Greater London · London and the South East
Roof survey in North Finchley, Greater London
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in North Finchley, with photos and a written report.
- Leaning or weathered chimney stacks
- Lifted, split or missing lead flashings
- Ponding, splits or blisters on flat roofs
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in North Finchley
Alongside Victorian and Edwardian terraces, outer London has a great many interwar semis, often with hipped roofs of clay or concrete tiles. Bay roofs, hip ridges and dormers from later loft conversions are the details that set these houses apart. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters. Where the drone is part of the survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first.
Heath Hall, about 2.9 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around North Finchley. Older homes in the area may have roofs that need matching materials when work is done. For an older house near a landmark such as St. Barnabas Church, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look. Homes near green spaces like Friary Park can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
North Finchley is about 1 mile north of Finchley, in Greater London. Wherever you are in North Finchley, we can carry out roof surveys at your property. Our area takes in places right across Greater London, large and small. You can also see our page for London.
We survey roofs across the N12, N20 and N11 postcode area for roof surveys and the streets around it. That includes homes and businesses on High Road, Lodge Lane and Percy Road. North Finchley sits on or near the A1000. Close by, we survey roofs in Woodside Park (1 mile west), Oakleigh Park (1 mile north), Whetstone (1 mile north), Friern Barnet (1 mile east) and Finchley (1 mile south). Further out, we also cover London (9 miles south-east), City of Westminster (7 miles south), Marylebone (7 miles south), Kensington (8 miles south), St Pancras (7 miles south) and Shoreditch (8 miles south-east).
Around North Finchley
We work in homes and buildings around Friary Park, Woodhouse College and The Bohemia pub, among other places. Other local landmarks include Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum (0.5 miles west) and St Michael's Catholic Grammar School (within half a mile south-west). For rail, the closest station is New Southgate station, roughly 1.4 miles east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Finchley Memorial Hospital (0.8 miles south) and Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum (0.5 miles west). Not far away are Darland's Lake and Glebelands Local Nature Reserve.
Roof survey in North Finchley
We inspect what can safely be seen: from ground level, from windows and other vantage points, from inside the loft and from the roof itself where it’s safe. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging and, where it applies, a drone, which helps with tall or steep roofs. You don’t need to do anything except give us access. Everything we see is photographed for the report. If you’ve noticed gaps in the roof where coverings have gone and lifted, split or missing lead flashings, a survey will tell you what’s going on, whatever the roof.
London has Victorian and Edwardian terraces in almost every borough, many with Welsh slate roofs, shared chimney stacks and parapet or valley gutters. Slates can last a century or more, but the nails holding them corrode, and slates slip. In North Finchley, as across London, that’s why a roof needs a proper look rather than a glance from the street. Lead flashings and shared chimney stacks on these houses need a careful look too.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photos, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Where
- North Finchley (N12, N20, N11)
- Region
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Before and after the survey
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They’re worth knowing whatever the roof:
- Watch for slipped slates after bad weather
- Find records of any re-roofing or repairs
- Tell us about any leaks or stains you’ve seen
- Do not climb onto the roof yourself
Where it helps, we say which items are urgent. Some things need prompt attention, others can be planned for. It makes the next steps much clearer.
Have the roof surveyed every few years, and after major storms. Routine surveys pick up wear before it leaks. Each report gives a record to compare against.
How the survey changes by roof type
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.
Lead flashings and valleys
Lead flashings seal chimneys, walls and abutments. Lifted, split or slipped lead is recorded.
Landlord and commercial surveys in North Finchley
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on, photographs included.
Landlords and letting agents in North Finchley book surveys as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the roof, with photographs, useful for planning maintenance.
The survey, step by step
We photograph the roof as we go, so you can see in the report what we found and where. We take close-ups from wherever is safe, including by drone where it is applicable and the weather allows. A typical visit takes about one to two hours for a house, while a commercial roof takes nearer three to four hours. In a London area like North Finchley, the main things to sort out are parking and access: tell us about permits, visitor bays or off-street space, which floor the property is on and how to get into the loft. On the day, the roof is looked at from ground level, from windows, from inside the roof space and from the roof where it is safe.
- We start by hearing what you’d like checked and why.
- We agree a date, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We inspect from ground level, from windows, from the loft space and from the roof where safe.
- Slates or tiles, ridges, hips, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are all examined and photographed.
- We email a written report with photographs and recommendations.
How to prepare
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Keep pets in another room
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
Book a survey
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form when you’re ready.
Advice
Should I look at the roof myself first?
It’s useful to keep a record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry and it will help the survey.
A DIY look is useful, but it is not a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Towns and villages near North Finchley
Other services in North Finchley
Leave it or get it looked at?
A small roof defect usually gets bigger. A single gap lets water onto the timbers underneath, and damp timber slowly weakens. Catching it early means less to put right. Blocked gutters and hoppers on London houses overflow and soak brickwork. A small blockage left for a few winters becomes a damp problem.
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, with VAT included, and we can help you choose.
Why book us in North Finchley
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- More than 20 years surveying roofs
- Plain-English reports with photos
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
See our cost guide and two real surveys.
Questions from North Finchley
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near New Southgate station?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. Just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the details.
Are there drone restrictions around North Finchley?
Usually it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. 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. The flight also waits for calm, dry weather, though the rest of the survey goes ahead either way.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day, which suits people who work during the week. Just say which days work for you.
Can you look at a roof that is joined to next door?
Yes, we inspect your part of the roof. We can only look at neighbouring roofs as far as access allows. Shared stacks and upstands are looked at from your property.
How long will you be at the property?
On site, it typically takes between one and two hours for most houses, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Report times depend on the package.
What if it rains on the day?
Light rain is typically fine; heavy rain and wind are different. In high wind or heavy rain, a drone can’t fly and access may not be safe, so we’d move the date with you.
What does a roof survey include?
Every part of the roof we can safely see: coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys, gutters and the loft. Higher packages add moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging and a drone where applicable.