Thurrock · London and the South East
Gutter survey in Biggin, Thurrock
A survey of gutters, valleys, outlets and downpipes around Biggin, with findings in writing and pictures to back them up. Book a weekday or weekend visit.
- Sagging gutters and loose brackets
- Gutters full of debris and silt
- Dripping or leaking gutter joints
Gutter survey in Biggin: what you get
Leaves, moss and silt are the usual reasons gutters block. Buildings near trees collect more, and moss washing off a tiled or slate roof adds to it. Our survey shows which gutters are blocked or standing full, which outlets and hoppers are choked and whether overflows are working. Photos show each problem clearly. Blocked gutters are easy to put off but it rarely improves. If you’re worried about soffits marked by water and gutters packed with leaves or moss, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Older buildings in small places like Biggin may be listed or in a conservation area. If yours is, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so the council is the place to check. A roof report helps you plan work with that in mind. Where a building is listed, matching the existing roof materials is often expected.
You can share the report with anyone who needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent, whichever applies.
- Location
- Biggin (RM16)
- Region
- Thurrock
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Biggin: your questions answered
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Tilbury Town station?
Of course. Let us know whether a tenant or an agent will let us in, and the report can go straight to you or your agent.
Does being near the coast affect roofs in Biggin?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there is more wind, and more salt in the air. Exposed details such as ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch, and Biggin is within about 2 miles of the coast.
Is this a RICS survey?
No. It’s a specialist roof survey, not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 building survey. It focuses on the roof, so it sits alongside a building survey rather than replacing it.
Will you walk on the roof?
Not always. Safety comes first, and fragile or steep roofs can’t always be walked on. We use safe viewpoints, the loft space and a drone where applicable.
Could my damp wall be caused by the gutters?
Leaking gutters and downpipes are a common cause of damp walls, and we check for exactly that. If the cause looks like something else, the report says so, based on what we can see.
Can you tell me if my old gutters contain asbestos?
No, that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor. On buildings from before 2000, we flag materials that could contain it so you can arrange that check.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it’s applicable. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules, including flight restriction zones near airports. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator.
For landlords and managing agents
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in. Surveys run on any day of the week, which helps when tenants work during the week.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps with budgets and planning.
What a gutter survey does not cover
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. Other limits to bear in mind:
- The inside of buried drains
- Hidden sections we can’t view safely
- Whether a material contains asbestos (a specialist asbestos surveyor’s job)
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we’ll give you a straight answer before you book. What a survey covers and does not.
Roofs we survey in Biggin
- Valley gutters
- Parapet and box gutters
- Downpipes
- Outlets and hoppers
- Fascias and soffits
- Eaves gutters
What else we do in Biggin
Biggin homes and their roofs
Biggin is within about 2 miles of the coast, and places near the sea get more salt in the air and more wind than inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. Clay tiles and timber weatherboarding mark out many of the older buildings in Essex, and lots of post-war and modern estates besides. Each of these coverings has its own weak points, from fixings and valleys to flashings, chimneys and gutters.
Anyone responsible for a site like Tilbury Pioneer Academy will know that a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time. For landlords with property near Tilbury Town station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Biggin is about 2 miles east of Grays, in Thurrock. Whether the building in Biggin is a house, a flat or a commercial unit, we can survey the roof on a weekday or at the weekend. Our area takes in places right across Thurrock, large and small. You can also see our page for Maidstone.
Here we cover the RM16 postcode area for gutter surveys. Nearby, we also carry out gutter surveys in West Tilbury (1 mile east), Chadwell St Mary (1 mile north), Tilbury (1 mile south-west), Orsett Heath (1 mile north-west) and Little Thurrock (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Stanford-le-Hope (4 miles north-east), South Ockendon (5 miles north-west), Balstonia (4 miles north-east), Corringham (5 miles north-east), Aveley (6 miles west) and South Stifford (3 miles west).
Landmarks near Biggin
We work in homes and buildings around Thurrock and Basildon College, The Kings Head pub and The Gateway Academy. The closest station to Biggin is Tilbury Town station, roughly 1.2 miles south-west. Nearby you will also find Gravesham Community Hospital (2.2 miles south) and Walton Hall Museum (2.1 miles north-east). For a walk, there is Thurrock Thameside Nature Park and Sawyers Lake.
What we do, step by step
On the day, we start by asking what you’ve noticed and what you’d like to know. After that, we check everything we can see safely. Most surveys take between one and two hours for most homes, and longer where there are parapet, valley or box gutters to follow. Somewhere as small as Biggin, access is often the only tricky part. Mention any outbuildings, barns or garages you want included, and anything about the roof you already know. Visits can be on weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays.
- We start with what you’ve noticed, like damp or overflowing gutters.
- The eaves gutters, downpipes and fascias are checked from ground level and windows.
- We check hidden gutters as far as safe access allows.
- The roof space is checked for staining, where it can be reached safely.
- A written report with photographs and recommendations follows.
Before we arrive
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
Getting a price
Most bookings start with a short call: ring 07833 053749 or send us an email. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Related advice
Should I look at the roof myself first?
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
A lot can be seen from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
What we’re asked to look at in Biggin
Leaves are behind most blocked gutters. Every autumn, trees fill gutters with leaves, twigs and seeds and the debris builds up at the outlets. Once an outlet is choked, the gutter fills and overflows.
Problems we come across often include:
- Cracked or loose downpipes
- Gutters packed with leaves or moss
- Valley or box gutters that overflow inside
- Water spilling over the gutter edge
If you live in an older home near Church of St Mary, corroded nails, tired lead and weathered chimney pointing are the things to watch on older roofs.
Questions to ask before you book
- How soon the report will arrive
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- What exactly goes into their report
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
What we look for on each type of roof
Aluminium and other metal gutters
Joints and fixings are the weak points on metal gutters. We record any corrosion or leaks we see.
Lead-lined valley and parapet gutters
Lead gutters need their linings, steps and outlets in good order where it’s safe to see them. Missing lead is something we check for too.