Essex · London and the South East
Little Common Flat Roof Survey
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings in Little Common. More than 5,000 surveys completed across London and South East England.
- Failed seals around rooflight kerbs
- Failed upstands where the roof meets a wall
- Damaged trims at the roof edge
Before and after the survey
There is plenty you can do without going near the roof. Here’s what helps most:
- Check from a window for ponding after heavy rain
- Keep people off the roof unless they need to be there
- Check new fixings through the roof are properly sealed
- Watch the ceilings below the flat roof for stains
Questions about the findings are always welcome. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation and the Premium Survey an in-person consultation, so you can talk the findings through.
Have the roof surveyed every few years, and after any work that goes through it. You will spot changes early and have a record to look back on.
How a flat roof survey works in Little Common
If the house you are buying has a flat roof on an extension, dormer or garage, it’s worth knowing its condition before exchange. Many felt roofs need renewing after around 15 to 20 years, and EPDM and GRP often go on for longer. We set out the type of covering, its condition and the defects we found, with a photo of every defect. That gives you facts to raise with the seller or agent. Common reasons to book are dips that suggest the deck is deflecting and blisters and bubbles in the covering, on EPDM rubber, mastic asphalt and upstands and outlets.
Some older homes in villages like Little Common 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. Finding out what state the roof is in gives you the facts to plan with. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest.
The report records the flat roof as we found it on the day. It is useful right away, and a good reference for later, such as when you want to compare after future work.
- Where
- Little Common (CM77)
- Region
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Checking the roof from the ground
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Leave anything above ground level to a survey.
If you have a loft with safe access, take a look inside. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Common questions in Little Common
Do you carry out roof surveys in Little Common?
Yes. We survey roofs across London and the South East, and Little Common is part of that. Just ring 07833 053749 or email us and let us know about the property, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
Do you cover smaller places like Little Common?
Yes, we do. We work right across London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. The journey is planned ahead, so it’s useful to know about access.
What does the report include?
It sets out what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, with photographs throughout. Anything we couldn’t see safely is noted too, so you know exactly what was covered.
Do you look in the roof space?
If the survey needs it and the roof space can be reached safely, yes. Please clear anything stored under the hatch, and if the loft can’t be reached safely, the report says so.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
We survey seven days a week: weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Just let us know the days that suit you.
Do you survey commercial flat roofs?
Yes. We survey flat roofs on offices, shops, industrial units and blocks of flats. Larger commercial roofs are quoted for their size and access, so please phone 07833 053749 or send us an email with the details.
What do I do with the report?
The report comes by email, and you decide the next step: raise it with a seller, send it to an insurer, brief a roofer or share it with a managing agent.
How the survey changes by roof type
Mastic asphalt
Asphalt has no laps, so its weak points are cracks and the skirtings at walls and upstands. We record any crazing or splits and where water may be getting in.
Rooflights and upstands
Rooflights, lanterns and upstands are where many flat roof leaks begin. We check the seals and the covering around each one.
Signs you need a flat roof survey in Little Common
A flat roof lies open to sun, rain and frost, and water drains off it slowly. Over the years, coverings harden, crack and start to come away at the edges. Most people book a survey after a leak, before buying, or when they think the roof is getting old.
Look out for signs like these:
- Signs of deflection in the roof deck
- Outlets that hold water back
- Splits, cracks and crazing
- Standing water left after rain
Take a building like Rayne Primary and Nursery School: large flat roofs, common on schools and other public buildings, need their outlets, upstands and coverings checked regularly.
What to check before booking
- Whether the inside of the roof is included
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- What’s outside the scope of the survey
What happens on the day
The visit has one job: to look at the flat roof as closely as is safe and record what we find. Notes and photographs go into the written report. The visit normally takes about one to two hours for a small flat roof at home, and longer for a large commercial one. Rural addresses near Little Common can be hard to find from a postcode alone, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- You send us the address and, for commercial roofs, an idea of the roof’s size.
- 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.
- We record every defect with a photo and its likely cause.
- You get a report setting out the condition and our recommendations, in order of urgency.
Getting ready for the survey
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- Check we can get to the back of the property
Getting a price
To book a survey, ring 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.
Related advice
Flat roof surveys in Little Common: local notes
Older buildings may be listed or sit in a conservation area. To find out, check Historic England’s list and ask the council about conservation areas. In either case, a change of roofing material may need consent. Clay tiles and timber weatherboarding mark out many of the older buildings in Essex, alongside plenty of post-war and newer estates. Mixed in with those pitched roofs are a good many flat ones, over rear extensions, dormers, garages and shops.
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of All Saints, the joins between later flat roofs and the old walls are where problems typically start. If you let a flat or house near Braintree station, a flat roof over a rented flat is easy to forget until the tenant reports a leak.
Little Common is about 3 miles west of Braintree, in Essex. If you’re in Little Common, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Little Common is one of the towns and villages in Essex we cover for flat roof surveys. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
We cover every part of CM77 for flat roof surveys. Neighbouring places we cover for flat roof surveys include Rayne (1 mile north-east), Great Notley (1 mile south-east), Row Green (2 miles south-east), Young's End (2 miles south-east) and Panfield (2 miles north). We also work in nearby towns such as Chelmsford (9 miles south), Braintree (3 miles east), Maldon (12 miles south-east), Witham (7 miles south-east), Saffron Walden (15 miles north-west) and Halstead (8 miles north-east).
Local landmarks in Little Common
Typical jobs here are in homes near Tabor Academy, 47 The Street pub and Cuckoo Wood and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Braintree station, about 2.4 miles east. A little further out are Tudor House Museum (Braintree) (2.7 miles north-east) and Braintree Community Hospital (1.7 miles north-east). For a walk, there is Phyllis Currie Nature Reserve.
Places near Little Common
Also in Little Common
Landlords, agents and block managers in Little Common
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To arrange surveys for several addresses, call 07833 053749 or email us with the addresses.
Any of our surveys can be booked by landlords, agents and building managers in Little Common. For a price for a let property or a block, phone 07833 053749 or email us.