Greater London · London and the South East
Little Ilford Thermal Roof Survey
Thermal roof surveys around Little Ilford, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Leaks that are hard to trace
- Stains that keep coming back
- Areas of a flat roof that may hold water
Thermal roof survey in Little Ilford
A thermal camera can help when the cause of damp isn’t obvious. Water can travel some distance under a roof covering before it shows inside, and temperature patterns can help us trace where it may have come from. We combine the images with a visual inspection and moisture readings, so the findings don’t rely on the camera alone. We survey ceilings below the roof, insulated roof spaces and commercial roofs, and people most frequently book us about water getting in at parapets and stacks and leaks that are hard to trace.
Many London roofs are hidden from the pavement: 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. What a thermal image shows is temperature, so anything that looks like moisture is checked with a meter.
Every survey ends with a written report, with photographs, emailed to you. It sets out the condition of the roof, any defects and our written recommendations.
- Location
- Little Ilford (E12, IG1, E7)
- Region
- Greater London
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Little Ilford: your questions answered
Can parking be tricky for a visit in Little Ilford?
Parking in Little Ilford, as in most of London, takes a little planning: a visitor permit or a bay close to the door helps a lot.
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Little Ilford?
That depends on where the roof is and on the weather. The flight restriction zone around London City Airport comes within about 1 mile of Little Ilford. We check the exact boundary for the address before flying, and if the roof falls inside it, we ask for permission first. 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. Every London address is checked against them before a flight. Strong wind or a downpour also stops a small drone flying.
Do I need to be at home?
Someone needs to let us in if we are looking inside or in the loft. Access is agreed with you when you book.
Will the survey show heat loss through my roof?
The camera can point to heat loss and gaps in insulation. The survey isn’t an energy rating or a heat loss calculation, but the report shows where to look more closely.
What happens after the survey?
You’ll receive the report by email, and you decide the next step: use it with a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent.
Is thermal imaging good for finding leaks?
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 cannot be confirmed, we’ll say what could help next, like electronic leak detection.
Do you take photos of the roof?
Yes. Photographs are taken throughout the survey, and they go into the written report alongside our recommendations.
What happens on the day
Every visit follows the same pattern: we listen to what’s been worrying you, inspect the roof from each safe vantage point, take photos as we go and make notes for the report. Most visits take about one to two hours for most houses, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. In Little Ilford, as in much of London, plenty of 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. If the building has a managing agent or access rules, tell us when you book.
- First we go over the roof, the problem you’ve noticed and the conditions forecast for the visit.
- We carry out a visual inspection of the roof from wherever it can be seen safely.
- A thermal camera records how the surface temperature varies across the roof.
- Areas that look unusual on the camera are checked with moisture readings where possible.
- The report sets out the images, what they suggest and what we recommend.
Getting ready for the survey
- Tell us about any leaks, stains or damp patches you know of
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Book a survey
Every survey is priced before it is booked, so you know the cost up front. Our price is from £400, including VAT. For a price for your roof, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Advice
Nearby places to Little Ilford
Other services in Little Ilford
Landlord and commercial surveys in Little Ilford
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords. Bigger roofs take more time, and they’re priced for the size.
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, putting the urgent items at the top.
Can I check my roof myself?
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and a fall can be serious. That is where a survey comes in.
How we price thermal roof surveys
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before booking. These are the things that affect it:
- Basic, Standard or Premium
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- House, block, shop or office
We offer three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
What to tell us when you get in touch
What helps most when you contact us:
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- Whether there is a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
Once you know what you need, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email. From there it’s a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.
Airspace, weather and Little Ilford roofs
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. Bay roofs, hip ridges and dormers from later loft conversions are the details that set these houses apart. Many roofs like these cannot be judged properly from the pavement, and that’s where a view from above or a thermal image earns its place. With Valentines Mansion about 1.5 miles north, Little Ilford sits in an area with a long building history. Older homes in the wider area frequently have features worth a closer look, like lead valleys, tall stacks and roofs that have been patched over the years, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area.
Hotels and guest houses near Little Ilford cannot easily close rooms for a leak. The streets around a church such as St Michael's Church are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, tall stacks and steep slopes are easier to judge with close-up aerial photos than from the pavement. As a London address, Little Ilford can be tricky for parking: a visitor permit or a nearby bay makes the day easier, as a space near the door can’t be promised.
Little Ilford is about 2 miles north-west of Barking, in Greater London. If you are in Little Ilford, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. We cover towns and villages across Greater London, large and small. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
We work across the E12, IG1 and E7 postcode area for thermal roof surveys. Whether your property is on Essex Road, Durham Road and Albany Road or a nearby road, we can survey it. Neighbouring places we cover for thermal roof surveys include Manor Park (1 mile south-east), Plashet (1 mile south-west), Cranbrook (1 mile north), Ilford (1 mile north-east) and Loxford (1 mile east). We also work in nearby towns such as London (7 miles south-west), City of Westminster (9 miles west), Marylebone (9 miles west), Kensington (12 miles west), St Pancras (8 miles west) and Shoreditch (6 miles west).
Near you in Little Ilford
Typical jobs here are in homes near Little Ilford School, Earl of Essex pub and Tyndale Academy. Little Ilford has its own railway station: Manor Park station. Well-known places in the area include Redbridge Museum (1 mile north-east) and Stratford Centre (2.4 miles west). For a walk, there is Ripple Nature Reserve and Hollow Pond.
Useful tips for Little Ilford property owners
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner:
- Leave the roof to people with safe access
- Use the report as a baseline for later checks
- Move stored items away from the loft hatch
- Clear leaves from outlets and gutters each autumn
If you are buying, the report gives you specific points to raise with the seller or agent. It’s your decision how to use it, whether that is asking for work or discussing the price.
Make sure loft insulation covers the whole area and hasn’t been disturbed. Gaps often appear after work in the loft.
What we look for on each type of roof
Felt and asphalt flat roofs
Felt and asphalt roofs often show wet areas as patches that differ from the rest. Moisture readings are used to check them.
Loft insulation
The difference is clearest when the home is heated and it’s cold out. Our report notes how the conditions affected the images.