Greater London · London and the South East
Bow Common Thermal Roof Survey
Thermal imaging to find moisture and heat loss patterns in a roof for Bow Common, from an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Cold spots on ceilings under the roof
- Thin or uneven insulation in the roof
- Possible trapped moisture under a flat roof covering
Useful tips for Bow Common property owners
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Do not switch the heating off ahead of the visit
- Do not climb onto the roof to look for leaks yourself
- Keep dated photos of any marks on ceilings
- Clear leaves from outlets and gutters each autumn
If the images suggest moisture that can’t be confirmed, we’ll say what would help next, for example electronic leak detection or a roofer opening up a small section.
Clear outlets and gutters regularly, so water doesn’t sit on the roof. Less standing water means less chance of it getting under the covering.
Thermal roof survey in Bow Common: what you get
Thermal imaging is a useful tool, but it has limits. It shows surface temperature, and things like sun, shade, reflections and wind all affect the readings. That is why we check findings with moisture readings and a close visual inspection. Our report says plainly what the camera picked up and how sure we can be. Where something cannot be confirmed, we say what would help next. Common reasons to book are ceilings that feel colder in places and wet areas near outlets and upstands, on ceilings below the roof, flat roofs and insulated roof spaces.
London’s roofs are often hard to see from the street: butterfly roofs behind parapets, dormer tops and flat roofs over back additions. Drone photos and thermal images can show parts of a roof that are hard to reach safely. The weather decides the day: both drones and thermal cameras need the right conditions. Thermal images show surface temperature, not water itself, so findings are checked with moisture readings.
Where we can’t see part of the roof, the report says so. You will know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t.
- Place
- Bow Common (E14, E3, E1)
- Region
- Greater London
- Prices
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Roof by roof
GRP fibreglass roofs
Cracks in GRP can let water into the boards beneath. We check cracks by eye and use the images to see whether there’s a pattern around them.
Single-ply and EPDM roofs
Many single-ply and EPDM roofs sit on insulation boards. Wet boards can show as temperature differences on the images.
Why act early in Bow Common
Before replacing a large flat roof, it’s useful to know how much of it is actually wet. Images backed by moisture readings show where problems seem to be before you spend. In Bow Common, as across London, an overflowing gutter soaks the wall below, which can lead to damp inside. A small blockage left for a few winters becomes a damp problem.
What a survey costs comes down to the roof itself: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how safely it can be seen. Our price is from £400, including VAT.
Why book with us
- Clear package prices, inc. VAT
- An independent view of the roof
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Towns and villages near Bow Common
What else we do in Bow Common
Questions from Bow Common
Is my home in Bow Common listed or in a conservation area?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it is worth checking before planning any.
Will parking be an issue for a roof survey in Bow Common?
In much of London, parking needs planning: a visitor permit or a bay close to the door helps a lot.
Will thermal imaging find my leak?
It is a useful tool for tracing leaks, but not the only one. What it shows depends on the weather and the roof. If the source can’t be confirmed, we will say what could help next, such as electronic leak detection.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. We point out what can be seen, such as sagging or deflection, but we don’t carry out calculations or give an engineer’s opinion. Where an engineer is needed, we say so in the report.
How does a thermal imaging roof survey work?
A thermal camera shows differences in surface temperature. Those patterns can point to trapped moisture, missing insulation or heat loss. We check what it shows with moisture readings.
How long will you be at the property?
It usually takes about 1–2 hours for most homes, plus time to check any thermal findings with moisture readings. The written report follows by email, on the timescale of your package.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. Our survey is a roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey of the whole building. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
What we do, step by step
A survey visit follows a simple order: we hear what you’ve seen, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, take photos as we go and record our findings for the written report. Most visits take about 1–2 hours at a typical home, and more on a big or complicated roof. 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 Bow Common runs like any other.
- We start by discussing the roof, any signs of damp and how the weather may affect the images.
- We carry out a visual inspection of the roof from wherever it can safely be seen.
- A thermal camera records how the surface temperature varies across the roof.
- We check the patterns that stand out with moisture readings where there is safe access.
- The report sets out the images, what they suggest and what we recommend.
Getting ready for the survey
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- If it is not your property yet, arrange access through the agent
- Tell us about parking before the day
Arrange a survey
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine; never climb up to get a better view. To get started, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Read more
What we’re asked to look at in Bow Common
Once a leak has been fixed, people often ask whether the roof is still wet. A thermal survey with moisture readings can show whether wet areas remain when the conditions on the day are suitable.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Damp where roofs meet walls and chimneys
- Leaks far from where the stain appears
- Heat escaping through the roof
- Wet insulation beneath the membrane
A roof leak in a hotel or guest house around Bow Common means lost rooms as well as repairs.
Questions to ask before you book
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Whether the price includes VAT
DIY checks: what’s safe
You can learn a lot from ground level. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
It is useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Share it with us as you book.
Flying and imaging in Bow Common
Within a mile and a half or so of Bow Common there are several hotels, and like offices and blocks, hotels often sit under flat roofs. If you look after one, a large roof can be surveyed without guests having anyone working above them. 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 Bow Common is one of them, lead flashings, party-wall upstands and shared chimney stacks are part of the picture too. A drone or thermal camera adds most on the steep, tall and hidden parts of roofs like these.
If you look after a building such as St Paul's Way Trust School, thermal images can show where wet insulation sits under a big flat roof. Controlled parking zones are common in London, so mention any permit rules for Bow Common.
Bow Common is about 2 miles east of Whitechapel, in Greater London. Bookings from Bow Common are handled just like any other: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Bow Common is one of the towns and villages in Greater London we cover.
All of E14, E3 and E1 is within our area for thermal roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. If you need a thermal roof survey at a property on Market Way, Knapp Road and Thomas Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. We also cover the places around Bow Common: Limehouse (1 mile west), Bromley (1 mile north-east), Mile End (1 mile north-west), Poplar (1 mile south) and Canary Wharf (1 mile south). We also work in nearby towns like London (3 miles south-west), City of Westminster (6 miles west), Marylebone (5 miles west), Kensington (8 miles west), St Pancras (4 miles west) and Walthamstow (5 miles north).
Landmarks near Bow Common
We work in homes and buildings around Stebon Primary School, The Widow's Son pub and Bartlett Park, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Limehouse station, roughly 0.8 miles south-west. A little further out are Tower of London (2.4 miles west) and St Clement's Hospital (0.6 miles north-west). For a walk, there’s Tower Hill and Hollow Pond.