Greater London · London and the South East
St James's Roof Survey
An experienced roof surveyor for roof surveys in St James's. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us across London and South East England.
- Crumbling chimney pointing or cracked flaunching
- Worn or blocked valleys
- Loose ridge or hip tiles
Roof survey in St James's
A roof survey tells you what condition your roof is in, before small faults become big ones. We look at the coverings, the ridges and hips, the valleys and flashings, the chimneys and the gutters, and the roof space where there is safe access. 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’re often asked to look into torn or sagging underlay and slates or tiles that have slipped or broken, on the roof space, chimney stacks and lead flashings.
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. For a house in St James's with this kind of roof, the hidden gutter is one of the first things to check.
The report does not just list problems. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend, so you can decide what to do next.
- Location
- St James's (W1F, W1D, W1J)
- Region
- Greater London
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What a survey costs
We confirm the exact price before you book. These are the things that affect it:
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- The roof’s overall size
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
Prices start from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, how it can safely be seen and the package you choose.
What to tell us when you contact us
You don’t need to know any roofing terms. It is enough to tell us:
- Where the property is, with the postcode
- The type of building and roof, like pitched or flat
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
Getting a price is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and give us a few details about the property and we’ll suggest the right survey. The price is agreed up front.
Nearby places to St James's
More services for St James's
St James's questions
I let a flat near London Charing Cross station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, that’s a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
Is parking a problem for a survey in St James's?
In much of London, parking needs planning: a visitor permit or a bay close to the door helps a lot.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Where it’s applicable and safe, yes. We fly a sub-250g drone and we are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where applicable.
Is your survey a structural engineer’s report?
No. Our survey looks at the condition of the roof, and Standard and Premium include structural checks. It isn’t a structural engineer’s report and doesn’t include calculations.
Do I need to be at home?
It depends on what we need to see. For inside areas and the loft space, someone has to give us access; we will agree the details as you book.
Is St James's in your area?
Yes. We cover St James's and the rest of Greater London. To book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
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 so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check before any work.
For landlords and managing agents
Landlords, agents and building managers in St James's and across Greater London can book any of our surveys. For a price for a let property or a block, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Shared roofs need a little more planning: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Let us know about it as you book and we will plan the survey around it.
How it works
We work from the outside in: outside views come first, then the loft space if there is safe access. All told, expect between one and two hours for most homes, depending on how many separate roofs there are. From the street, a London terrace typically shows only its front slope or parapet, so in St James's we work round the house, using the street, the windows, the loft and any safe vantage point behind it. If other people live in the building, let us know who can let us into the shared parts.
- 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.
- You get a written report with photos and clear recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Clear the way to the loft hatch
Booking a survey
Once you know what you need, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. We’ll suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.
Advice
Leave it or get it looked at?
Before you put a home on the market, it helps to know the roof’s condition. You can deal with defects before a buyer’s surveyor finds them. A hidden valley or parapet gutter on a London house can hold water for weeks before anyone notices. When the stain finally shows, the damage underneath is frequently older than it looks.
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where applicable) come with the Premium Survey, which starts from £400, with VAT included. We’ll tell you which package suits the questions you have.
Why book with us
- Surveys on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Package prices that include VAT
- 20+ years’ experience
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
See what a roof survey costs and our case studies.
Roof surveys around St James's
About 0.3 miles south-west lies Marlborough House, a reminder of how long the area around St James's has been built on. On older houses around here, roofs frequently carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Inner London’s Victorian and Edwardian terraces frequently have Welsh slate roofs. A butterfly roof with a central valley gutter, tucked behind a parapet wall, is common on these houses. Lead flashings, party-wall upstands and shared chimney stacks are typical of these houses, if yours is one of them. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
If you live near a park such as St Anne's Churchyard, or anywhere with mature trees, autumn leaves can block gutters and valleys, and an overflowing gutter soon means a wet wall. If you look after a shop, office or commercial unit, for example near Kingly Court, a roof report helps plan work around trading rather than after a leak. For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Soho Parish CofE Primary School, long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle.
St James's is about 1 mile south-east of City of Westminster, in Greater London. St James's is one of many places we visit across Greater London, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Across Greater London, we cover St James's.
All of W1F, W1D and W1J is within our area for roof surveys. That includes homes and businesses on Duck Lane, Bruton Lane and Bridle Lane. You’ll find St James's on the A4 and A400, which makes it simple to reach. Neighbouring places we cover for roof surveys include Chinatown (1 mile north), Charing Cross (1 mile east), Soho (1 mile north), West End (1 mile north-east) and Burlington Estate (1 mile west). Within a short drive, we also cover Kensington (3 miles west), Shoreditch (3 miles north-east), Walthamstow (7 miles north-east), Hoxton (3 miles north-east), Whitechapel (3 miles east) and Hampstead (4 miles north-west).
Landmarks near St James's
In St James's, that means homes and buildings near LITE Regal International School, Tom Cribb pub and London Library. Also close by are Harris Westminster Sixth Form (0.6 miles south) and St Anne's Churchyard (within half a mile north). St James's has its own railway station: London Charing Cross station. A little further out are The Museum of Practical Geology (under half a mile north-west) and Montfichet's Tower (1.4 miles east). Green spaces nearby include St. James's Park Lake and Ludgate Hill.
Useful tips for St James's property owners
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Photograph stains when they appear
- Stay off ladders and the roof
- Have details of recent roof work to hand
- Let us know about past leaks
Standard includes a follow-up consultation to talk the findings through, while Premium includes a consultation in person. It is a chance to ask questions about anything in the report.
After a storm, check the roof from the garden and the street. Fragments of slate or tile on the ground mean something has shifted. Getting small faults fixed quickly keeps water out.
DIY checks: what’s safe
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.