Greater London · London and the South East
Foots Cray Thermal Roof Survey
Find out what’s going on with the roof before you spend money on it. Thermal roof surveys in Foots Cray.
- Moisture around outlets and upstands
- Gaps in loft insulation
- Stains that keep coming back
How a thermal roof survey works in Foots Cray
A thermal survey can point to places where heat is escaping through the roof. Missing or slipped insulation and gaps at the eaves frequently show up as temperature differences. It works best when the building is heated and it’s colder outside. Our report points out what the images suggest and where to look more closely. We don’t give energy ratings or heat loss calculations. If you’re worried about damp where roofs meet walls and chimneys and patches of heat loss across the roof, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on loft conversions, insulated roof spaces and ceilings below the roof alike.
London roofs sit shoulder to shoulder in terraces and blocks, which makes care around neighbours part of the job. We take care to focus on the roof we have been asked to look at. Mention access, height and anything unusual about the building when you book. Steep slopes, tall chimneys and rear additions are where the extra view helps most.
Most points in the report come with a picture, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Location
- Foots Cray (DA14, BR5)
- Region
- Greater London
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Airspace, weather and Foots Cray roofs
If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying. Further from the centre, London’s housing takes in interwar semis with hipped roofs in clay or concrete tiles as well as slate-roofed terraces. Hips, bay roofs and later loft conversions are typical of those semis, if your home is one of them. Where a roof is steep, tall or hard to see from the ground, drone photos and thermal images add detail.
For an older house near a landmark like Parish Church of All Saints, steep roofs, tall chimneys and hidden valleys can be hard to see from the ground, and that’s where a view by drone or thermal camera helps. Historic houses such as Danson House, about 2.8 miles north, show how far back building around Foots Cray goes. A drone or thermal survey doesn’t involve any work on the roof, which suits older buildings. If you look after a building like Orchard Primary School, a view from above covers a wide roof far faster than walking it.
Foots Cray is about 1 mile south-east of Sidcup, in Greater London. Anywhere in Foots Cray, we can carry out thermal roof surveys at your property. Foots Cray is one of the towns and villages in Greater London where we work for thermal roof surveys. London is in our area too.
Thermal roof surveys in DA14 and BR5 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. You’ll find streets like Cray Road, Evry Road and The Avenue. Foots Cray sits on or near the A223. We also cover the places around Foots Cray: Ruxley (1 mile east), Albany Park (1 mile north-west), Upper Ruxley (1 mile east), Sidcup (1 mile north-west) and North Cray (2 miles north-east). Larger places within reach include London (11 miles north-west), City of Westminster (13 miles north-west), Marylebone (13 miles north-west), Kensington (15 miles north-west), St Pancras (13 miles north-west) and Shoreditch (11 miles north-west).
What’s near Foots Cray
Around Foots Cray, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Foots Cray Meadows, Kemnal Technology College and Walsingham School, among other places. The closest station to Foots Cray is Sidcup station, roughly 1.4 miles north of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Metropolitan Police Museum (1.3 miles north-west) and Queen Mary's Hospital (0.6 miles west). The countryside around Foots Cray includes Summer Hill and The Warren.
How the survey works
The visit has one job: to see as much of the roof as can be seen safely and record it clearly. Notes and photographs go into the written report. The visit usually takes roughly 1–2 hours for most houses, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. In a London conversion, the way into the roof space is frequently 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. Everything else is planned around the building, not the postcode.
- First we go over the roof, the problem you’ve noticed and the conditions forecast for the visit.
- We check the roof from ground level, from windows and from the roof itself where it’s safe.
- We take thermal images of the roof to pick up temperature patterns.
- We check the patterns that stand out with moisture readings where there’s safe access.
- We write up the thermal images alongside ordinary photos and recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- If you’re buying, check with the agent that we can get in
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Arrange a survey
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so there is time to use the report before exchange. For any other survey, just phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form when you are ready.
Read more
FAQs for Foots Cray
Is drone flying allowed in Foots Cray?
Normally it comes down to two things: the airspace at the address and the weather. 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, though the rest of the survey goes ahead either way.
Will parking be an issue for a roof survey in Foots Cray?
Sometimes, yes. Where there are permit zones, a visitor permit or nearby pay-and-display bay works well, and a driveway is even better.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 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, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, once access has been agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so we need permission from whoever owns or manages the building. We inspect only the parts we are allowed to reach.
Will you go up on the roof?
Not unless it’s safe. Most of what we need can be seen from safe viewpoints, the loft and, where applicable, a drone, and anything out of sight is recorded in the report.
Does thermal imaging detect leaks directly?
Not directly. It shows temperature, and wet materials often behave differently from dry ones. We confirm what it suggests with moisture readings.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. Our survey isn’t a structural engineer’s report, and it doesn’t include calculations. If we see signs that need an engineer’s opinion, we will recommend one.
Practical tips
A little preparation and a few simple habits help, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Some pointers:
- Clear a path to the loft hatch before we arrive
- Keep a record of when stains appear
- Remember the conditions on the day affect the results
- Use the report as a baseline for later checks
Many people send the report to roofers, who can then quote for the areas shown. Each thermal image is matched to a normal photo, so the areas are easy to locate.
Keep outlets and gutters clear so water drains off the roof quickly. Less standing water means less chance of it getting under the covering.
What we look for on each type of roof
Single-ply and EPDM roofs
On larger commercial single-ply roofs, thermal imaging can help target moisture readings. That makes the survey more focused.
Felt and asphalt flat roofs
Water under felt or asphalt can stay hidden for years. Thermal imaging helps suggest where it is, when the conditions allow.
Towns and villages near Foots Cray
What else we do in Foots Cray
What a thermal roof survey doesn’t cover
To be straight with you, a roof survey has limits:
- Hidden layers that need to be opened up to check
- Seeing water directly, as the camera shows temperature, not moisture
- Readings unaffected by sun, shade or reflections
If you are not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and does not.
Roof types and parts we check
- Pitched roof slopes
- Commercial roofs
- Insulated roof spaces
- Ceilings below the roof
- Flat roofs
- Loft conversions
What happens if roof problems are left?
Buyers get extra information from thermal images that the eye can miss. Hidden problems found before exchange can be raised with the seller or agent. In a London terrace or conversion, a roof defect rarely stays your problem alone: failed flashings and blocked valley gutters can send water into more than one home. Finding it early keeps the work smaller.
Thermal roof survey starts from £400, including VAT. The final price depends on how big and how high the roof is, how it can safely be seen and the package you choose.
Why book us in Foots Cray
- Visits on any day of the week
- Plain-English reports with photos
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- An independent look at the roof
See what a roof survey costs or what we found on two real jobs.
What a survey costs
We confirm the price for the job before you book. This is what makes a difference:
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
Price depends partly on the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, with VAT included. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Helping us price your survey
Before you get in touch, it is useful to have:
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- When you need the report by
- What kind of property and roof it is
- Where the property is, with the postcode
Photos help, if you have them. Take them safely from ground level or a window; never climb up to get a better view. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or email us.