Essex · London and the South East
Gutter Survey in High Garrett
A survey of gutters, valleys, outlets and downpipes in High Garrett, using drones and thermal imaging where applicable. Get in touch for a price.
- Cracked or loose downpipes
- Overflowing valley or parapet gutters
- Leaks at the gutter joints
What we do, step by step
The aim of the visit is simple: to see as much of the gutter as can safely be seen and record it clearly. Everything we note and photograph goes into the written report. It usually takes an hour or two on an ordinary house, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. Somewhere like High Garrett needs a little journey planning: let us know about narrow lanes, gates, long drives and where we can park. The roof is looked at from the ground, from windows, from the loft where there is safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- First, you tell us what you’ve seen, such as overflows or damp.
- 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.
- The loft space is checked for water marks if it’s safe to get into.
- We send a written report with photos and clear recommendations.
Preparing for the visit
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Unlock side gates and any roof access doors
- Move anything stored under the loft hatch
How to book
If you are buying, it’s useful to book soon after your offer is accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. Otherwise, simply phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email whenever suits you.
Advice
Gutter survey in High Garrett
Most gutters hang from the fascia boards at the eaves, so we look at the fascias and soffits too. Water that overflows for long enough can rot timber fascias and stain the soffits below. Older buildings, from before 2000, can have asbestos cement soffits, gutters or downpipes. We don’t test for asbestos, so we flag anything that might contain it for a specialist asbestos surveyor to check. We survey downpipes, outlets and hoppers and valley gutters, and the problems we’re asked to look at most are overflowing valley or parapet gutters and hoppers and outlets full of debris.
Some older homes in villages like High Garrett are listed or in a conservation area. That can affect what materials can be used when work is done, so check with the council before planning anything. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Older materials like clay tiles, slate and stone are frequently matched when work is done.
After the visit, you get a written report with photos, sent by email. It explains the condition of the gutter, the defects we found and what we recommend.
- Where
- High Garrett (CM7)
- Region
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Towns and villages near High Garrett
What else we do in High Garrett
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too, from shops and offices to industrial units. Larger roofs take longer.
Letting agents frequently book on a landlord’s behalf, with the report sent to whoever needs it. Access is agreed with the tenant ahead of time.
What a gutter survey does not cover
It’s a careful look at the gutter, not the whole story. Its limits include:
- Damage hidden inside walls or behind boards
- What’s hidden inside a downpipe
- The inside of buried drains
If in doubt, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will recommend the right survey. The full list of what we check.
Roof types and parts we check
- Downpipes
- Fascias and soffits
- Eaves gutters
- Parapet and box gutters
- Valley gutters
- Outlets and hoppers
Common roof problems in High Garrett
Many gutter joints depend on rubber seals or sealant that age. Plastic gutters move with heat and cold so their joints can start to leak. Cast iron joints can corrode and part where the paint has failed.
Problems we come across often include:
- Overflowing valley or parapet gutters
- Gutters packed with leaves or moss
- Gutters overflowing in heavy rain
- Leaking or loose downpipes
For landlords with property near Braintree station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Before you book any roof surveyor
- Will they check the loft as well as the outside?
- What the survey won’t cover
- What the report includes, and whether it has photos
- Are they insured for the work?
DIY checks: what’s safe
Watch the gutters in a downpour, from a window or the ground. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
What you cannot do safely is get up close. Roofs are fragile and slippery, and falls from height are serious. That is where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
Your questions about gutter surveys in High Garrett
Does a conservation area affect roof work in High Garrett?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. It’s worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
Do you cover smaller places like High Garrett?
Yes, High Garrett is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house.
Do you check valley and parapet gutters?
Yes. Hidden gutters are a common cause of leaks inside so we pay close attention to them. Parts of them may not be visible, and the report says so.
Is it a structural engineer’s report?
No. Visible signs such as deflection or sagging are recorded, but we don’t provide calculations or an engineer’s opinion. The report will say if you need an engineer.
Do you take photos of the roof?
Yes, plenty. Each finding is shown in a picture where possible, which makes the report easy to follow.
Could my damp wall be caused by the gutters?
The survey looks at whether rainwater is spilling onto the wall, through overflows, drips or damaged downpipes. We cannot see inside the wall itself, so the report covers what can be seen.
How much is a gutter survey?
Gutter survey starts from £150, including VAT. The price depends on the size of the building and how easy the gutters are to see. For a price, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Gutter surveys in High Garrett: local notes
Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it’s listed or in a conservation area. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, and councils can also use Article 4 directions to control changes in conservation areas. Clay tiles and timber weatherboarding mark out many of the older buildings in Essex, and a good many post-war and modern estates besides. On roofs like these, good slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens, lead and mortar around them.
For site and facilities teams at buildings such as Bocking Church Street Primary School, large buildings have long gutter runs and big roofs that need checking like any other. Homes near green spaces such as Bocking Blackwater can get more leaves in their gutters in autumn.
High Garrett is about 2 miles north of Braintree, in Essex. We provide gutter surveys for homes and businesses in High Garrett and nearby. Our Essex coverage includes High Garrett. Chelmsford is in our area too.
All of CM7 is covered for gutter surveys. That includes homes and businesses on High Garrett, Grove Field and Sunnyfields Road and the roads around them. We also cover the places around High Garrett: Bocking Churchstreet (1 mile south-west), Gosfield (2 miles north), Beazley End (2 miles north-west), Church End (3 miles west) and Shalford (4 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Colchester (14 miles east), Chelmsford (13 miles south), Maldon (13 miles south), Witham (8 miles south), Camulodunum (13 miles east) and Halstead (3 miles north-east).
Landmarks near High Garrett
Typical jobs here are in homes near Tabor Academy and Bocking Blackwater and the streets around them. The closest station to High Garrett is Braintree station, about 2.6 miles south of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Tudor House Museum (Braintree) (1.7 miles south-west) and Braintree Community Hospital (2.6 miles south-west). For a walk, there’s Belcher's and Broadfield Woods.
Tips that help
A survey works best with a little help from you, before and after. Some tips:
- Look out for overflows when it pours
- Include valley, parapet and box gutters when clearing
- Keep climbers away from the eaves
- Check downpipe clips are holding
Landlords and managing agents can keep the report with the building’s records and use it to plan upkeep. The photographs help when you explain the work to others.
Have your gutters cleared at least once a year, and more frequently if trees overhang the roof. The best time is typically after the leaves have dropped. Clean gutters can do their job.