Essex · London and the South East
Little Bentley Flat Roof Survey
Flat roof surveys across Little Bentley, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photos.
- Loose or cracked edge trims
- Failed upstands where the roof meets a wall
- Water getting in at rooflights
Flat roof surveys for homes and businesses in Little Bentley
Flat roofs deal with rain in a very different way from pitched ones. Because rain sits on it for longer, a small split, an open seam or a blocked outlet matters more. The surface, the falls, the upstands and the trims are all looked at closely, and we look for signs that water has reached the deck. The aim is to find problems before they show up as a stain on a ceiling. We survey felt flat roofs, EPDM rubber and upstands and outlets, and common reasons people get in touch are cracked or split membrane and signs of deflection in the roof deck.
Some older homes in villages like Little Bentley are listed or in a conservation area, which can shape what a new flat roof may look like. Check with the council before planning any change of material. Knowing the roof’s condition is the starting point. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent.
The report records the flat roof as we found it on the day. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later.
- Location
- Little Bentley (CO7)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
For landlords and managing agents
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan.
We survey roofs for letting agents and landlords as well as homeowners. The report gives you a dated record of the flat roof, with photos, useful for planning maintenance.
Roof by roof
GRP fibreglass
GRP roofs are laid as a resin and glass-fibre layer over boards. We look for cracks at board joints, around trims and at upstands.
Rooflights and upstands
Rooflights, lanterns and upstands are where many flat roof leaks begin. We check how the covering is finished around each rooflight and upstand.
Common questions in Little Bentley
Do you cover smaller places like Little Bentley?
Yes, Little Bentley is covered. We survey roofs across London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it’s useful to know about access.
Is my home in Little Bentley listed or in a conservation area?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do you give a life expectancy for the roof?
A precise figure is not something we give, because so much depends on upkeep, exposure and workmanship. We describe the condition and say which work is urgent and which can wait.
Does a flat roof survey replace a RICS survey?
No. It is a survey of the flat roof. It is not a RICS Level 2 or 3 survey of the whole building, and it is not a structural engineer’s report. It often sits alongside a buyer’s building survey.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We survey seven days a week: Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. Let us know which days suit you when you book.
Do I need to be at home?
Not necessarily. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
How many surveys have you done?
We have more than 20 years’ experience and have completed over 5,000 surveys.
Places near Little Bentley
Also in Little Bentley
Do you need a flat roof survey in Little Bentley?
Water that does not drain sits on the roof and speeds up wear. Blocked outlets, poor falls and a sagging deck are the usual causes. Leaves and silt from nearby trees can soon choke an outlet.
Look out for signs like these:
- Failed upstands where the roof meets a wall
- Blisters and bubbles in the covering
- Pools of water lying on the roof
- Loose or cracked edge trims
Thorpe Hall lies about 4.7 miles south-east, so building around Little Bentley goes back a long way. Older homes nearby may have later flat-roofed extensions or dormers, often re-covered more than once.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Whether any drone flown is registered with the CAA
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
- Their insurance cover
- Will the report include photos?
What we do, step by step
Before we start, let us know why you’ve booked: a purchase, a leak, a storm, new work or simply peace of mind. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. The visit normally takes between one and two hours at most homes, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Older roofs in small places like Little Bentley can have low, tight loft spaces, so let us know about the loft hatch and any ladder. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- First we go through the roof, what’s beneath it and any problems so far.
- The roof is viewed from safe positions, including the roof itself where that’s safe.
- We check the covering for splits, blisters, ponding and wear.
- We photograph and record the outlets, upstands, trims and rooflights.
- The report, with photographs and recommendations, comes to you by email.
Before the survey
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we are coming
Arrange a survey
You can call us seven days a week. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Related advice
Why get it checked now?
Most flat roofs are out of sight, so they’re easy to forget. Owners often learn the roof is at the end of its life only when it leaks. A survey every few years stops that from catching you out. Matching old materials, such as handmade tiles or stone slates, can take time to source. Spotting a problem early leaves room to find them.
There are three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, with VAT included. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Why us?
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- An independent view of the roof
Take a look at what a roof survey costs and what we found on two real jobs.
Flat roof surveys around Little Bentley
Little Bentley lies within about 4 miles of the sea, and being near the sea means more wind and salt than a roof inland would face. On a flat roof near the sea, edge trims and upstands take the brunt of the wind, and metal parts corrode faster. Older buildings in Essex frequently have clay tiles and weatherboarding, alongside a good many post-war and newer estates. Next to the main roofs there is usually a flat roof somewhere, whether on an extension, a garage or a commercial unit.
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. If you let a flat or house near Great Bentley station, flat roofs on let property tend to be checked only when they fail, which is the costly way round.
Little Bentley is about 7 miles north-west of Clacton-on-Sea, in Essex. Bookings from Little Bentley are handled just like any other: a call or an email, a price, then a date. Across Essex, we cover Little Bentley. Chelmsford is in our area too.
Every address in CO7 is covered for flat roof surveys. If you need a flat roof survey at a property on Church Road, Tendring Road and Manningtree Road or a nearby road, we can survey it. Nearby, we also carry out flat roof surveys in Monkey Street (1 mile west), Cowey Green (2 miles west), Hare Green (2 miles west), Balls Green (2 miles south-west) and Great Bromley (2 miles west). We also work in nearby towns such as Colchester (8 miles west), Clacton-on-Sea (7 miles south-east), Harwich (8 miles east), Camulodunum (9 miles west), Greenstead (6 miles west) and Tiptree (15 miles west).
Local landmarks in Little Bentley
We work in homes and buildings around Bricklayers pub, among other places. The nearest railway station is Great Bentley station, about 2.7 miles south of the centre. Not far away are Weeleyhall Wood.
Honest limits
A survey is a careful look at the flat roof, but it cannot do everything. Its limits include:
- Structural calculations, which need a structural engineer
- Testing older roof sheets for asbestos
- A fixed date for when the roof will need replacing
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll tell you before booking. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- Single-ply membranes
- GRP fibreglass
- Upstands and outlets
- Mastic asphalt
- EPDM rubber
- Felt flat roofs