Essex · London and the South East
Electronic leak detection in Hobbs Cross, Essex
Find out what’s going on with the flat roof membrane before you spend money on it. We carry out electronic leak detection in Hobbs Cross, with photos and a clear written report.
- Gaps at membrane joints
- New membranes needing a check before handover
- A flat roof leak that can’t be traced
DIY checks: what’s safe
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. You won’t see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from the ground, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
About our electronic leak detection in Hobbs Cross
You get a report showing the location of each breach, with photos. It tells your roofer exactly where to repair rather than guessing. Repair costs are not part of the report, so your roofer prices the work. A retest after repairs can check the work if the build-up allows. You get a report with photos. We survey liquid-applied waterproofing, green roofs and roof terraces and balconies, and people most often book us about water coming in under a flat roof and leaks at pipes, outlets or fixings.
Flat roofs on exposed homes in small places like Hobbs Cross take more wind and rain, which is hard on edges, upstands and joins in the covering. Felt roofs, which often last around 15–20 years, typically show it first. EPDM rubber and GRP coverings last longer, but their edges and joints still need checking. On an exposed roof, the edges tend to go first.
We keep jargon out of it: if work is needed, the report says so clearly, and where it can wait, that is said too.
- Where
- Hobbs Cross (CM16)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Price
- Quoted for your roof
- Your report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Towns and villages near Hobbs Cross
What else we do in Hobbs Cross
Surveys for landlords and agents in Hobbs Cross
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, including offices, shops and units. Bigger roofs take more time.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps with budgets and planning.
Flat and commercial roofs around Hobbs Cross
With Hill Hall about 0.9 miles east, Hobbs Cross sits in an area with a long building history. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material. Older buildings in Essex frequently have clay tiles and weatherboarding, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. Next to the main roofs there is typically a flat roof somewhere, whether on an extension, a garage or a commercial unit.
The streets around a church such as Church of All Saints are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if you own one of the older houses nearby, the joins between later flat roofs and the old walls are where problems normally start.
Hobbs Cross is about 3 miles north-east of Loughton, in Essex. We carry out electronic leak detection for householders, landlords and businesses in Hobbs Cross and the surrounding area. Our Essex coverage includes Hobbs Cross. We also survey roofs in London.
Every address in CM16 is covered for electronic leak detection, from the main roads to the quietest streets. If you are just outside Hobbs Cross, we cover 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). We also work in nearby towns such as 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).
Near you in Hobbs Cross
Well-known places in the area include St. Margaret's Hospital (2.3 miles north) and Epping Signalling Museum (1.7 miles north-west). The countryside around Hobbs Cross includes Gernon Bushes.
What affects the cost of electronic leak detection
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- The shape of the roof and its details
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
- The roof’s overall size
All our prices include VAT. Electronic leak detection is quoted for your roof, because the method depends on the roof. You will know the price for the job before you book.
Helping us price your survey
You do not need to know any roofing terms. It is enough to let us know:
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- What kind of property and roof it is
- When you need the report by
To arrange a survey, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. We will confirm the price before booking.
Common questions in Hobbs Cross
Will you come out to Hobbs Cross?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We work right across London and South East England. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
Do you cover Hobbs Cross?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
We carry out surveys on weekdays and at weekends. To arrange a date, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
How many surveys have you done?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
Does the weather affect the survey?
Some surveys depend on the weather more than others. Drones cannot fly safely in strong wind or a downpour, and thermal imaging works best after a sunny day, with a dry roof and little wind. We will rearrange with you if the weather isn’t right.
What does electronic leak detection do?
It uses an electrical current to find breaches in a flat roof membrane. A breach lets the current through, which shows us where the hole is.
Will you check the loft?
Where it is relevant to the survey and there is safe access, yes. A clear path to the hatch helps, and if the loft can’t be reached safely, the report says so.
What we do, step by step
The visit has one job: to look at the flat roof membrane as closely as is safe and record what we find. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. The visit typically takes more time on a big roof than a small one, and the build-up of the roof makes a difference too. Cottages and farmhouses around Hobbs Cross often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. Each part is looked at from wherever it can safely be seen.
- We start with what you know about the roof and the leak.
- The roof is assessed for suitability first.
- We choose a low-voltage or high-voltage method to match the roof.
- The membrane is tested and breaches are found.
- You get a report with photos of each breach.
Getting ready for the survey
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
How to book
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Advice
Signs you need electronic leak detection in Hobbs Cross
Holes in a membrane frequently come from feet, tools or debris. Many are tiny but water still finds them.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- Leaks showing away from the breach
- New roofs to check before paving or planting
- Failed seams and laps
- Patched roofs that still leak
Take a building like St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled School: large flat roofs, common on schools and other public buildings, need their outlets, upstands and coverings checked regularly.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What experience they bring
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Their insurance cover
- Will the report include photos?
Tips from our surveys
Most of what helps is simple and safe from the ground. Our suggestions:
- Clear flat roof outlets regularly
- Record dates and spots where water appears
- Share any drawings of the roof
- Avoid repeated repairs without finding the cause
If we think the leak is not coming through the membrane, the report says so, with a suggestion of what to check next.
Keep outlets and gutters on flat roofs clear. Standing water puts more pressure on any weak point.