Essex · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Childerditch, Essex
Flat roof surveys around Childerditch, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Damaged trims at the roof edge
- Splits, cracks and crazing
- Ponding water that does not drain away
About our flat roof survey in Childerditch
Our Basic Survey, from £150, gives you a visual inspection with photographs and written recommendations. The Standard Survey, from £250, adds moisture detection and a structural check. Moisture readings are useful on flat roofs, where water can spread under the covering before it shows inside. Bigger commercial roofs are priced on their size and access. We survey GRP fibreglass, upstands and outlets and mastic asphalt, and common reasons people get in touch are signs of deflection in the roof deck and blisters and bubbles in the covering.
Flat roofs on exposed homes in small places like Childerditch 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, normally show it first. Rubber and GRP last longer, though trims and joints still need a look. On an exposed roof, the edges tend to go first.
Most points in the report come with a picture, so you can see each defect rather than just read about it. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Where
- Childerditch (CM13)
- Region
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work around your tenants.
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with the freeholder or managing agent. Mention it when you contact us and we’ll plan the visit with that in mind.
How we price flat roof surveys
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- Which survey package you book
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where applicable) come with the Premium Survey, which starts from £400, including VAT. We will tell you which package suits the questions you have.
What to tell us when you contact us
Before you get in touch, it helps to have:
- Dates you are working to, such as exchange
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from ground level or a window
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. To book or ask a question, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Honest limits
No survey can tell you everything, and we’d rather be clear about that before booking. Keep these in mind:
- Structural calculations, which need a structural engineer
- A promise that the roof won’t leak in future
- Testing older roof sheets for asbestos
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Mastic asphalt
- Single-ply membranes
- Felt flat roofs
- GRP fibreglass
- EPDM rubber
- Upstands and outlets
Flat roof surveys around Childerditch
Historic houses such as Hare Hall, about 4.8 miles west, show how far back building in the area around Childerditch goes. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Older buildings in Essex frequently have clay tiles and weatherboarding, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. Alongside them, flat-roofed extensions, dormers, garages and commercial units are common almost everywhere.
If you live in an older home near All Saints and St Faith, flat-roofed rear additions and dormers added over the years are worth checking. For landlords with property near West Horndon station, flat roofs over rear additions and dormers in rented property are worth checking between tenancies. If you look after a building such as Woodlands School Great Warley, large flat roofs, common on schools and other public buildings, need their outlets, upstands and coverings checked regularly.
Childerditch is about 3 miles south of Brentwood, in Essex. We visit Childerditch as part of our work across Essex, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Childerditch is one of the towns and villages in Essex where we work for flat roof surveys. For surveys nearby, see our Chelmsford page.
Flat roof surveys in CM13 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Other places close to Childerditch include Little Warley (1 mile south-west), West Horndon (1 mile south-east), East Horndon (2 miles east), Herongate (2 miles north-east) and Bulphan (3 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Chelmsford (13 miles north-east), Basildon (6 miles east), Brentwood (3 miles north), Canvey Island (12 miles east), Billericay (5 miles north-east) and Rayleigh (12 miles east).
Near you in Childerditch
Typical jobs here are in homes near Brentwood County High School and Greyhound Public House and the streets around them. The closest station to Childerditch is West Horndon station, roughly 1.3 miles south-east of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Upminster Tithe Barn Museum of Nostalgia (3 miles west) and Spire Hartswood Hospital (1.8 miles north-west). Open spaces near Childerditch include Thorndon Park.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
You can learn a lot from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please don’t climb up for a closer look.
What happens on the day
A survey visit follows a simple order: we hear what you’ve seen, inspect the roof from every safe viewpoint, photograph what we find and make notes for the report. It typically takes about one to two hours for most houses, and more on a big or complicated roof. Rural addresses near Childerditch 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. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- We start with the address and, on larger roofs, the roof area and access.
- Inside, we look for signs of water under the roof where we can reach.
- We view the roof from safe positions and never walk on fragile surfaces.
- Each defect is photographed and its likely cause noted.
- You get a report setting out the condition and our recommendations, in order of urgency.
Before we arrive
- Tell us about parking before the day
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
How to book
Booking is simple: just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form, let us know about the property and we will explain which survey suits. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
FAQs for Childerditch
Is Childerditch in the area you cover?
Yes. We cover the whole of London and South East England, and Childerditch is part of that. You can ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and some details, and we will talk through which survey suits.
Is Childerditch within the area you cover?
Yes, Childerditch is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
How long is the visit?
It typically takes an hour or two for a house, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. The report follows by email.
What will the report tell me?
Written findings with photos, explaining the condition of the flat roof, any defects and our recommendations. Standard adds moisture detection and a structural check; Premium adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable and structural analysis.
Will this cover the whole house?
No. We look closely at the flat roof rather than the whole building. It works alongside a RICS home survey, not instead of one, and structural calculations need a structural engineer.
Can you test old roof sheets for asbestos?
We don’t carry out asbestos surveys. Older buildings, from before 2000, may have asbestos in cement sheets or soffits. We note anything that could contain it, and a specialist asbestos surveyor should check it before it’s disturbed.
How experienced are you?
We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys, across 20+ years of surveying roofs, with 98% customer satisfaction.
Towns and villages near Childerditch
Other services in Childerditch
Tips from our surveys
Getting the most from a flat roof survey starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Tips:
- Treat rooflights and old sheeting as fragile
- Plan a survey before the covering reaches the end of its usual life
- Clear roof outlets and gutters each autumn
- Note any new marks on ceilings beneath the roof
After the visit, we write up the report with photos of what we found. It explains the covering, its condition and every defect, and what we recommend. Turnaround is within 48 hours for a Basic Survey, 24 to 48 hours for a Standard Survey and the same day for a Premium Survey.
Have the roof surveyed every few years, and after any work that goes through it. You’ll spot changes early and have a record to look back on.