Frequently Asked Questions About Roofing in Kensington
Content last reviewed: September 2026.
The questions below cover what Kensington customers ask us most often.
How quickly can you attend a roofing job in Kensington?
We aim to carry out an on site assessment within two working days for standard repairs across Kensington and the rest of W8. For storm damage or an active leak we offer emergency callout and try to attend the same day. Our base is on Chiswick High Road, a short journey from W8. Once we have inspected the roof we confirm a schedule for any follow up work, so you know when the job will be completed.
Which parts of Kensington and W8 do you cover?
We cover every street in Kensington and the full W8 postcode area, from Kensington Square and the Phillimore Estate to Edwardes Square, Kensington Court and Kensington Church Street. We also cover the neighbouring areas of South Kensington in SW7 and Notting Hill in W11, so a job near a postcode boundary is not a problem. Our roofers are based on Chiswick High Road and travel out to W8 for every job, we do not subcontract Kensington work to a third party roofer working under our name.
How much do roof repairs cost in Kensington?
As a general guide, minor repairs such as a slipped slate or single ridge tile typically run £150 to £350, emergency temporary weatherproofing from £200, a lead flat roof or parapet gutter re-line £650 to £1,800 or more per section before scaffolding, and flat roof or chimney repairs £400 to £1,500 or more. A full pitched roof replacement is around £260 to £290 per square metre plus scaffolding. See our cost guide table above. Your exact price is confirmed after an on site assessment, and can be higher for larger mansion block flat roofs where area significantly increases the figure.
How does your quoting process work?
We carry out a free, no obligation inspection before providing a quote, which for a Kensington terrace means getting up onto the flat roof behind the stucco parapet, and for a mansion block means walking the full membrane. Once you accept the quote we schedule the work and confirm a date. There is no call out charge for the initial inspection visit anywhere within W8.
What happens once I book a roofing job in Kensington?
Once you accept a quote we agree a date and confirm what access is needed, whether that is a roof ladder, a tower or a scaffold. Our roofer carries out the agreed work, matching slate, lead or membrane to the existing roof where the job is a repair rather than a full replacement. Once the work is finished you receive a written summary of what was done, along with any maintenance advice.
What are the most common roofing problems in Kensington?
On the stucco terraces around Edwardes Square and the Phillimore Estate, the most common issues are split lead laps behind parapets and cracked parapet copings letting water into the party wall. On the mansion blocks around Kensington Court, the recurring job is communal asphalt or felt roofing that has crazed and blistered at the end of its life. We also see slipped Welsh slate from nail fatigue around Holland Street and Peel Street, and cracked chimney flaunching on tall shared stacks.
Can you repair the flat roof hidden behind a Kensington parapet?
Yes, this is one of the jobs we do most in Kensington. The lead or felt flat roof sits behind the stucco parapet, invisible from the street, and drains through box gutters and small valleys around chimney breasts. When the lead splits at a lap or upstand, or the parapet coping cracks, water tracks down inside the wall and shows as a stain a floor or two below the fault. We check the whole roof area and both outlets, not just the section below the visible stain.
Do you renew flat roofs on Kensington's mansion blocks?
Yes. Kensington has a high concentration of purpose-built red-brick mansion blocks, particularly around Kensington Court and De Vere Gardens, most with large communal asphalt or felt flat roofs. We carry out phased renewal, condition surveys and budget costings for reserve-fund planning, and provide a written scope suitable for a managing agent or Section 20 leaseholder consultation.
Are any Kensington streets in a conservation area?
Yes. The Edwardes Square, Scarsdale and Abingdon Conservation Area, first designated by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in 1970, covers Edwardes Square, Pembroke Square, Abingdon and Scarsdale Villas and much of the surrounding stucco terrace stock. A like for like slate or lead repair is normally permitted development, but re-covering a roof in a different material, adding rooflights, or altering a parapet visible from the street can need consent. We identify anything that may need permission during the inspection and point you to RBKC's conservation area guidance before work is booked.
Do you remove spray foam roof insulation in Kensington?
Yes. We hand-strip open-cell and closed-cell spray foam from pitched roofs across Kensington and W8, clear the roof space so a RICS surveyor can inspect the timbers, and provide a written record for a lender or buyer. If the foam has bonded to the underside of the slate and the covering cannot be saved, we quote to re-roof at the same time so it is handled as one project.
Do you work with managing agents and residents' management companies in Kensington?
Yes. Kensington's high proportion of purpose-built mansion blocks and converted terraces means we regularly work with managing agents, residents' management companies and freeholders. We provide a written scope and costings suitable for a Section 20 leaseholder consultation, carry out condition surveys and budget costings for reserve-fund planning, and can attend a directors' or residents' meeting to talk through the options.
Do I need planning permission for roof work in Kensington?
Most like for like repairs do not require planning permission. Work that changes the roofline, adds rooflights to a front-facing slope, or is visible from the street within the Edwardes Square, Scarsdale and Abingdon Conservation Area is more likely to need consent, and on a flat or maisonette you will usually also need the freeholder's permission regardless of planning. We flag anything that may need consent during the inspection so you can check with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea before proceeding.
Can roof repairs be carried out without scaffolding in Kensington?
Isolated slate repairs can sometimes be done from a roof ladder or a tower. Parapet flat roof work and larger mansion block flat roof work usually needs a scaffold for safe access. We confirm the access method during the inspection, plan a scaffold to minimise how long it is up, and check parking and any permit requirements with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in advance so the job can start on the date agreed.
Do you offer a roof survey before buying a Kensington property?
Yes. We carry out roof condition inspections for buyers ahead of a purchase, covering the flat roof and parapet condition, slate condition, flashings and any signs of water ingress, with a written report provided afterward. This is a useful check both for a terraced house, where the roof is hidden from the street, and for a mansion block flat, where the condition of the communal roof affects future service charges.