Greater London · London and the South East
Shadwell Roof Survey
Roof surveys in Shadwell and the rest of Greater London. Surveys run on any day of the week.
- Water stains on rafters and ceiling joists
- Leaking gutter joints and downpipes
- Ponding, splits or blisters on flat roofs
How a roof survey works in Shadwell
Everything we check, we check safely: from ground level, from windows, from the loft space and from the roof where conditions allow. Premium adds thermal imaging, plus a drone inspection where applicable, which helps with tall or steep roofs. You do not need to do anything except give us access. Everything we see is photographed for the report. If you’ve noticed leaking gutter joints and downpipes and ridge tiles that have lifted or moved, we can find out what’s behind it, on natural slate, lead flashings and chimney stacks alike.
A London butterfly roof slopes down to a central valley gutter that drains to the back of the house. Hidden behind the parapet, that gutter can block or split without anyone seeing it. If your home in Shadwell has one, it needs checking from somewhere that can actually see it.
The report does not just list problems. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend.
- Location
- Shadwell (SE16, E1, E1W)
- Region
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
How we price roof surveys
Prices vary from roof to roof, for these reasons:
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- Features like valleys, chimneys, dormers and parapets
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
To find out what your survey will cost, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and a few details. We will confirm the figure before booking.
What to tell us when you contact us
Some details help us suggest the right survey and price. When you contact us, let us know:
- The address and postcode of the property
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Whether there’s a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work with less disruption.
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants, at a time agreed beforehand. Surveys run seven days a week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Places near Shadwell
More services for Shadwell
FAQs for Shadwell
Is parking a problem for a survey in Shadwell?
Sometimes, yes. Where there are permit zones, a visitor permit or nearby pay-and-display bay works well, and a driveway is even better.
Are there drone restrictions around Shadwell?
That depends on where the roof is and on the weather. The flight restriction zone around London City Airport comes within about 1 mile of Shadwell. The exact boundary is checked for each address before any flight, and a roof inside it needs permission before we fly. Shadwell is about 2 miles from the restricted area over the Isle of Dogs, where drone flights need permission from NATS. If a roof falls inside it, we apply for permission before flying, and the flight only goes ahead if it’s granted. Across London there are restriction zones around Heathrow, London City and London Heliport, plus 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. High wind or heavy rain also stops a small drone flying.
Do I need to be at home?
Not necessarily. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but anything inside needs someone there to give access.
Do you work in Shadwell?
Yes. We cover Shadwell and the rest of Greater London, as part of our work across London and the South East. To book, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Can you inspect a terraced or semi-detached roof?
Yes, we inspect your part of the roof. We can only look at neighbouring roofs as far as access allows. Shared chimneys and party-wall upstands are checked from your side.
How many surveys have you done?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, across 20+ years of surveying roofs.
Can you survey at the weekend?
Surveys can be booked for any day of the week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Let us know which days suit you when booking.
What we cannot see
This isn’t a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Walls, floors and services below the roof
- Defects hidden under coverings or inside walls without opening up
- A promise that the roof will not leak in future
If in doubt, call 07833 053749 or send us an email and we will point you to the right survey. What a survey covers and does not.
What we check
- The roof space
- Lead flashings
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Flat roofs
- Ridges, hips and valleys
- Chimney stacks
- Natural slate
What we do, step by step
The visit has one job: to see as much of the roof as can safely be seen and record it clearly. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. The visit typically takes roughly 1–2 hours for most houses, or half a day or so for a commercial building. From the street, a London terrace normally shows only its front slope or parapet, so a visit in Shadwell moves between viewpoints: the pavement, upstairs windows, the loft and any safe spot at the back. If other people live in the building, let us know who can let us into the shared parts.
- You pick the package that suits your roof.
- We arrive at the agreed time and talk through any concerns.
- 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.
Preparing for the visit
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with whoever owns or manages the building
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we are coming
Getting a price
To get a price for roof surveys in Shadwell, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form. The address, the type of property and what you’d like to know help us price the survey accurately.
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What a roof survey looks like in Shadwell
Shadwell is about 1 mile from the edge of the flight restriction zone around London City Airport. If your survey includes the drone, the exact boundary is checked for the address first. The restricted area over the Isle of Dogs, where drone flights need permission from NATS, is about 2 miles from Shadwell. If your survey includes the drone, the address is checked against it before any flight.
If you let a flat or house near Wapping station, the gap between tenancies is a good time to have the roof looked at. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Peter Hills with St Mary's and St Paul's CofE Primary School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
Shadwell is about 1 mile south-east of Whitechapel, in Greater London. Roofs in Shadwell get the same thorough look as anywhere else in Greater London. Our area takes in places right across Greater London, large and small.
Roof surveys in SE16, E1 and E1W are booked the same way as anywhere else. We offer roof surveys to properties on Swan Road, Thame Road and Brunel Road. Shadwell is on the A101 and A126, so it’s easy for us to get to. Neighbouring places we cover for roof surveys include Ratcliff (1 mile north), East End of London (1 mile north-west), Wapping (1 mile west), St George in the East (1 mile west) and Limehouse (1 mile north-east). Larger places within reach include City of Westminster (5 miles west), Marylebone (4 miles west), Kensington (7 miles west), St Pancras (3 miles north-west), Walthamstow (6 miles north) and Hampstead (7 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Shadwell
Around Shadwell, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Bacon's College, Bishopsgate Institute Special Collections and Archives and Russia Dock Woodland and the streets around them. Also close by are Prospect of Whitby pub (within half a mile west) and St Mellitus College (0.6 miles west). There’s a railway station in Shadwell itself: Wapping station. Well-known places in the area include St Olave's Hospital (0.8 miles south-west) and The Pumphouse Educational Museum (within half a mile east). Green spaces nearby include Lavender Pond and Tower Hill.
Why get it checked now?
Without a survey, you’re guessing at what the roof needs. You might pay for work that does not fix the real problem, or to a real problem being missed. A survey tells you what actually needs attention. 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.
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where applicable, which starts from £400, inc. VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you want to find out.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Shadwell
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- An independent look at the roof
- A photo-illustrated written report
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
When to book a survey in Shadwell
A chimney stack takes more weather than almost any other part of a roof. Pointing erodes, flaunching cracks and pots work loose. Water that gets into a stack can show up as damp in the rooms below.
We’re often asked to look at:
- Debris building up in roof valleys
- Worn lead at chimneys and abutments
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or broken
- Ponding, splits or blisters on flat roofs
Trees in and around Russia Dock Woodland shed leaves that can end up in nearby gutters, so outlets and downpipes are worth watching.
What to check before booking
- When you’ll get the report
- Their track record with similar roofs
- What happens after the report arrives
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof