Greater London · London and the South East
Canary Wharf Thermal Roof Survey
Independent thermal roof surveys in Canary Wharf. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Cold areas below the roof
- Damp that repairs haven’t cured
- Possible trapped moisture under a flat roof covering
Thermal roof surveys for homes and businesses in Canary Wharf
Thermal imaging is often most useful on flat roofs, from small extensions to large commercial roofs. Patterns can suggest where water is trapped under the covering. Pitched roofs with slates or tiles are often harder to read, because of the air space beneath, so we combine the camera with an inspection from the loft where there’s safe access. If you’re worried about damp around chimneys and parapets and leaks that are hard to trace, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
London’s roofs are often hard to see from the street: valley gutters behind parapets, dormers and flat-roofed rear additions. That is where a view from the air or a thermal camera helps, by showing what can’t be reached safely. The weather decides the day: both drones and thermal cameras need the right conditions. What a thermal image shows is temperature, so anything that looks like moisture is checked with a meter.
What you get is a clear record of the roof on the day we saw it. It is useful straight away, and a good reference for later.
- Location
- Canary Wharf (E14, SE16, E22)
- Region
- Greater London
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Should I look at the roof myself first?
You can learn a lot from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Never climb onto the roof to look.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, which helps when we check the roof.
The survey, step by step
It helps to start with what’s prompted the survey: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. Most visits take about one to two hours for a house, or half a day or so for a commercial building. In a London area like Canary Wharf, the main things to sort out are parking and access: let us know about parking, the floor the property is on, any shared entrance and loft access. On the day, the roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from inside the loft space and from the roof where it’s safe.
- You tell us about the roof and any damp, leaks or cold rooms.
- The weather and surface conditions are recorded.
- We inspect the roof and take thermal images during the same visit.
- We back up the thermal patterns with moisture readings.
- You get the report the same day, with an in-person consultation to follow.
Preparing for the visit
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it is shared
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
Arrange a survey
Not sure which survey you need? The easiest way is to ring 07833 053749 or email us and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
Related advice
Towns and villages near Canary Wharf
More services for Canary Wharf
Why act early in Canary Wharf
If a big flat roof may need replacing, knowing the wet areas first is useful. Images backed by moisture readings show where problems seem to be before you commit. Behind a London parapet, a blocked gutter can sit full of water without anyone seeing it. When the stain finally shows, the damage underneath is frequently older than it looks.
Larger roofs, taller buildings and commercial roofs take longer, so the price reflects that. You will know the figure before booking.
Why book us in Canary Wharf
- 20+ years’ experience
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
Thermal roof surveys around Canary Wharf
The flight restriction zone around London City Airport covers Canary Wharf, or comes right up to its edge. If the drone is used for your survey, permission from the airport is needed first, and the flight only goes ahead if it’s given. Canary Wharf is about 1 mile from the restricted area over the Isle of Dogs, where drone flights need permission from NATS. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check whether the address falls inside it before flying.
If you run a business near Surrey Quays Shopping Centre, big, flat commercial roofs are where close-up aerial shots and thermal images help most. Queen's House lies about 1.8 miles south, so building around Canary Wharf goes back a long way. Close-up aerial shots and thermal images let an old roof be checked without anyone disturbing it.
Canary Wharf is about 2 miles north-west of Greenwich, in Greater London. Canary Wharf is part of the area we cover and the surrounding area as part of our work across London and the South East. Our area takes in places right across Greater London, from the larger towns to small villages.
Every address in E14, SE16 and E22 is within our area for thermal roof surveys. Local streets include Castor Lane, Cassilis Road and Dockyard Lane. Being close to the A1261, Canary Wharf is simple for us to get to for thermal roof surveys. Other places close to Canary Wharf include London Docklands (1 mile east), Poplar (1 mile north-east), Heron Quays (1 mile south-west), Coldharbour (1 mile east) and Blackwall (1 mile east). We also work in nearby towns such as London (3 miles west), City of Westminster (6 miles west), Marylebone (6 miles west), Kensington (8 miles west), St Pancras (4 miles west) and Shoreditch (3 miles north-west).
What’s near Canary Wharf
Around Canary Wharf, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Tower Hamlets College, Sir John McDougall Gardens and The Ledger Building pub. Canary Wharf has its own railway station: Canary Wharf station. Well-known places in the area include The Pumphouse Educational Museum (0.8 miles west) and Surrey Quays Shopping Centre (1.4 miles south-west). For a walk, there’s St. James's Park Lake and Tower Hill.
Do you need a thermal roof survey in Canary Wharf?
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.
We’re frequently asked to look at:
- Leaks that are hard to trace
- Heat escaping through the roof
- Wet insulation beneath the membrane
- Wet areas near outlets and upstands
If you look after a building like Our Lady and St Joseph Catholic Primary School, big roofs are where close-up aerial shots and thermal images show the most at once.
What to check before booking
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- How long the report takes to arrive
What a thermal roof survey doesn’t cover
Before you book, it’s worth knowing what a survey won’t do:
- Reliable images in rain, strong wind or on a wet roof surface
- Confirming water without moisture readings
- Hidden layers that need to be opened up to check
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will suggest the right survey before booking. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Ceilings below the roof
- Insulated roof spaces
- Loft conversions
- Flat roofs
- Pitched roof slopes
- Commercial roofs
Useful tips for Canary Wharf property owners
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Keep the heating on as usual before a heat loss survey
- Note where damp appears and after what weather
- Talk to us about the weather when booking
- Use the report as a baseline for later checks
If you are buying, the report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. It is your decision how to use it, whether that’s asking for work or discussing the price.
Have small defects in the covering fixed early. Once water gets under a membrane, it can travel far before it appears inside.
Common questions in Canary Wharf
Are there drone restrictions around Canary Wharf?
Typically it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. Canary Wharf is inside, or right on the edge of, the flight restriction zone around London City Airport. Before any flight there, we ask the airport for permission, and the flight only goes ahead if it’s given. The restricted area over the Isle of Dogs, where drone flights need permission from NATS, is about 1 mile from Canary Wharf. We check whether the address falls inside it, and if it does we apply for permission, which isn’t always given. 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. The flight also waits for calm, dry weather.
How do I find out if my home in Canary Wharf is listed?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. The answer matters most when a change of material is on the cards.
Can you survey a shared roof?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is often shared, so whoever owns or manages the building needs to agree access. We inspect only the parts we are allowed to reach.
How quickly is the report sent?
Each package has its own report time. Basic: within 48 hours. Standard: 24 to 48 hours. Premium: the same day. If you have a deadline, such as an exchange date, tell us when booking.
Can you do a thermal survey in any weather?
Conditions on the day have a big effect on what the camera can show. A dry surface, little wind and a sunny spell beforehand help most. We record the conditions in the report, so you know how much weight to give the images.
Is Canary Wharf in your area?
Yes. Canary Wharf is part of the area we cover.
Is thermal imaging good for finding leaks?
Thermal imaging can help, alongside other checks. 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.