Essex · London and the South East
Epping Flat Roof Survey
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings across Epping, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Call or email for a price.
- Dips that suggest the deck is deflecting
- Failed upstands where the roof meets a wall
- Raised blisters across the surface
Flat roof survey in Epping: what you get
Every flat roof covering tends to fail in its own way. Felt can blister and crack, asphalt can craze and split, EPDM seams and laps can lift, and GRP can crack where boards meet or at the trims. Single-ply PVC and TPO roofs are checked at their welds, edges and fixings. Knowing what you have and how it is doing helps you plan what comes next. Common reasons to book are failed seals around rooflight kerbs and splits, cracks and crazing, across upstands and outlets, single-ply membranes and mastic asphalt.
Flat roofs in smaller places like Epping can be more exposed, particularly where nothing shelters them, where wind can catch loose edges and trims. Sun on a flat roof also ages felt and bitumen. Splits, blisters and lifting edges are what to look out for. Standing water that lingers for days after rain is another sign worth watching for.
Report times depend on the survey you book: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day.
- Where
- Epping (CM16)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What we’re asked to look at in Epping
Buyers often book after their home survey suggests a closer look at a flat roof. Building owners and managing agents book to plan maintenance, or before a sale or a new lease. In each case, the report gives a written, photographed record of the roof’s condition.
We’re frequently asked to look at:
- Blistering in felt or asphalt
- Loose or cracked edge trims
- Splits, cracks and crazing
- Standing water left after rain
Hotels and guest houses near Epping cannot easily close rooms for a leak, so it is worth knowing the roof’s condition.
Questions to ask before booking
- When you’ll get the report
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- Whether the price includes VAT
- What happens after the report arrives
Flat roof surveys in Epping: local notes
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 on extensions, dormers, garages and business units are found alongside them almost everywhere. About 2.5 miles south-east lies Hill Hall, a reminder of how long the area around Epping has been built on. 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.
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of St John the Baptist, the joins between later flat roofs and the old walls are where problems normally start. Take a building like Epping Primary School: ponding and blocked outlets on a wide flat roof are worth catching before the next wet season.
Epping is about 4 miles north-east of Loughton, in Essex. Surveys in Epping work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photographs and a written report. Across Essex, we cover Epping and the places around it. London is in our area too.
Surveys in CM16 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Streets in the area include High Street, Station Road and Twankhams Alley, all of which we cover. Main roads around Epping include the B181 and B182, which makes travel easy. Neighbouring places we cover for flat roof surveys include Ivy Chimneys (1 mile south-west), Steward's Green (1 mile south-east), Fiddlers Hamlet (1 mile south-east), Theydon Garnon (2 miles south) and Hobbs Cross (2 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Harlow (5 miles north), Brentwood (10 miles south-east), Billericay (14 miles east), Loughton (4 miles south-west), Waltham Abbey (4 miles west) and Stansted Mountfitchet (15 miles north).
Near you in Epping
Locally, jobs take us to homes and businesses close to St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled School, Thornwood Common Flood Meadow and The Black Lion pub and the streets around them. Nearby you will also find Epping Signalling Museum (within half a mile south) and St. Margaret's Hospital (0.7 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Gernon Bushes.
Epping questions
Is Epping within the area you cover?
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 you book.
Can you look at the flat roof of a hotel or office near Epping?
Yes, we cover commercial roofs as well as homes. Access to the roof is sorted out with whoever manages the building before the day.
How experienced are you?
Over 5,000 surveys so far, over more than 20 years.
How much does a flat roof survey cost in Epping?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Our three packages are Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, inc. VAT.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. It’s a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof and can sit alongside a RICS survey.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where applicable and safe. We fly a sub-250g drone and we’re a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where applicable.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Not necessarily. If we only need the outside, we can agree that in advance, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
What we look for on each type of roof
Felt and built-up roofs
A felt roof often lasts around 15 to 20 years, though quality and upkeep make a big difference. Our report sets out its condition and the areas most at risk.
GRP fibreglass
A well-laid GRP roof often lasts up to about 30 years. Cracking where boards meet or where the deck moves is a common early sign of trouble.
Tips that help
Some practical points come up on survey after survey. They apply to most roofs:
- Check from a window for ponding after heavy rain
- Keep records of when the roof was laid and what work has been done
- Make sure new fixings through the roof are properly sealed
- Keep people off the roof unless they need to be there
If you are buying, the report gives you something specific to take back to the seller or agent. You might ask for work to be done before completion, or discuss the price, depending on the findings.
Keep foot traffic on a flat roof to a minimum. If access is needed, boards or walkways help protect the covering, and remind them never to step on rooflights or fragile sheets.
How the survey works
On the day, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that is worrying you. We then inspect everything that can be seen safely. The survey typically takes about one to two hours for a house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Homes around Epping often have gardens on more than one side, which gives us room to step back and see the roof. Let us know if any side is fenced off or hard to reach. The loft, where there’s safe access, completes the picture.
- We agree the roof to be surveyed, its use and any leaks you know about.
- We look at the roof from the ground, windows and the roof where it is safe.
- The covering is checked for wear, splits, blisters and standing water.
- We photograph and record the outlets, upstands, trims and rooflights.
- The report, with photos and recommendations, comes to you by email.
Preparing for the visit
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Jot down any questions you want answered
Arrange a survey
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know where you stand. Our price is from £150, including VAT. To book, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Read more
When you need someone else
Every survey has limits, and we’d rather be clear about that before you book. Keep these in mind:
- Fragile surfaces, which we do not walk on
- Structural calculations, which need a structural engineer
- A fixed date for when the roof will need replacing
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll point you to the right survey. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- Single-ply membranes
- GRP fibreglass
- Upstands and outlets
- EPDM rubber
- Felt flat roofs
- Mastic asphalt
Prices for flat roof surveys in Epping
Our packages start from £150, inc. VAT. The price for your roof depends on:
- Whether it’s a home or a commercial building
- The height of the building and how the roof can be seen safely
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, including VAT, and we’ll tell you which fits.
Helping us price your survey
If you can, have these to hand when you get in touch:
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
- Where any leaks, stains or damp patches show inside
- The address and postcode of the property
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
Once you know what you need, call 07833 053749 or email us. From there it’s a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day, weekday or weekend.