Essex · London and the South East
Drone roof survey in Great Leighs, Essex
Drone roof surveys in Great Leighs, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- Slipped or missing slates on a high roof
- Lifted or split lead flashings
- Plant growth and moss on the roof
Do you need a drone roof survey in Great Leighs?
Steep and tall roofs are hard to inspect safely. Three-storey houses, blocks of flats and tall commercial buildings are common examples. A drone gets close-up views from a safe position on the ground.
A survey makes sense if you’ve noticed:
- Lead work pulling away at abutments
- Slipped or missing slates on a high roof
- Vegetation in valleys and gutters
- Outlets choked with leaves and silt
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St John the Evangelist, thin or patchy insulation under an old roof often shows up clearly on a thermal image.
What to check before booking
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Whether the price includes VAT
- Will the report include photos?
- If they fly a drone, whether they hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
Drone roof surveys for homes and businesses in Great Leighs
Our drone weighs under 250g, and we’re a CAA-registered drone operator, with a Flyer ID and an Operator ID. We keep it in sight throughout, and within the 120-metre limit that applies to all drones in the open category. Each flight is planned with the site and its surroundings in mind. Before every flight, we check the airspace and the weather. We never fly where it is not safe. If you’ve noticed flat roofs on upper floors that hold water and gaps where slates or tiles have gone, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Some older homes in villages like Great Leighs are listed or in a conservation area. A look by drone or thermal camera does not touch the roof, so it’s a gentle way to see the condition of an old roof. Check with the council before planning any work on a listed building or one in a conservation area.
We write the report in plain English, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Photos show what each point refers to, and recommendations are put in order of urgency where relevant.
- Place
- Great Leighs (CM3)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Price
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
How it works
Where it’s relevant and can be reached safely, the loft space is checked as well as the outside. In the loft, the signs we look for are staining, damp, daylight and sagging. All in, the survey usually takes roughly 1–2 hours for most homes, with the pre-flight checks included, and longer for big commercial roofs. Rural addresses near Great Leighs can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions, or a note of a nearby landmark, help us arrive on time. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- You give us the address so we can check the airspace.
- If permission is needed, we ask for it before the visit.
- We assess the wind, the weather and the surroundings before take-off.
- We fly the drone close to the roof to photograph it in detail, always in sight.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations.
How to prepare
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
Arrange a survey
For a price for drone roof surveys in Great Leighs, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email. Some details about the property and the roof help us give you an accurate price.
Read more
Towns and villages near Great Leighs
What else we do in Great Leighs
How we price drone roof surveys
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. The main factors are:
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- House, block, shop or office
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
Our price is from £400, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, inc. VAT, and we can help you choose.
Booking your survey
We’ll typically ask about:
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- What kind of property and roof it is
- The address and postcode of the property
- When you need the report by
Unsure which package suits your roof? It’s easiest to ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and what’s worrying you. We will explain the options and the price.
Great Leighs: your questions answered
Are there drone restrictions around Great Leighs?
That depends on where the roof is and on the weather. Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions, including zones around airports and prisons. A small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or a downpour.
Will you come out to Great Leighs?
Yes. Great Leighs is within the area we cover, which takes in towns, villages and rural addresses. Our area covers London and the South East. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
What happens after the survey?
You receive the written report by email, with photographs and recommendations. You can use it to talk to a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent, whichever applies.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We survey seven days a week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Tell us which days suit you when booking.
When does the report arrive?
That depends on the survey you book: the Basic Survey report arrives within 48 hours, the Standard Survey in 24 to 48 hours and the Premium Survey the same day. The report is emailed to you.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, once whoever controls the roof agrees access. We check the parts we are given access to, and the report makes that clear.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Light rain is normally fine; heavy rain and wind are different. Strong wind or heavy rain can make access unsafe and ground a drone, and we’d agree another day.
Tips that help
These tips come from what we see on roofs every week:
- Book early if you are near an airport
- Keep pets indoors during the flight
- Clear a spot on the drive or lawn
- Allow for a change of day in poor weather
The Premium Survey report comes the same day. It includes the drone photos where a flight was possible, alongside the other checks in the package.
Plan a drone survey every few years for tall or large roofs. Regular photos make changes easy to spot, so small faults are dealt with early.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Overflowing water can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
The one thing to avoid is getting up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and falls from height are serious. That part is for a survey.
Drones, thermal imaging and Great Leighs roofs
Before any flight, we check the Drone Safety Map for airspace restrictions. We fly a sub-250g drone and are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). In the open category, flights stay below 120 m (400 ft) and within sight.
If you look after a building such as Great Leighs Primary School, a drone or thermal camera can show a large roof in a single visit.
Great Leighs is about 4 miles south-west of Braintree, in Essex. Anywhere in Great Leighs, we can carry out drone roof surveys at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Great Leighs is one of the towns and villages in Essex we cover for drone roof surveys. For surveys nearby, see our Chelmsford page.
Every address in CM3 is covered for drone roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. That includes homes and businesses on Aragon Road, Fortune Close and Audley Road. Neighbouring places we cover for drone roof surveys include Gubbion's Green (1 mile east), Young's End (1 mile north-east), Fuller Street (1 mile south-east), Row Green (2 miles north-east) and Fairstead (2 miles east). We also work in nearby towns such as Chelmsford (6 miles south), Braintree (4 miles north-east), Maldon (10 miles south-east), Billericay (14 miles south), Witham (6 miles east) and Wickford (15 miles south).
Near you in Great Leighs
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Castle pub. Great Leighs’s nearest station is Cressing station, about 3.4 miles north-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include William Julien Courtauld Hospital (3.6 miles north-east). Not far away are Sandylay and Moat Woods.
Why act early in Great Leighs
From the ground, you are guessing about most of a tall roof. A drone replaces that guesswork with clear photos. It’s far easier to plan work when you can see the problem. For older village homes like those around Great Leighs, the right replacement materials are not always easy to find quickly. That’s one more reason to find defects before they become urgent.
There are three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all inc. VAT. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Why book with us
- An independent view of the roof
- 20+ years’ experience
- Plain-English reports with photos
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
See how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.