Essex · London and the South East
Flat roof survey in Starling's Green, Essex
Surveys of flat roofs on homes, extensions and commercial buildings in Starling's Green, using drones and thermal imaging where it applies. Call or email for a price.
- Failed seals around rooflight kerbs
- Outlets that hold water back
- Raised blisters across the surface
Before and after the survey
A little preparation and a few simple habits help, both for the survey and for the roof itself. Our tips:
- Ask whoever fits equipment on the roof to make good the covering
- Watch the ceilings below the flat roof for stains
- Keep people off the roof unless they need to be there
- Check from a window for ponding after heavy rain
The report is emailed to you, ready to share with a roofer, the seller or a managing agent. Each defect is described in plain words and shown in a photo, so anyone reading it can see what we saw.
Get splits, lifted seams and loose trims seen to while they’re small. Prompt repairs tend to add years to a flat roof.
About our flat roof survey in Starling's Green
Buying a home with a flat-roofed extension, dormer or garage? It helps to know that roof’s condition before you 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 photos of each. You then have something specific to put to the seller or agent. We survey single-ply membranes, EPDM rubber and GRP fibreglass, and common reasons people get in touch are ponding water that doesn’t drain away and failed upstands where the roof meets a wall.
In a village or hamlet like Starling's Green, flat roofs are normally on extensions, garages, outbuildings or barn conversions. They need the same care as any town roof: outlets, upstands, edges and the covering itself. The journey and access are planned beforehand. Garages and outbuildings are easy to forget, so mention any you want included as you book.
We write the report in plain English, so you do not need to be a roofer to follow it. Photographs show what each point refers to, and recommendations are put in order of urgency where relevant.
- Location
- Starling's Green (CB11)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Flat and commercial roofs around Starling's Green
In Essex, older buildings are often clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, alongside a good many post-war and newer estates. Mixed in with those pitched roofs are plenty of flat ones, over rear extensions, dormers, garages and shops. 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.
The streets around a church such as Church of St Mary and St Clement are frequently among the oldest in a place, and if your house is among the older ones nearby, any flat roof added at the back or on a dormer is likely to be far younger, and less durable, than the main roof. Take a building like Clavering Primary School: schools and public buildings frequently have big flat roofs, and their outlets and upstands need regular checks.
Starling's Green is about 6 miles north of Bishop's Stortford, in Essex. From houses to flats and shops in Starling's Green, the roof can be surveyed on a weekday or at the weekend. We cover towns and villages across Essex, from the larger towns to small villages. Chelmsford is in our area too.
Every address in CB11 is within our area for flat roof surveys. Close by, we survey roofs in Clavering (1 mile east), Berden (1 mile south-east), Stocking Pelham (1 mile south), Hill Green (2 miles north-east) and The Willows (2 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Harlow (13 miles south), Saffron Walden (7 miles north-east), Great Dunmow (12 miles south-east), Stansted Mountfitchet (5 miles south-east), Newhall (13 miles south) and Elsenham (5 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in Starling's Green
Starling's Green’s nearest station is Newport (Essex) station, about 4.2 miles east. A little further out are Brent Pelham (2.1 miles west). For a walk, there’s Aubrey Buxton Nature Reserve.
Starling's Green: your questions answered
Do you cover Starling's Green?
We do. The survey and report are the same in Starling's Green as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Do you cover smaller places like Starling's Green?
Yes, we do. Our area covers London and South East England, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it helps to know about access.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Some surveys depend on the weather more than others. Drone flights need calm, dry weather, and thermal imaging works best with a dry roof, little wind and a sunny day beforehand. If the conditions are not right, we’ll talk to you about another date.
Can you survey any kind of flat roof?
Felt, mastic asphalt, EPDM rubber, GRP fibreglass and single-ply membranes are all part of the work. We record what the covering is and how it’s holding up.
Are you structural engineers?
No. We point out what can be seen, like sagging or deflection, but we do not carry out calculations or give an engineer’s opinion. Where an engineer is needed, we say so in the report.
When does the report arrive?
Each package has its own report time. Basic: within 48 hours. Standard: 24 to 48 hours. Premium: the same day. Mention any deadline when you book.
Will this cover the whole house?
No. We look closely at the flat roof rather than the whole building. It works alongside a RICS home survey, not instead of one, and it isn’t a structural engineer’s report.
Why get it checked now?
A small split in a flat roof is typically a modest job when it’s found early. Left alone, water can soak the insulation and the deck, and the job grows. A survey now shows which you’re dealing with. Where a roof is exposed, as many are in small places like Starling's Green, driving rain gets into any weakness, and older walls, once damp, take a long time to dry.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: its size, its height, how many sections it has and how safely it can be seen. Flat roof survey starts from £150, including VAT.
Why us?
- 98% customer satisfaction
- Prices that include VAT
- Visits on any day of the week
- Every finding written up with photos
Also near Starling's Green
More services for Starling's Green
What we do, step by step
It helps to start with what’s prompted the survey: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. That way we can focus on what matters to you. Most visits take an hour or two for an extension, garage or dormer roof, and around 3–4 hours for a commercial flat roof. In a hamlet or village like Starling's Green, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- We start with the address and, on larger roofs, the roof area and access.
- We check the rooms or spaces under the roof for staining where there is access.
- We view the roof from safe positions and never walk on fragile surfaces.
- Each defect is photographed and its likely cause noted.
- You get a report setting out the condition and our recommendations, in order of urgency.
How to prepare
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we’re looking at
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
Book a survey
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine, and please do not climb up for a closer look. To get started, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Advice
Common roof problems in Starling's Green
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.
It is worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Blocked or damaged outlets
- Gaps at upstands and abutments
- Failed seals around rooflight kerbs
- Blisters and bubbles in the covering
If you let a flat or house near Newport (Essex) station, a flat roof over a rented flat is easy to forget until the tenant reports a leak.
What to check before booking
- What exactly goes into their report
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- How they’ll see the roof: from ground level, the loft, the roof or by drone
- Their insurance cover
What we cannot see
It’s useful to know what a survey will not do before you book:
- A structural engineer’s assessment of the deck
- A promise that the roof won’t leak in future
- Asbestos testing, which needs a specialist asbestos surveyor
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or send us an email and we’ll tell you before you book. What a survey covers and doesn’t.
Roof types and parts we check
- GRP fibreglass
- Upstands and outlets
- Felt flat roofs
- Mastic asphalt
- Single-ply membranes
- EPDM rubber
Different roofs, different checks
Mastic asphalt
With age, asphalt can harden and crack with movement. The report shows where it’s cracking and how far it seems to extend.
Single-ply membranes
Single-ply membranes can be damaged by foot traffic and equipment on the roof. Any tears, punctures or loose membrane are recorded with photos.