Essex · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Great Bentley, Essex
An experienced roof surveyor for flat roof surveys in Great Bentley. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Failed upstands where the roof meets a wall
- Failed seals around rooflight kerbs
- Ponding water that does not drain away
Flat roof survey in Great Bentley: what you get
Water through a flat roof doesn’t always come in where the stain is. It may start at a split, a lifted seam or a failed upstand well away from the damp patch. Our survey covers the whole roof, not just the part above the mark, and photograph anything that could let water in. Whoever carries out the work then has a clear starting point. If you’ve noticed loose or cracked edge trims and failed seals around rooflight kerbs, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on single-ply membranes, EPDM rubber and mastic asphalt alike.
In smaller places like Great Bentley, flat roofs are mostly on extensions, garages, porches and dormers. They’re small, but a leak over a kitchen extension can do a lot of harm. Knowing the covering and how it was laid tells you what to expect from it. Ponding, splits and lifting edges are the signs to look for from a window.
Pictures do a lot of the work in our reports, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Location
- Great Bentley (CO7)
- Region
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Leave it or get it looked at?
Most flat roofs are out of sight, so they’re easy to forget. Many owners only find out a roof is worn out when water comes through. A survey every few years stops that from catching you out. Blocked gutters on homes around Great Bentley overflow and soak walls. It’s easy to sort the cause early and slow to dry a damp wall.
One thing that affects the price is the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, including VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Why us?
- PI and public liability insurance
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Visits on any day of the week
- Plain-English reports with photos
Read our cost guide or two real surveys.
How the survey works
We photograph the roof as we go, so the report shows exactly what we saw. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available. Most surveys take an hour or two at a typical home, and longer for a large or complex roof. Parking around Great Bentley is usually easier than in a town centre, but mention lanes, gates or long drives. On bungalows and lower roofs, much can be seen from the ground, with the loft showing the underside, while taller roofs may need other vantage points or the drone where it applies.
- First we go through the roof, what’s beneath it and any problems so far.
- We check the roof from ground level, windows and the roof where it is safe.
- The covering is checked for wear, splits, blisters and standing water.
- Upstands, outlets, edge trims and rooflights are checked and photographed.
- A written report with photos and recommendations is emailed to you.
How to prepare
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
Arrange a survey
To arrange a survey, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. You will know the price before anything is booked.
Related advice
Places near Great Bentley
Also in Great Bentley
Great Bentley: your questions answered
Is my home in Great Bentley 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. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
Is the coastal weather around Great Bentley hard on roofs?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there is more wind, and more salt in the air. Ridges, verges, flashings and fixings are where it usually shows, and Great Bentley is within about 4 miles of the coast.
Do you give a life expectancy for the roof?
There is no honest way to give an exact number of years. Typical ranges are around 15 to 20 years for felt, 30 to 50 for EPDM and up to about 30 for GRP, but your report describes the actual condition.
Do you survey on Saturdays and Sundays?
We survey seven days a week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Just let us know the days that suit you.
Do you check flat roofs for asbestos?
Our survey does not include asbestos testing. Buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos, for example in cement roof sheets. Anything that might contain it is flagged, so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check before work starts.
Does someone need to be in?
That depends on the survey. For inside areas and the roof space, someone has to give us access.
How long is the visit?
Expect it to take about 1–2 hours for a small flat roof at home, and longer for a large commercial one. You’ll then get the report by email.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from the ground or a window. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.
It is useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when booking and it will help the survey.
What affects the cost of flat roof surveys
Not every roof costs the same to survey, and it comes down to:
- Height and safe access
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we’ll tell you which fits.
Getting in touch
When you call or email, these details help:
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Your timetable, like an exchange date
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- The type of building and roof, like pitched or flat
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know the cost up front. Flat roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. To book, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
What we look for on each type of roof
Single-ply membranes
Plant, fixings and foot traffic can all damage a single-ply roof. Any tears, punctures or loose membrane are recorded with photos.
Rooflights and upstands
We do not walk on rooflights or fragile sheeting, and we treat older rooflights as fragile. They’re inspected from safe positions and recorded with photos.
When you need someone else
Some things can’t be seen without opening up the roof, so a survey has limits:
- Whether old sheeting or boards contain asbestos
- A structural engineer’s assessment of the deck
- Hidden layers beneath the covering
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- Felt flat roofs
- EPDM rubber
- Mastic asphalt
- GRP fibreglass
- Single-ply membranes
- Upstands and outlets
Flat roof surveys around Great Bentley
Great Bentley is within about 4 miles of the coast, 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. Older buildings in Essex frequently have clay tiles and weatherboarding, and lots of post-war and modern estates besides. Mixed in with those pitched roofs are lots of flat ones, over rear extensions, dormers, garages and shops.
If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Church of St Mary, any flat roof added at the back or on a dormer is likely to be far younger, and less durable, than the main roof. Thorpe Hall, about 4.4 miles east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Great Bentley. Older houses nearby frequently have flat roofs added much later, built to very different standards from the main roof. For landlords with property near Great Bentley station, a flat roof over a rented flat is easy to forget until the tenant reports a leak.
Great Bentley is about 5 miles north-west of Clacton-on-Sea, in Essex. Surveys in Great Bentley work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photos and a written report. Great Bentley is one of the towns and villages in Essex we cover. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
Postcode districts we cover here for flat roof surveys: CO7. Streets in the area include Station Road, Forge Lane and Moors Close, all of which we cover. Nearby, we also carry out flat roof surveys in Aingers Green (1 mile south), Frating Green (2 miles north-west), South Heath (2 miles south), Thorrington (2 miles south-west) and Frating (2 miles west). We also work in nearby towns such as Colchester (8 miles west), Clacton-on-Sea (5 miles south-east), Harwich (10 miles north-east), Camulodunum (9 miles west), Greenstead (6 miles north-west) and Tiptree (14 miles west).
Around Great Bentley
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Plough Inn. There is a railway station in Great Bentley itself: Great Bentley station. Not far away are Weeleyhall Wood.