Roofs and flat roofs
Lead between a parapet gutter and the upstand is split and the asphalt field is intact. What joint is the leak path?
The leak path is the split lead between the parapet gutter and the upstand, not the asphalt field. The asphalt is intact, so the joint that has opened is the lead where the gutter turns up the wall. A split there lets water leave the channel at the upstand instead of staying in the gutter. The survey has recorded the split lead and the intact asphalt. It has not opened the build-up to see how far water has tracked, and it has not designed a new lead detail.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
A parapet gutter needs a watertight junction where the sole meets the upstand. Lead at that junction is a weathering, not the asphalt field itself. When the lead splits, rain in the gutter can run behind the upstand even though the asphalt still looks continuous. The survey has not traced a hidden route by opening the layers. The intact field is why the asphalt is not the first suspect, and the split lead is why the joint is.
Ask a roofer who works in lead and asphalt to look at that joint and to say what length of lead needs renewing. Tell the solicitor the defect is the split lead at the upstand, with the asphalt field recorded as intact. Do not accept a quote that only renews the asphalt if the split joint is left as it is. The survey has not specified a lead code or a new gutter lining.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Is the split in the lead between the gutter and the upstand?
- Was the asphalt field intact, rather than the leak path?
- Have you left the layers unopened, so the track of water is unknown?
What are the typical next steps?
- Treat the split lead at the upstand as the leak path.
- Ask a roofer to renew the failed lead joint, not only the asphalt.
- Tell the solicitor the asphalt field was recorded as intact.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
If the parapet coping is sound, is the lead joint sound too?
No. A coping sheds rain off the top of the wall. The split is in the lead between the gutter and the upstand, which is a different joint. The asphalt field was intact. A fair coping does not close a split in that lead, and the survey has not opened the layers to see where water has already gone.
Does intact asphalt mean the gutter cannot leak?
No. The field of asphalt can be continuous while the lead joint at the upstand is split. Water leaves at that joint, not through the intact field. The survey has not said the asphalt will stay sound, and it has not designed a repair. The leak path named here is the split lead.