Essex · London and the South East
Hobbs Cross Drone Roof Survey
Close-up drone photographs of roofs that are hard to reach in Hobbs Cross. We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Coverings that have slipped high up on the roof
- Damage after a storm that can’t be seen from below
- Standing water on a flat roof
Roof by roof
Flat roofs on tall buildings
Felt often lasts around 15 to 20 years, EPDM rubber around 30 to 50 and GRP up to about 30. We record the signs of age we can see.
Chimney stacks
Chimney tops are hard to see from the ground. Close-up photos show the pots, flaunching, pointing and flashings.
Drone roof survey in Hobbs Cross
The weather decides whether a drone can fly. Strong wind or heavy rain rules out a flight, because the drone has to stay safely under control. If the day turns out unsuitable, we’ll talk about another date. We check the forecast ahead of the visit and again on site. Calm, dry conditions give the sharpest close-up photos. Waiting for a better day is better than a rushed flight. Typical surveys look at moss building up on slopes and in gutters and cracked mortar along the ridge, across large and complex roofs, tall and steep roofs and flat roofs on upper floors.
In a small place like Hobbs Cross, open ground can mean strong wind. High wind or heavy rain stops a small drone flying, and calm conditions also suit thermal imaging best. The visit is planned around the forecast, along with the journey and access. A change in the forecast can mean moving the visit to another day.
The report is written in plain words, so it makes sense without any roofing background. Photographs show what each point refers to, with the urgent items made clear.
- Where
- Hobbs Cross (CM16)
- Region
- Essex
- Cost
- From £400 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Also near Hobbs Cross
More services for Hobbs Cross
Tips that help
Nothing here needs a ladder. Our suggestions:
- Keep dogs indoors during the visit
- Be ready to move the date if the weather turns
- A word with neighbours beforehand helps
- Let us know about any leaks or concerns
If you need work done, roofers can work from the photos. The photos show the location and extent of every problem, so their quotes cover the same ground.
After a storm, check from the garden and the street. Debris in the garden is a sign to act on. A drone survey can show what has shifted.
Your questions about drone roof surveys in Hobbs Cross
Will you come out to Hobbs Cross?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We cover the whole of London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
Can you fly a drone over a roof in Hobbs Cross?
The answer turns on the exact location and the conditions on the day. Stapleford Aerodrome is about 2 miles away, so we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before any flight. Strong wind or heavy rain also stops a small drone flying.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, so it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
Do you look in the roof space?
Normally, if there’s one and it can be reached safely. The loft space can show things the outside can’t, such as damp timbers, staining or daylight.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, if the freeholder or managing agent agrees access. We look at the parts we are given access to, and the report makes that clear.
What does the report include?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos. The most urgent items are made clear.
How much is a survey?
Drone roof survey starts from £400, including VAT. Our Basic Survey starts from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all including VAT.
What this survey can’t tell you
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, and that sets some limits:
- Flights in a restricted zone without permission
- Photos in conditions too poor to fly
- The underside of the roof (that needs an inside check)
If you are not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. The full list of what we check.
Roofs we survey in Hobbs Cross
- Flat roofs on upper floors
- Valleys and parapet gutters
- Large and complex roofs
- Tall and steep roofs
- Chimney stacks
- Fragile roofs
For landlords and managing agents
A roof problem in a let property affects your tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work around your tenants.
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed ahead of time. We survey seven days a week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
What happens on the day
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, as far as the space allows. All in, the survey typically takes between one and two hours for most houses, and more on a big or complicated roof. In a small place like Hobbs Cross, access is normally the main thing to plan. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Weekday and weekend visits are available.
- First, we check the address for flight restrictions.
- Where a flight restriction zone or restricted area applies, we seek permission first.
- On the day, we check the weather and the site before flying.
- The drone captures close-up photos of the coverings, chimneys, valleys and gutters.
- We email a written report with the photographs and our recommendations.
Before the survey
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Find any records of previous roof work
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Booking a survey
If you are buying, it’s useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so there’s time to use the report before exchange. Otherwise, simply ring 07833 053749 or email us whenever suits you.
Related advice
Why it’s worth a survey now in Hobbs Cross
Planning roof work without seeing the roof is a gamble. You get photos of every part we can see, with recommendations prioritised by urgency where relevant. You can tackle the urgent items first. In a small place like Hobbs Cross, homes can be exposed to wind and rain, which finds any gap, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
Every price we give includes VAT. Prices start from £400, including VAT. We confirm the price for your roof before booking.
Why book with us
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Photos and a written report every time
- 20+ years’ experience
See what a roof survey costs and two real surveys.
Airspace, weather and Hobbs Cross roofs
Stapleford Aerodrome is about 2 miles away, so we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before any flight. We fly a sub-250g drone and are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). Flights in the open category stay under 120 m (400 ft), with the drone kept in sight.
If you look after a building such as St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled School, a view from above covers a wide roof far faster than walking it. The streets around a church like Church of All Saints are often among the oldest in a place, and if your home is one of the older ones nearby, thin or patchy insulation under an old roof often shows up clearly on a thermal image. Hill Hall lies about 0.9 miles east, so building around Hobbs Cross goes back a long way. Close-up aerial shots and thermal images let an old roof be checked without anyone disturbing it.
Hobbs Cross is about 3 miles north-east of Loughton, in Essex. Bookings from Hobbs Cross are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Across Essex, we cover Hobbs Cross and the places around it. For surveys nearby, see our London page.
We work across CM16 for drone roof surveys and the streets around it. Neighbouring places we cover for drone roof surveys include Theydon Garnon (1 mile west), Steward's Green (1 mile north), Fiddlers Hamlet (1 mile north), Abridge (2 miles south) and Ivy Chimneys (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Harlow (7 miles north), Brentwood (8 miles south-east), Billericay (13 miles east), Loughton (3 miles south-west), Waltham Abbey (5 miles west) and Harold Wood (7 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Hobbs Cross
Other landmarks nearby include St. Margaret's Hospital (2.3 miles north) and Epping Signalling Museum (1.7 miles north-west). Not far away are Gernon Bushes.