Roof Surveys and testing roof areas of The Tower Hotel in London
Project Overview
Surveyroof was instructed to carry out Roof Membrane Condition Surveys and testing across the multiple roof areas of The Tower Hotel, London — a landmark riverside hotel adjacent to Tower Bridge and St Katharine Docks. The building presents a roof configuration typical of large hospitality assets of its era: multiple separate areas at differing levels, extensive plant installations, terraces and a complex arrangement of details, upstands and interfaces. The hotel’s facilities team required an independent assessment of waterproofing integrity across all roof areas, covering multiple roof membrane systems. As an operational hotel, the survey had to be delivered without disruption to guests or hotel operations.
Scope of Works
Our independent roof survey included:
- Membrane Condition Survey across all accessible roof areas, using dry (Holiday Detector) and wet (Earth Leakage Leak Detection)
- Full visual and physical inspection, including probing of laps, welds, seams and details
- Assessment of upstands, penetrations, plant supports, outlets and transitions between roof areas
- Moisture mapping where substrate conditions required assessment
- Production of drawings and photographic evidence recording each defect and its exact location
All testing was carried out using non-destructive methods, protecting the existing waterproofing and allowing the hotel to remain fully operational
throughout.
Key Findings
Testing identified roofing breaches and membrane imperfection points across the testable areas.
Defects recorded included:
- Punctures and impact damage to the membrane field. Open laps and failed welds at seams
- Holes and cuts
Why This Survey Mattered
For an operational hotel, roof failure is not simply a repair cost. Water
ingress reaches guest bedrooms, public areas, lift shafts and plant rooms,
and every affected room is a room out of service. Identifying membrane
defects before they present internally prevents:
- Guest disruption, room closures and reputational damage
- Reactive repairs carried out under emergency conditions and at premium cost
- Damage to interior finishes, electrical systems and plant
- Progressive saturation of insulation and reduced membrane life
Outcome for the Client
The independent survey gave Tower Hotel:
- A defect-by-defect record of waterproofing condition across every roof area
- Accurate repair instructions that could be issued directly to a roofing contractor
- Evidence to support maintenance planning, budget approval, warranty discussion and dispute resolution
- A documented condition baseline for future comparison
Deliverables comprised a full Membrane Condition Survey report, photographic library and marked-up site drawings. Surveyroof does not carry out roofing repairs. Our findings reflected the condition of the roof, nothing more.
