Roof Inspections London

My name's John Quilligan. A lot of people are wary of a "free inspection" from a roofing company, and honestly, that wariness is fair — plenty of roofers use the visit as a way in the door to find something, anything, worth quoting for.

We don't work that way.

If your roof's genuinely fine, or the issue is minor enough not to need immediate work, we'll tell you that and leave it there. No pressure, no invented urgency, no callback next week "just checking in."

Our team inspects the roof properly — the covering itself, the structure underneath, and the loft space from inside — often using a drone where the cause of a problem isn't obvious from ground level or a ladder.

You get a plain-English explanation of what we found, not a report full of jargon designed to make a small job sound bigger than it is.

The roof covering — tiles, slates, or flat roof membrane checked for cracking, slippage, wear, and any areas of obvious damage from weather or age.

Flashing and leadwork — around chimneys, valleys, and roof junctions, since this is where the majority of "mystery leaks" actually originate, not always where the damage first appears.

Guttering and drainage — blockages, sagging, or damage that can cause water to back up under the roof covering rather than draining away properly.

The structure underneath — rafters, battens, and boards checked from inside the loft for rot, damp, or sagging that isn't visible from outside at all.

Chimney condition — pointing, brickwork, and pots, since chimney movement is a common but easily missed cause of damp appearing at ceiling level.

Ventilation and insulation — checked where relevant, since poor ventilation can cause condensation problems that look identical to a leak but need a completely different fix.

A typical inspection takes around an hour to two hours depending on the size and complexity of the roof — we won't rush it, and we won't pad it out either.

Not every roof situation calls for the same thing, and we'd rather tell you which one you actually need than assume ours is always the right fit.

Our free inspection is right for you if: you have a specific concern — a leak, storm damage, visible wear, or you just want peace of mind before winter — and you want a straight answer from the people who'd actually carry out any repair, quickly and at no cost.

An independent RICS-accredited survey is the better fit if: you need a genuinely impartial third-party report — for a property purchase, a dispute with a previous contractor, an insurance claim, or a legal matter where independence from any roofing contractor matters more than speed or cost. We're a roofing company, not surveyors, and we won't pretend otherwise. If that's your situation, an RICS surveyor is the right call, and we'll say so rather than take the job anyway.

Is the inspection really free, with no catch? Yes. No call-out fee, no obligation to book any work, and if your roof's in good shape, we'll tell you that and there's no charge.

How long does an inspection actually take? Around one to two hours depending on the roof's size and complexity — we check the covering, the structure, and the loft space properly rather than a quick glance from the ground.

Will you try to sell me work I don't need? No. We're not paid more for finding problems, and a straight "you're fine" costs us nothing to say and builds more trust long-term than inventing urgency.

Do you use a drone for every inspection? Not always — only where it genuinely helps, such as steep or inaccessible roofs, or where the cause of a problem isn't obvious from ground level or a ladder.

Should I get your inspection or an independent survey? Depends on the reason. For a specific concern like a leak or storm damage, our free inspection is the quicker, more practical option. For a property purchase, insurance claim, or dispute needing genuine third-party independence, an RICS-accredited surveyor is the more appropriate choice — we'll tell you honestly if that's your situation.

What happens after the inspection if work is needed? You get a clear written quote with no obligation to proceed. If you'd like to go ahead, we can usually schedule the work quickly; if not, that's genuinely fine too.

After any storm or period of high winds — even if nothing looks obviously wrong from the ground, displaced tiles and damaged flashing aren't always visible from the street.

Before winter, if your roof is over 15-20 years old — small issues that are cheap to fix in autumn become expensive once frozen, thawed, and refrozen a few times over a hard winter.

If you've noticed any damp, staining, or a musty smell — even faint or intermittent signs are worth checking before they become a genuine leak.

If you're buying a property and want a contractor's read alongside your own survey — useful context, though see the section above on when an independent RICS survey is the more appropriate choice instead.

If a previous repair hasn't actually solved the problem — a second opinion, with a drone survey if needed, often finds what the first attempt missed.