Roofers in Mortlake, SW14
Last reviewed 24 October 2026
Mortlake roofs take wind off the Thames, rain through shared parapet gutters, and dust from the biggest building site in the area. Property Restoration Services London Ltd repairs and renews roofs on the terraces around Mortlake Green, along the High Street and down toward Thames Bank. We work from Chiswick High Road, just across Chiswick Bridge.
Tell us what you can see from inside the house and we will tell you where to look on the roof.
Where Is Mortlake Roofing Different From the Rest of SW14?
Mortlake roofs differ because terraces share hidden parapet gutters and streets near the river face wind straight off the Thames. Houses around Mortlake Green and Rosemary Gardens are mostly late Victorian and early Edwardian, and the Mortlake Green conservation area was designated in 1988.
Mortlake is the riverside end of SW14, and its roofs show it. The terraces around Mortlake Green and Rosemary Gardens date mostly from the late Victorian and early Edwardian building phases. The Green itself, a triangle of land donated to the parish in 1860, anchors the Mortlake Green conservation area, designated in 1988. Houses here were built close together with parapet fronts, so two neighbouring roofs often drain into one hidden gutter.
Closer to the water, Thames Bank and the streets near Ship Lane sit almost on the finish line of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, marked by the University Boat Race Stone beside The Ship, a little over a hundred metres from Chiswick Bridge. Wind comes straight up the river, and roofs along this stretch see more slipped slates and loosened ridge tiles after gales than houses further inland.
If your roof backs onto the river side, treat a windy winter as a reason for a check in spring.
What Is Your Mortlake Roof Telling You? Symptoms and Likely Causes
Most Mortlake roof problems show up inside first. A damp patch on a chimney breast points to lead or pointing at the stack, a ceiling stain beside a party wall points to a blocked shared gutter, and slates on the path after wind point to ageing fixings.
Most callers describe a symptom, not a cause. This table is how we start the conversation.
| What you see | Common cause on a Mortlake terrace | What we check first |
|---|---|---|
| Damp patch on a chimney breast wall | Failed lead tray or flashing at the stack, or worn pointing | The chimney from above, including the lead and flaunching |
| Stain on the ceiling beside a party wall | Blocked shared parapet or valley gutter | Outlets and lead lining along the join between roofs |
| Slates on the path after a windy night | Fixings aged out, worse on exposed river-facing slopes | The wider slope, not just the missing slate |
| Ridge tiles looking loose or tilted | Mortar bed has cracked and let the tile move | The full ridge line and hip ends |
| Standing water on a flat roof behind a shop | Blocked outlet or too little fall | Outlet, covering and the junction with the main roof |
| Peeling paint under the eaves | Gutter overflowing or leaking at a joint | Gutter joints, brackets and downpipes |
What Roofing Work Do We Carry Out in Mortlake?
We mainly repair slate and tile roofs, repair and replace gutters including shared parapet gutters, trace leaks, and renew flat roofs on extensions and High Street premises. We treat the shared gutter as part of every terrace job, and emergency callout is available for storm damage and active leaks.
The jobs we are called to most in Mortlake are slate and tile repairs, gutter repairs and renewal, and leak tracing. We treat the shared parapet or valley gutter as part of every pitched roof job here, because the gutter between two properties is where a roof leak most often begins and the last place anyone looks.
For extensions, dormers and the rear roofs of High Street premises we also carry out flat roofing. For storm damage and active leaks, see emergency roof repairs in Mortlake.
Mortlake High Street and White Hart Lane
Alongside the houses, Mortlake High Street and Mortlake Terrace have original Victorian shopfronts with flats above, and White Hart Lane has small business premises. Rear flat roofs and roof lights on these buildings need access arranged around trading hours, and managing agents usually want photographs and a written scope. We provide both.
Photographs are examples of our workmanship, not Mortlake addresses.
Will Building Work at the Stag Brewery Affect Roofs Nearby?
Possibly. The Stag Brewery redevelopment has been approved, so demolition and construction beside older terraces may bring dust, debris and vibration. Gutters and valleys near the site are worth checking more often, and debris should be cleared before it blocks an outlet.
Beer has been brewed at Mortlake since the fifteenth century, and the former Stag Brewery on the riverside is now approved for redevelopment. Richmond Council announced in May 2025 that the Planning Inspectorate had allowed the scheme, which the council describes as 1,075 new homes with a new secondary school and sixth form. Large scale demolition and construction beside older terraces means dust, debris and vibration for the roofs closest to the site.
If you live near the site, ask us to look at gutters and valleys more often than you otherwise would, and clear debris before it blocks an outlet. We cannot predict the building programme, so check Richmond's planning pages for current dates.
Repair or Replace a Mortlake Gutter?
Repair a gutter with one or two leaking joints or a few loose brackets. Replace one that is cracked, sagging or leaking at many joints. A shared parapet gutter should be inspected as a lined channel, because the lining and outlets matter as much as the gutter itself.
| Situation | Usually | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One or two leaking joints | Repair | The gutter is otherwise sound and the fault is local |
| Sagging run or many failed joints | Replace | Re-sealing will not cure a run that no longer holds its fall |
| Shared parapet gutter with a stain inside | Inspect, then repair or reline | The lining, outlets and falls decide the answer |
| Cast iron with heavy corrosion | Replace or renew in sections | Corroded sections crack and leak again after patching |
What Do Mortlake Homeowners Ask About Roofing?
Why do roofs near the river lose slates in strong winds?
Houses along Thames Bank and the streets near Ship Lane face wind coming straight up the river, and older slates on ageing fixings are the first to go. A missing slate suggests neighbouring slates may be loose too, so we inspect the wider slope instead of replacing just one. We refix or replace slates and check ridges and verges for the same weakness.
What is a parapet gutter and why does it matter in Mortlake?
It is a gutter set behind a parapet wall, often between two neighbouring roofs on a terrace. Because it is hidden, blockages go unseen until a stain appears inside. Parapet gutters are lined with lead or another membrane and drain to small outlets. We clear, repair or renew them and check the outlets and lining as part of any pitched roof job on a terrace.
How do I tell which roof is responsible for my leak?
On a terrace, a gutter that serves two houses may sit on the boundary, so responsibility can be shared. Your deeds and your neighbour's help decide this. We find the cause, show you where water is entering and give a written scope that you and your neighbour can use to agree how to proceed.
Does the Stag Brewery development change anything for my roof?
It does not change how roofs work, but construction nearby can bring dust, debris and vibration. Richmond Council's approved scheme is large and the building programme may run for years. If you live close to the site, have gutters and valleys checked more often and clear debris before it blocks an outlet. Check Richmond's planning pages for current dates.
Can you work on the flats above shops on Mortlake High Street?
Yes. We carry out flat roof, rooflight and gutter repairs on buildings along Mortlake High Street and Mortlake Terrace, and we give managing agents a written scope with photographs. We arrange access around trading hours and agree it with the unit below.
How long does it take to repair a leak found after a storm?
It depends on the cause. A loose slate or ridge tile can often be fixed in one visit, while a failed valley or parapet gutter may take longer. For active leaks we can often make the roof weathertight first and agree the permanent repair after a daylight inspection. Call 020 3633 8101 and describe what you can see.
Is my Mortlake Green house in a conservation area?
Many streets around Mortlake Green are inside the Mortlake Green conservation area, designated in 1988. Matching repairs rarely need permission, but changes to how a roof looks can. The council's online map shows the boundary for your address. Tell us what you are planning and check whether consent is needed before work begins.
Do you replace gutters as well as repair them?
Yes. If a gutter is cracked, sagging or leaking at many joints, replacement is better than repair. We replace guttering and downpipes, and where a parapet or box gutter is involved we check the lead lining and outlets in the same visit.
Contact Property Restoration Services
Property Restoration Services London LtdUnit 101, 295 Chiswick High Road
Chiswick, London, W4 4HH
Phone: 020 3633 8101
Email: info@propertyrestorationservice.co.uk
Office hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Emergency callout is available outside these hours.