Essex · London and the South East
Electronic leak detection in Balls Green, Essex
Electronic leak detection around Balls Green, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Holes around roof penetrations
- Repairs that haven’t stopped the leak
- New membranes needing a check before handover
Electronic leak detection for homes and businesses in Balls Green
Some flat roofs can’t be tested electronically. Some membranes conduct electricity themselves and some roofs do not have a suitable layer beneath the membrane. We will say if ELD will not work on your roof at the start. Any details you have about the membrane and build-up help us decide, like drawings or specifications. It avoids arranging a test that can’t give results. If you’ve noticed new membranes needing a check before handover and leaks through a flat roof with no obvious cause, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Some older homes in villages like Balls Green are listed or in a conservation area, which can shape what a new flat roof may look like. If you’re planning work, check with the council first. Finding out what state the roof is in gives you the facts to plan with. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent.
We write the report in plain English, so you do not need to be a roofer to follow it. Each point is backed by a photograph where possible, and recommendations are put by urgency where it matters.
- Where
- Balls Green (CO7)
- Region
- Essex
- Cost
- Quoted for your roof
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Common roof problems in Balls Green
If a flat roof keeps leaking after patching, the hole may be elsewhere. ELD can locate the breach more precisely.
We’re frequently asked to look at:
- New membranes needing a check before handover
- Holes left by work on the roof
- A flat roof leak that cannot be traced
- Damp inside with no sign on the roof
If you let a flat or house near Great Bentley station, a flat roof over a rented flat is easy to forget until the tenant reports a leak.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- What happens after the report arrives
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Whether the price includes VAT
- What experience they bring
What a survey costs
All our prices include VAT. What changes the price is:
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how it can be reached and seen safely. We quote electronic leak detection for each roof, as the method and time depend on the roof.
Getting in touch
To price your survey accurately, we’ll ask about:
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- The type of building and roof, like pitched or flat
- Access details, like a loft hatch or a shared roof
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine, and please don’t climb up for a closer look. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or email us.
How it works
Every visit follows the same pattern: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from every safe vantage point, take photos as we go and record our findings for the written report. It usually takes a time that depends on the membrane area and the build-up, which we’ll explain when we quote. Somewhere as small as Balls Green, access is often the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- First, you tell us about the roof build-up and where water is showing.
- We confirm whether the roof is suitable for electronic testing.
- We pick the low-voltage or high-voltage method that suits the roof.
- The roof is tested and any breaches are located.
- You get a report showing where each breach is, for your roofer to repair.
Getting ready for the survey
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
Book a survey
You can call us seven days a week. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Advice
Common questions in Balls Green
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Balls Green?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces.
Is my home in Balls Green listed or in a conservation area?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
What’s in the survey report?
It sets out what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, with photographs throughout. Anything we couldn’t see safely is noted too.
Will you check the loft?
If it’s needed and safe to reach, yes. Inside, we look for damp, staining, gaps and sagging, as far as the space allows.
Do I need to be at home?
Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. We’re experienced roof surveyors, and visible signs such as sagging are noted, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. If one is needed, the report says so.
How experienced are you?
We have been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys.
Useful tips for Balls Green property owners
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. Our suggestions:
- Share any drawings of the roof
- Use boards when working on the roof
- Keep outlets clear of debris
- Act on new leaks promptly
You receive a report showing where each breach was found, with photographs. Pass it to your roofer to repair the breach points.
ELD before paving, ballast or planting goes on is worth considering. It’s easier to find holes before more layers are added.
Why get it checked now?
Repeated call-outs for the same leak add up. A report showing the breach points gives your roofer a clear target. For an older or listed building in a place like Balls Green, repairs may need matching materials and consent, so leaving a defect until it is urgent leaves less time to plan.
Bigger, taller and commercial roofs take more time to survey, so they’re priced to match. You’ll know the figure before booking.
Why book with us
- 98% of customers satisfied
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Photographs and a written report every time
Read how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
Nearby places to Balls Green
More services for Balls Green
Electronic leak detection in Balls Green: local notes
Balls Green lies within about 4 miles of the sea, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Coastal wind works at the edges of flat roofs, and salt air wears metal trims and fixings. Clay tiles and timber weatherboarding mark out many of the older buildings in Essex, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. Flat roofs fill the gaps in between, on extensions, garages, dormers and business premises.
In and around Balls Green, as anywhere, a roof is easiest to deal with when its problems are found early.
Balls Green is about 6 miles east of Colchester, in Essex. We visit Balls Green as part of our work across Essex. Balls Green is one of the places in Essex where we work. You can also see our page for Chelmsford.
Every address in CO7 is within our area for electronic leak detection. Whether your property is on Frating Road, Chapel Lane and Brundells Road or anywhere close by, we can survey it. Nearby, we also carry out electronic leak detection in Hare Green (1 mile north), Frating Green (1 mile south), Cowey Green (1 mile north), Frating (1 mile south-west) and Great Bromley (1 mile north). We also work in nearby towns such as Colchester (6 miles west), Clacton-on-Sea (7 miles south-east), Harwich (10 miles east), Camulodunum (7 miles west), Greenstead (4 miles west) and Tiptree (13 miles west).
What’s near Balls Green
In Balls Green, that means homes and buildings near Snooty Fox pub. For rail, the closest station is Great Bentley station, about 2.1 miles south-east. Well-known places in the area include Wivenhoe Chapel Museum (3.3 miles west). The countryside around Balls Green includes Cockaynes Wood.
What you can safely check yourself
Look up at the roof after a storm, from the ground: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.