Essex · London and the South East
Takeley Flat Roof Survey
An experienced roof surveyor for flat roof surveys in Takeley. Over 5,000 surveys and 20+ years behind us.
- Upstands pulling away from walls
- Failed seals around rooflight kerbs
- Outlets choked with leaves and silt
What we cannot see
We only report whatever is safely visible on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Structural calculations, which need a structural engineer
- Whether old sheeting or boards contain asbestos
- The condition of the deck or insulation hidden under the covering
If you’re not sure which survey you need, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will give you a straight answer. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Takeley
- Upstands and outlets
- Mastic asphalt
- EPDM rubber
- GRP fibreglass
- Single-ply membranes
- Felt flat roofs
Flat roof survey in Takeley
We inspect a flat roof from wherever it can safely be seen: from the roof itself where that’s safe, from windows and nearby vantage points, and from inside where there’s access. Fragile rooflights and fragile sheets are never walked on. Where any area cannot be viewed safely, we say so in the report, so you know exactly what was covered. Common reasons to book are splits, cracks and crazing and signs of deflection in the roof deck, on felt flat roofs, EPDM rubber and single-ply membranes.
Older buildings in small places like Takeley may be listed or in a conservation area, and that can affect how an extension roof or dormer is re-covered. If you are planning work, check with the council first. Finding out what state the roof is in gives you the facts to plan with. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the coverings down to the gutters. You’ll see the good as well as the bad.
- Where
- Takeley (CM22)
- Region
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Common roof problems in Takeley
Flat roofs often get walked on for other jobs: to clean windows, fit aerials or air conditioning units, or reach a gutter. Each visit can damage a covering not made for regular foot traffic. New brackets and fixings through the roof are another common source of leaks.
Problems we come across often include:
- Pools of water lying on the roof
- Blocked or damaged outlets
- A sagging deck under the covering
- Damaged trims at the roof edge
Take a building like Roseacres Primary School: large flat roofs, common on schools and other public buildings, need their outlets, upstands and coverings checked regularly.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- How much experience they have with roofs like yours
- Whether VAT is added on top
- Which limits apply to the survey
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
Flat roof surveys around Takeley
The wider area around Takeley has a long history of building, with Barrington Hall about 2.4 miles south. 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. Clay tiles and timber weatherboarding mark out many of the older buildings in Essex, while many towns grew with post-war and newer estates. Flat roofs on extensions, dormers, garages and business units are found alongside them almost everywhere.
If your home is one of the older ones in the streets near Church of the Holy Trinity, the joins between later flat roofs and the old walls are where problems normally start. If you own a rental within reach of Stansted Airport station, flat roofs on let property tend to be checked only when they fail, which is the costly way round.
Takeley is about 5 miles east of Bishop's Stortford, in Essex. From houses to flats and shops in Takeley, we can survey the roof on a weekday or at the weekend. We cover towns and villages across Essex. Chelmsford is in our area too.
Surveys in CM22 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. We cover properties on Station Road, Dunmow Road and The Pastures and the roads around them. If you are just outside Takeley, we cover Takeley Street (1 mile west), Smith's Green (1 mile east), Hope End Green (1 mile south-east), Little Canfield (1 mile east) and Puttock's End (1 mile south-east). Further out, we also cover Chelmsford (13 miles south-east), Braintree (13 miles east), Harlow (9 miles south-west), Saffron Walden (11 miles north), Great Dunmow (4 miles east) and Epping (13 miles south-west).
Landmarks near Takeley
Around Takeley, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Four Ashes pub. The closest station to Takeley is Stansted Airport station, roughly 1.4 miles north of the centre. Nearby you will also find Little Easton Moat (3.2 miles north-east) and Herts and Essex Hospital (3.8 miles west). Not far away are Portingbury Hills and Aubrey Buxton Nature Reserve.
What we do, step by step
When we arrive, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you’d like to know. After that, we check everything we can see safely. The survey usually takes an hour or two for an extension, garage or dormer roof, and around 3–4 hours for a commercial flat roof. For a village or hamlet like Takeley, the journey is planned ahead of time: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. On the day, we inspect everything that’s safely in view, inside and out.
- 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’s access.
- 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.
How to prepare
- Gather any invoices or paperwork from past roof work
- Make sure pets are kept safely away
- If you’re buying, let the agent know when we are coming
Booking a survey
We survey roofs on any day of the week. To find a date that works for you, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Related advice
Your questions about flat roof surveys in Takeley
Is Takeley in the area you cover?
Yes, Takeley is one of the places we work. Every survey there gets the same written report with photos, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
How do I find out if my home in Takeley is listed?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Our sub-250g drone is flown by a CAA-registered operator with a Flyer ID and Operator ID, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
What’s in the report?
It sets out what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, backed by photos. Anything we couldn’t see safely is noted too, so you know exactly what was covered.
What does ponding on a flat roof mean?
Water that lies on a flat roof for days is a sign that something needs attention. The cause may be the outlets, the falls or the deck. We check each of these and record what we find.
How long does the survey take?
It usually takes between one and two hours for a small flat roof at home, and longer for a large commercial one. You’ll then get the report by email.
What does a roof survey cost?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. Our three packages are Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, including VAT.
Also near Takeley
More services for Takeley
Useful tips for Takeley property owners
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Tips:
- Treat rooflights and old sheeting as fragile
- Check ceilings under the roof for damp patches
- Check from a window for ponding after heavy rain
- Ask contractors to protect the roof if they work on it
You can use the report to ask roofers to quote for the same work. Because everyone is pricing the same findings, the quotes are easier to compare. It’s your choice who carries out the work and when.
Have the roof surveyed every few years, and after any work that goes through it. That catches changes early and builds up a record of the roof.
Different roofs, different checks
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.
Single-ply membranes
Single-ply membranes can be damaged by foot traffic and equipment on the roof. We note any punctures, tears and loose areas we can see.
Landlord and commercial surveys in Takeley
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, from shops and offices to industrial units. Larger roofs take longer, so they’re priced to suit.
Landlords and agents in Takeley book surveys as well as householders. A written report with photographs gives you a clear record of the flat roof, useful for planning maintenance.