Greater London · London and the South East
Thermal Roof Survey in Cockfosters
We take a careful look at the roof at your property in Cockfosters, with photos and a written report.
- Heat escaping through the roof
- Missing or slipped insulation
- Damp around chimneys and parapets
What this survey can’t tell you
No survey can tell you everything, and it’s better to know them up front. Keep these in mind:
- Structural calculations, which need a structural engineer
- Confirming water without moisture readings
- Clear results when the conditions on the day are poor
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll tell you. What our survey covers.
What this survey covers
- Ceilings below the roof
- Pitched roof slopes
- Flat roofs
- Insulated roof spaces
- Loft conversions
- Commercial roofs
How a thermal roof survey works in Cockfosters
Wet insulation under a flat roof covering holds heat for longer than dry. So a wet patch can show as a warmer or cooler area on the camera. This can give an idea of how far water has travelled beneath the membrane, something you cannot usually tell from the surface. We then check those areas with moisture readings. We survey loft conversions, insulated roof spaces and commercial roofs, and common reasons people get in touch are leaks that are hard to trace and cold spots on ceilings under the roof.
London’s roofs are frequently hard to see from the street: butterfly roofs behind parapets, dormer tops and flat roofs over back additions. That is where a view from the air or a thermal camera helps, by showing what can’t be reached safely. Weather on the day decides whether it goes ahead, in Cockfosters as anywhere. What a thermal image shows is temperature, so anything that looks like moisture is checked with a meter.
We keep jargon out of it: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, along with how urgent it is.
- Where
- Cockfosters (EN4, N14)
- Wider area
- Greater London
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we look for on each type of roof
Parapets, valleys and junctions
Problems where roof slopes and walls meet are often hidden. A careful visual inspection goes alongside the images.
Loft insulation
Insulation frequently gets moved during work in the loft. The camera can show where it no longer covers the ceiling.
What a survey costs
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- How big the roof is
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- How many separate roofs there are, like extensions, dormers and garages
- House, block, shop or office
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package matters as well. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
Booking your survey
To price your survey accurately, we’ll ask about:
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- The type of building and roof, like pitched or flat
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- What’s prompted the survey
To book a survey, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. You will know the price before anything is booked.
Can I check my roof myself?
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when you book, as it helps us focus the survey.
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Nearby places to Cockfosters
Other services in Cockfosters
Before and after the survey
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Talk to us about the weather when booking
- Make sure the loft can be reached safely
- Don’t climb onto the roof to look for leaks yourself
- Keep a record of when stains appear
You also get an in-person consultation with a Premium Survey, so you can go through the images with us. There is a 12-month follow-up too.
Make sure loft insulation covers the whole area and hasn’t been disturbed. Gaps frequently appear after work in the loft.
Cockfosters: your questions answered
Is parking a problem for a survey in Cockfosters?
Sometimes, yes. If Cockfosters has controlled parking where you are, a visitor permit is the easiest answer.
Is drone flying allowed in Cockfosters?
It depends on the exact address and the weather on the day. 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. Strong wind or a downpour also stops a small drone flying.
Do you climb onto every roof?
Not unless it’s safe. Safe viewpoints, the loft space and a drone where applicable cover most of what’s needed, and anything out of sight is recorded in the report.
Can a thermal survey trace a roof leak?
Thermal imaging can help, alongside other checks. What it shows depends on the weather and the roof. Where it cannot be pinned down, the report suggests a next step, like electronic leak detection.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
Is thermal imaging useful on pitched roofs?
It can show heat loss and some damp, but it has more limits there. Our report is clear about what can be read from them, and we check them with a visual inspection and moisture readings.
Can thermal imaging show missing insulation?
Gaps and thin areas of insulation can show up on the camera. The difference is clearest when the building is heated and it’s colder outside. We look from the loft as well, where there is safe access.
Airspace, weather and Cockfosters roofs
Wyllyotts Manor, about 3.4 miles north-west, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Cockfosters. If you own one of the older houses, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof. Within a mile and a half or so of Cockfosters there are several hotels, and like offices and blocks, hotels often sit under flat roofs. For hotels and other commercial buildings, large roofs are where photos from the air and thermal images show the most at once.
A roof leak in a hotel or guest house around Cockfosters means lost rooms as well as repairs. Controlled parking zones are common in London, so mention any permit rules for Cockfosters. Take an older house close to Christ Church: steep roofs, tall chimneys and hidden valleys can be hard to see from the ground, and that’s where a view from above or with a thermal imager helps.
Cockfosters is about 1 mile east of Barnet, in Greater London. Surveys in Cockfosters work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Our Greater London coverage includes Cockfosters and the places around it. There’s also a page for London.
Postcode districts we cover here for thermal roof surveys: EN4 and N14. Whether your property is on Park Road, Grove Road and Bevan Road or a nearby road, we can help. You’ll find Cockfosters on the A111, so it’s easy for us to get to. If you are just outside Cockfosters, we cover New Barnet (1 mile south-west), Hadley Wood (1 mile north-west), East Barnet (1 mile south), Oakwood (1 mile south-east) and Osidge (1 mile south-east). We also work in nearby towns like London (11 miles south), City of Westminster (10 miles south), Marylebone (9 miles south), Kensington (11 miles south), St Pancras (9 miles south) and Shoreditch (9 miles south).
What’s near Cockfosters
We work in homes and buildings around The Cock Inn, Trent School Cockfosters and Belmont Open Space, among other places. For rail, the closest station is New Barnet station, about 0.8 miles west. Other landmarks nearby include Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum (2.8 miles south-west) and Chase Farm Hospital (2.5 miles north-east). Not far away are Covert Way and Darland's Lake.
What we do, step by step
Every roof is different, but as a rough guide the survey takes between one and two hours on an ordinary house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. If you have questions on the day, just ask. In Cockfosters, as in much of London, a good many properties are flats or terraces without side access, so the back of the roof is often seen from upstairs windows, from inside or, where a flight is allowed, from the air. Mention any building rules, key holders or managing agents when you book.
- We talk through the roof, any damp or leaks, and the weather expected on the day.
- We look at the roof from ground level, from windows and from the roof itself where it’s safe.
- Thermal images are taken to show differences in surface temperature.
- Areas that look unusual on the camera are checked with moisture readings where possible.
- We write up the thermal images alongside ordinary photos and recommendations.
Before we arrive
- Leave side gates unlocked
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
- Let us know about parking before the day
Getting a price
Thermal roof survey starts from £400, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, so call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the details.