Essex · London and the South East
Frating Gutter Survey
A survey of gutters, valleys, outlets and downpipes around Frating, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Sagging gutters and loose brackets
- Valley or box gutters that overflow inside
- Soffits marked by water
Why it is worth a survey now in Frating
Small gutter faults rarely fix themselves. Each heavy rain puts more water where it shouldn’t be on the walls, the fascias and sometimes the rooms inside. Getting it surveyed now shows what needs attention first. Around Frating, older homes often have old roof timbers, where water from a failed roof can cause rot if it’s left.
The Premium Survey includes thermal imaging and drone inspection where applicable, which starts from £400, inc. VAT. We can help you choose the package that fits what you want to find out.
Why us?
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- An independent look at the roof
- Visits on any day of the week
- Clear package prices, inc. VAT
Read how roof surveys are priced and what we found on two real jobs.
Gutter survey in Frating
A gutter needs a steady fall towards its outlet to drain properly. Sagging brackets and slipped joints leave water standing and overflowing where the gutter dips. We check the line of each run as far as we can see it, along with the brackets and downpipe fixings. Recommendations are written down and prioritised by urgency where relevant. If you’ve noticed choked outlets or hopper heads and water backing up from a hidden gutter, we can find out what’s behind it.
Village roofs often face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, so ridges, chimney stacks, flashings and gutters work hard. Older walls take a long time to dry once water gets in. A written report sets out what to deal with and in what order. On exposed older roofs, chimneys and lead flashings are often the first to give way.
If any part of the gutter couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. That way, it is clear what was covered and what wasn’t.
- Location
- Frating (CO7)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
FAQs for Frating
Do you survey roofs for landlords with property near Alresford station?
Yes, letting agents and landlords book with us as well as owners. You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and some details.
Do you cover smaller places like Frating?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We work right across London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when booking.
How do I book a survey in Frating?
Just ring 07833 053749 or send us an email. We’ll ask a few questions, confirm the price and agree a date, weekday or weekend.
How much is a gutter survey?
Our price is from £150, including VAT. The price depends on the size of the building and how easy the gutters are to see. To get a price, ring 07833 053749 or email us.
Does this replace a RICS home survey?
No. We check the roof, not the whole building, so it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first, with whoever owns or manages the building. Mention it when you get in touch and we will explain what’s needed.
What does the report include?
A written report with photos, explaining the condition of the gutter, any defects and our recommendations. The Standard Survey adds moisture detection and a structural check, and the Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable and structural analysis.
What we look for on each type of roof
Box and secret gutters
A secret gutter is tucked under the slates or tiles at an abutment or valley and is easy to overlook. The report records what could and couldn’t be seen.
Cast iron gutters
Cracks often open on the back of cast iron downpipes, so we look closely at the walls around them.
What we do, step by step
Expect us to ask a few questions before we start, about the roof’s history, any leaks and past repairs. The inspection then takes about one to two hours for most homes, and longer where there are parapet, valley or box gutters to follow. Around Frating, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so tell us about the loft hatch and any ladder. We only go where it’s safe.
- We ask about overflows, damp or leaks you’ve noticed.
- We look along the gutters, downpipes and fascias from the ground and from windows.
- Valley, parapet and box gutters are inspected as far as they can safely be seen.
- Where the loft can be reached safely, we check it for staining or damp.
- We send a written report with photos and clear recommendations.
Getting ready for the survey
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Keep pets inside or away from the areas we are looking at
- Agree roof access with the managing agent if it’s shared
Book a survey
Most bookings start with a short call: call 07833 053749 or send us an email. The price is agreed before a date is set.
Read more
Landlord and commercial surveys in Frating
If the property is let, the agent or a tenant can let us in, at a time agreed ahead of time. We survey on weekdays and at weekends, which helps when tenants work during the week.
Freeholders and residents’ companies use a roof report to plan and budget, with the most urgent items set out first.
Other services in Frating
Tips that help
A few practical points come up again and again on our surveys. They apply to most roofs:
- Note any damp stains below the gutters
- Have overhanging branches cut back
- Do not leave hidden gutters out of a clear-out
- Look for downpipes coming loose
If anything in the report is not clear, ask us. The Standard Survey includes a follow-up consultation and the Premium Survey comes with an in-person one.
Watch your gutters from ground level or a window during heavy rain. Water spilling over the edge or out of a joint is a sign that something needs attention before damage builds up.
Do you need a gutter survey in Frating?
Brackets can loosen, corrode or snap over the years. A gutter full of wet debris is heavy and the extra load drags the gutter down. Once the fall is lost, water sits at the low point and spills over.
Common reasons to book include:
- Fascia boards damaged by overflowing water
- Valley or box gutters that overflow inside
- Choked outlets or hopper heads
- Brackets that have dropped or snapped
For an older house near a landmark such as Saint Andrew's Church, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Questions to ask before booking
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Do they have a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID for drone work?
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
- How soon the report will arrive
Gutter surveys in Frating: local notes
Frating lies within about 3 miles of the sea, so there’s more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Near the sea, metal fixings wear faster and loose pieces on a roof are more likely to lift. 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. Whichever you have, the details that tend to fail before the covering itself get the closest look.
For landlords with property near Alresford station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Frating is about 3 miles east of Wivenhoe, in Essex. We carry out gutter surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Frating and the surrounding area. Frating is one of the towns and villages in Essex we cover for gutter surveys. For surveys nearby, see our Chelmsford page.
Every address in CO7 is within our area for gutter surveys. Whether your property is on Church Road and Rectory Road or a nearby road, we can help. Other places close to Frating include Frating Green (1 mile north-east), Balls Green (1 mile north-east), Thorrington (1 mile south-east), Hare Green (2 miles north-east) and Great Bentley (2 miles east). Further out, we also cover Colchester (6 miles west), Clacton-on-Sea (7 miles south-east), Harwich (11 miles north-east), Camulodunum (7 miles west), Greenstead (4 miles north-west) and Tiptree (12 miles west).
What’s near Frating
Around Frating, our work takes us to homes and buildings near The Kings Arms, among other places. The nearest railway station is Alresford station, about 1.2 miles south-west of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Wivenhoe Chapel Museum (2.4 miles west) and Essex County Hospital (6 miles west). Not far away are Cockaynes Wood.