Flat Roof Surveys

A survey is not a quick look from a ladder. We access the roof properly, walk the whole surface, and record its condition area by area rather than only inspecting where a leak has shown up inside. That distinction matters, because water rarely enters a flat roof directly above the stain on the ceiling: it travels along the deck or through the insulation until it meets a joist, a service penetration or a change of level, and drops through there. Surveying only the visible symptom is how the same leak gets paid for three times.

We inspect every part of the build-up that can fail. That means the open field of the roof, every lap, weld or seam, the upstands and how they terminate, the edge trims and parapet copings and their joints, all rainwater outlets and gutters, and each pipe, kerb, rooflight and plant plinth. We check the falls and whether water actually reaches the outlets, look for ponding marks, blistering, splitting, shrinkage and previous patch repairs, and where the underside of the deck is accessible we inspect that too for staining, soft boards and corroded fixings.

Moisture readings and thermal imaging

The most important question on any ageing flat roof is whether water has already reached the insulation. Moisture readings and, where useful, thermal imaging let us map how far water has spread beneath the covering. A roof that looks tired but is dry underneath is an excellent candidate for a straightforward overlay. A roof with saturated insulation across a wide area needs those boards cut out and replaced before any new waterproofing goes on, and knowing which situation you are in before you commit money is the whole point of commissioning a survey.

Digital report and next steps

You receive a written digital report with annotated photographs of every defect we found, an explanation of what is causing each one, an assessment of the remaining service life of the covering, and clear recommendations ranked by urgency. Where remedial work is needed the report is accompanied by an itemised quotation, so you can see exactly what each element costs rather than being handed a single figure. The report is yours to keep and to share with a managing agent, an insurer, a surveyor or a prospective buyer.

When a survey is worth commissioning

The obvious trigger is an active leak, particularly one that has already been patched unsuccessfully. But surveys are just as valuable before buying a property with a flat roof of unknown age, when a managing agent needs condition evidence for a service charge or a planned maintenance programme, before installing solar panels or rooftop plant that will add load and foot traffic, when preparing an insurance or warranty claim, or simply on a roof approaching the end of its expected life where you would rather plan the replacement than be forced into it by a winter storm.

We survey felt, mastic asphalt, GRP fibreglass, EPDM rubber, single ply and liquid-applied roofs, on domestic extensions and garages through to hospital, school and high-rise commercial buildings across London and the Home Counties. If the survey shows the roof has years of life left in it, we will tell you that and recommend maintenance rather than selling you a new roof you do not yet need.