Within weeks
Wet Patch on the Bedroom Ceiling — Where to Start
Water travels sideways along rafters and battens before it drips. A wet patch in one corner of a ceiling regularly points to a leak metres away on the roof.
What you're seeing
- Brown staining on a bedroom ceiling, often after rain
- Bubbled or peeling paint near a coving
- A musty smell in the room above
What it means
Water has entered the roof somewhere uphill of the visible stain — typically a flashing, valley or single slipped tile — and tracked along the timber until it found the ceiling.
Do this now
- Lift loft insulation off the wet area to let timbers dry
- Take dated photos of the stain (insurance evidence)
- Don't repaint until the source is fixed — the stain will return
Professional fix
Loft inspection to trace the water-track back to the source, then targeted fix. Usually a one-visit job for the leak itself; the ceiling stain is a decorator's job afterwards.
Typical cost
Diagnosis and fix typically £250–£900. Ceiling re-plastering is a separate trade.