Essex · London and the South East
Flat Roof Survey in Saffron Walden
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings in Saffron Walden, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Get in touch for a price.
- A sagging deck under the covering
- Edge trims that have lifted or split
- Outlets that hold water back
Can I check my roof myself?
It helps to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Share it with us when booking.
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Water spilling over the edge can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Flat roof surveys for homes and businesses in Saffron Walden
Each flat roof is looked at from the safest viewpoints we have: on the roof where it is safe, from windows and higher ground, and from the rooms below where we can reach them. Fragile rooflights and fragile sheets are never walked on. Where any area can’t be viewed safely, we say so in the report, so the limits of the survey are clear. If you are worried about water getting in at rooflights and standing water left after rain, we can find out what’s behind it, on mastic asphalt, GRP fibreglass and single-ply membranes alike.
Around Saffron Walden, many garages, porches and extensions have flat roofs of their own. Some older garages have cement sheet roofs, which on buildings from before 2000 may contain asbestos, so a specialist asbestos surveyor should check before they’re disturbed. Felt, rubber and fibreglass coverings each need a different approach. Asbestos testing isn’t part of what we do, though a report may flag materials that could contain it.
The report does not just list problems. For each finding, it explains what it is, why it matters and what we’d recommend.
- Place
- Saffron Walden (CB10, CB11)
- Region
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Flat roof surveys around Saffron Walden
In Essex, older buildings are frequently clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. Flat roofs fill the gaps in between, on extensions, garages, dormers and business premises. With Audley End House about 1.1 miles west, Saffron Walden sits in an area with a long building history. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and a listed home or one in a conservation area may need consent for changes of material.
Anyone responsible for a site like R A Butler Infant School will know that schools and public buildings often have big flat roofs, and their outlets and upstands need regular checks. For landlords with property near Audley End station, the flat roof over a let home is worth a look before it becomes a tenant complaint.
Saffron Walden is about 11 miles north of Bishop's Stortford, in Essex. Anywhere in Saffron Walden, we can come and survey your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. We cover towns and villages across Essex. Chelmsford is in our area too.
Every address in CB10 and CB11 is covered for flat roof surveys, from the main roads to the quietest streets. If you need a flat roof survey at a property on Market Street, Market Walk and Market Row or a nearby road, we can help. You’ll find Saffron Walden on the B184 and B1052, which makes it straightforward to reach. We also cover the places around Saffron Walden: Audley End (1 mile west), Sewards End (2 miles east), Littlebury (2 miles north-west), Wendens Ambo (2 miles south-west) and Cole End (2 miles south-east). Further out, we also cover Great Dunmow (11 miles south-east), Stansted Mountfitchet (8 miles south), Elsenham (7 miles south), Sible Hedingham (15 miles east), Church End (11 miles south-east) and Bocking Churchstreet (15 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Saffron Walden
Around Saffron Walden, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Saffron Walden County High School and Waggon And Horses Public House. The nearest railway station is Audley End station, roughly 2 miles south-west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Saffron Walden Community Hospital (0.6 miles east) and Saffron Walden Museum (less than half a mile north-west). The countryside around Saffron Walden includes Hales and Shadwell Woods.
The survey, step by step
We don’t take risks to get a closer look. Everything that can be seen safely is inspected, and anything we can’t see is noted in the report. Most visits take about 1–2 hours for a small flat roof at home, and longer for a large commercial one. A visit in Saffron Walden runs most smoothly with the loft hatch clear, side gates open and a parking spot in mind. If you will not be there yourself, let us know who will let us in.
- We agree the roof to be surveyed, its use and any leaks you know about.
- 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.
- Upstands, outlets, edge trims and rooflights are checked and photographed.
- A written report with photos and recommendations is emailed to you.
Before we arrive
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with the building owner or managing agent
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
How to book
When you’re ready to go ahead, phone 07833 053749 or email us. We’ll suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.
Related advice
Questions from Saffron Walden
Do you cover Saffron Walden?
Yes. Our area covers London and South East England, and Saffron Walden is part of that. You can phone 07833 053749 or email us with the address and a few details, and we will talk through which survey suits.
How do I find out if my home in Saffron Walden is listed?
Check Historic England’s online list first, then ask the council about conservation areas and any Article 4 direction. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
How many surveys have you done?
We’ve completed more than 5,000 surveys, over more than 20 years.
What happens after the survey?
The report comes by email, and you decide the next step: use it with a seller, an insurer, a roofer or a managing agent.
Do you go up onto the roof?
Where it’s safe, the roof is inspected from the roof itself. Otherwise we use windows, vantage points and the spaces below, and we note any area we couldn’t see. Fragile surfaces are never walked on.
Can you test old roof sheets for asbestos?
Our survey doesn’t include asbestos testing. 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.
Can you give me structural calculations?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but calculations and an engineer’s opinion are outside what we do. If one is needed, the report says so.
Tips from our surveys
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Have the roof looked at again after a severe storm
- Note any new marks on ceilings beneath the roof
- Check the outlets after the leaves fall
- Check new fixings through the roof are properly sealed
You can use the report to ask roofers to quote for the same work. With each roofer working from the same list, comparing quotes is simpler. It’s your choice who carries out the work and when.
Keep outlets, gutters and hoppers clear, especially after the leaves fall. A flat roof that drains well wears much more slowly.
When to book a survey in Saffron Walden
Flat roofs swing between hot and cold more than most parts of a building. This constant movement works at laps, seams and board joints, and in time it can open up splits and cracks. Older coverings that have lost their flexibility are the most likely to suffer.
A survey can pick up problems like:
- Pools of water lying on the roof
- Cracked or split membrane
- Blistering in felt or asphalt
- Leaks around rooflights
The streets around a church such as Saffron Walden Baptist Church are often among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, the joins between later flat roofs and the old walls are where problems normally start.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Which viewpoints they use to see the roof
- Is VAT included in the price?
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
What we look for on each type of roof
GRP fibreglass
GRP can crack if the deck beneath flexes or if the resin was laid too thin. We record any cracking and any signs of the deck moving.
Mastic asphalt
Without seams, asphalt tends to fail through cracking and at its skirtings. We record any crazing or splits and where water may be getting in.
How we price flat roof surveys
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. The main factors are:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
- House, block, shop or office
Thermal imaging and drone inspection (where applicable) come with the Premium Survey, which starts from £400, inc. VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you’d like to know.
What to let us know when you get in touch
If you can, have these to hand when you get in touch:
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- The property’s address and postcode
- The kind of building and roof involved
- What made you get in touch
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Pictures from ground level or a window are fine, and please do not climb up for a closer look. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.