults become big ones. We check the coverings, the ridges and hips, the valleys and flashings, the chimneys and the gutters, along with the loft where it’s safe to get in. The report sets out what we found, with photos and recommendations. Where it helps, we say which items are urgent and which can wait. We survey the roof space, chimney stacks and clay and concrete tiles, and people most often book us about lifted, split or missing lead flashings and gaps in the roof where coverings have gone.
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 Hornsey with this kind of roof, the hidden gutter is one of the first things to check.
The report records the roof as we found it on the day. It is useful straight away, and a good reference for later.
- Where
- Hornsey (N8, N22)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Landlords, agents and block managers in Hornsey
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. Recommendations are set out by urgency where it matters, which helps with budgets and planning.
An agent can book and manage the survey for a landlord. Access is agreed with the tenant in advance.
Roof by roof
Clay plain and peg tiles
Tile-hanging on walls and dormer cheeks is checked as part of the roof where it’s relevant. Gaps in tile-hanging let water reach the wall behind.
Natural slate
Many Victorian and Edwardian houses have slate roofs. Widespread slipping typically points to corroded nails, which we describe in the report.
More services for Hornsey
What happens if roof problems are left?
Planned work is less stressful than an emergency. A survey lets you deal with things in order of urgency, rather than waiting for something to fail. In a London terrace or conversion, a roof defect rarely stays your problem alone: a blocked parapet gutter or slipped slate can let water into the flat below or the house next door. Finding it early keeps the work smaller.
To find out what your survey will cost, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and some details. We will confirm the figure before booking.
What you get with us
- Prices that include VAT
- Every finding written up with photos
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Over 20 years’ experience
Common roof problems in Hornsey
The underlay under the coverings matters too. Breathable roofing membranes came into use in the UK in the late 1990s, so older roofs often have bitumen felt, and very old ones may have none. Felt that has torn or perished stops doing its job.
Common reasons to book include:
- Lifted, split or missing lead flashings
- Cracked or blistered flat roof coverings
- Loose chimney pots
- Debris building up in roof valleys
Anyone responsible for a site like St Mary's CofE Primary School will know that a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
What to check before booking
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- What they won’t be able to tell you
- What exactly goes into their report
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
Hornsey questions
Is parking a problem for a survey in Hornsey?
It rarely stops a survey, but it is worth planning. Tell us what parking is available nearby, and the visit is planned around it.
Are there drone restrictions around Hornsey?
It depends on the exact address and the weather 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. Each address is checked against all of them before the drone goes up. Every flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first, including zones around airports and prisons. Strong wind or heavy rain also stops a small drone flying, though the rest of the survey goes ahead either way.
Can you look at a roof that is joined to next door?
Yes, the part you own or can give access to. We can only look at neighbouring roofs as far as access allows. Shared stacks and upstands are looked at from your property.
How experienced are you?
Over 20 years and more than 5,000 surveys, across London and South East England.
What’s the best way to book?
To book, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address, the type of property and what’s prompted the survey. We’ll confirm the price and agree a day with you.
How long will you be at the property?
It usually takes about 1–2 hours for an ordinary house roof, and longer if there are extensions, dormers or several chimneys. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
How quickly will I get the report?
Premium reports arrive the same day, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. Each report includes photos.
What a roof survey looks like in Hornsey
Welsh slate on Victorian and Edwardian terraces is a familiar sight across inner London. A butterfly roof with a central valley gutter, tucked behind a parapet wall, is common on these houses. If your home in Hornsey is one of them, lead flashings, party-wall upstands and shared chimney stacks are part of the picture too. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
Bruce Castle, about 2 miles north-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Hornsey. Older roofs nearby often mix original materials with later repairs, and the survey shows where each one is. If you live near a park such as Priory Park, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall.
Hornsey is about 3 miles east of Finchley, in Greater London. We carry out roof surveys in Hornsey for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings. Across Greater London, we cover Hornsey and the places around it. There is also a page for London.
Surveys in N8 and N22 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We offer roof surveys to properties on High Street, Brandon Place and Cross Lane. We also cover Turnpike Lane (1 mile east), Crouch End (1 mile south-west), Stroud Green (1 mile south-east), Wood Green (1 mile north-east) and Noel Park (1 mile north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover London (6 miles south), City of Westminster (5 miles south), Marylebone (5 miles south), Kensington (7 miles south-west), St Pancras (4 miles south) and Shoreditch (5 miles south).
What’s near Hornsey
Typical jobs here are in homes near Great Northern Railway pub, Priory Park and Greek Secondary School of London, among other places. Hornsey has its own railway station: Hornsey station. Well-known places in the area include Hornsey Central Hospital (0.7 miles west) and Broomfield House Museum (2 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Darland's Lake and Highgate Hill.
Tips that help
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Ask about a flat roof on an extension or garage too
- Have details of recent roof work to hand
- Check the roof from the ground after storms
- Photograph stains when they appear
Any roofer you ask to quote can work from the report. They’ll see each defect and its location, which makes quotes easier to compare.
Look at your roof from the ground 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.