Essex · London and the South East
Flat Roof Survey in Shellow Bowells
Flat roof surveys for homes and businesses in Shellow Bowells. We have completed more than 5,000 surveys across London and South East England.
- Loose or cracked edge trims
- Pools of water lying on the roof
- Outlets that hold water back
How a flat roof survey works in Shellow Bowells
Each type of flat roof has its own weak points. 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. If you’ve noticed cracked or split membrane and standing water left after rain, a survey will tell you what’s going on.
Somewhere as small as Shellow Bowells, flat roofs tend to be on extensions, garages and converted outbuildings. The checks are the same as anywhere: outlets, upstands, edges and the covering itself. We simply plan the journey and access ahead of time. If there are outbuildings or garages with flat roofs, mention them when you book.
Nothing in the report is left vague: where something needs attention, it says so plainly, along with how urgent it is.
- Place
- Shellow Bowells (CM5)
- Region
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What happens on the day
We work from the outside in: outside views come first, then the roof space if there is safe access. All told, expect about 1–2 hours for a small flat roof at home, and longer for a large commercial one. Around Shellow Bowells, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it’s useful to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- First you give us the address, what the roof covers and any leaks you’ve noticed.
- We check the roof from wherever it can safely be seen.
- Every part of the roof we can see is looked at: covering, falls, upstands, outlets, trims and rooflights.
- Inside, we look for damp and staining under the roof where there’s access.
- You get a written report with photos and our recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- Tell us about parking before the day
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
Book a survey
When you’re ready to go ahead, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date.
Advice
Should I look at the roof myself first?
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
Keep a simple record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry.
Flat roofs in Shellow Bowells
An older home may be listed, or stand in a conservation area. To find out, check Historic England’s list and ask the council about conservation areas. Re-roofing in different materials may need permission there. Older buildings in Essex frequently have clay tiles and weatherboarding, while many towns grew with post-war and newer estates. Flat roofs fill the gaps in between, on extensions, garages, dormers and business premises.
Around Shellow Bowells, as everywhere, small roof faults are simplest to sort before they let water in. If your house is among the older ones in the streets near Church of St Peter and St Paul, flat-roofed rear additions and dormers added over the years are worth checking.
Shellow Bowells is about 7 miles west of Chelmsford, in Essex. We survey roofs in Shellow Bowells and the rest of Essex. Shellow Bowells is one of the towns and villages in Essex where we work. There is also a page for Chelmsford.
Here we cover the CM5 postcode area for flat roof surveys. Other places close to Shellow Bowells include Willingale (1 mile west), Berners Roding (1 mile west), Radley Green (2 miles south), Chalk End (2 miles north-east) and Roxwell (2 miles east). Larger places within reach include Chelmsford (7 miles east), Basildon (13 miles south-east), Braintree (14 miles north-east), Harlow (9 miles west), Brentwood (8 miles south) and Maldon (15 miles east).
Local landmarks in Shellow Bowells
Nearby you will also find Willingale Doe (0.7 miles west) and Chelmsford and Essex Hospital (5.7 miles east).
Common questions in Shellow Bowells
Do you cover smaller places like Shellow Bowells?
Yes, Shellow Bowells is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Shellow Bowells?
Yes, Shellow Bowells is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Shellow Bowells as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
How much is a survey?
Prices start from £150, including VAT. You will know the price for the job before booking. To get a price, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
Does the survey cover asbestos?
Asbestos testing isn’t part of our survey. Where a roof has materials that might contain asbestos, such as old cement sheeting, the report flags them and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor.
Are you structural engineers?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but we do not provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. The report will say if you need an engineer.
How do you inspect a flat roof?
We inspect from wherever is safe: on the roof where it is safe, and from windows, nearby vantage points and inside. Fragile rooflights and fragile sheets are never walked on.
Should I worry about standing water on my flat roof?
Standing water a day or two after rain usually needs attention. The cause may be the outlets, the falls or the deck. The survey looks at each and records the likely cause.
Before and after the survey
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Check ceilings under the roof for damp patches
- Limit foot traffic on the covering
- Check that new brackets or units haven’t damaged the covering
- Have the roof looked at again after a severe storm
Buyers can take the findings back to the seller or the 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. Where someone does need access, ask them to use boards or a protected route, and remind them never to step on rooflights or fragile sheets.
What this survey cannot tell you
Without opening up the roof, some things stay hidden, and that sets some limits:
- Whether the deck or joists are strong enough
- Testing older roof sheets for asbestos
- Parts of the roof that aren’t safe to walk on or view
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roofs we survey in Shellow Bowells
- EPDM rubber
- Single-ply membranes
- Upstands and outlets
- GRP fibreglass
- Mastic asphalt
- Felt flat roofs
Why get it checked now?
A survey can show whether a whole new roof is needed or whether the problems are in a few places. At times the trouble is a handful of failed details, and at times the whole covering is worn. The report sets out what we found, so you can make that decision with a roofer. In a place like Shellow Bowells, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. It’s worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
Every price we give includes VAT. Flat roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. You’ll know the price for the job before you book.
Why book with us
- 20+ years’ experience
- Independent findings on the roof’s condition
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Over 5,000 surveys carried out
Take a look at how roof surveys are priced or our case studies.
Nearby places to Shellow Bowells
Other services in Shellow Bowells
What a survey costs
Not every roof costs the same to survey, for these reasons:
- The size of the roof
- Any need for thermal images or a drone flight
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
Every price we give includes VAT, and the report isn’t charged as an extra. Our price is from £150, including VAT. Where your roof sits in the range depends on its size, height and access.
What we need to know
Getting the details right at the start saves time. Please include:
- Dates you’re working to, such as exchange
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Whether there is a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- The property’s address and postcode
Flat roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or email us to find out.