Essex · London and the South East
Gutter survey in Hobbs Cross, Essex
Gutter surveys across Hobbs Cross, with over 20 years’ experience behind it. Every survey ends with a written report and photographs.
- Gutters packed with leaves or moss
- Overflowing valley or parapet gutters
- Soffits marked by water
Gutter survey in Hobbs Cross
We survey gutters and rainwater systems in Hobbs Cross and right across London and South East England. We inspect everything we can see safely, from the ground, from windows and from the loft space. Time on site normally takes an hour or two for most houses, rising to roughly 3–4 hours on a commercial building. The written report follows, with photos and recommendations. We are often asked to look into downpipes that are split or coming away and soffits marked by water, on parapet and box gutters, eaves gutters and valley gutters.
Village roofs frequently face open fields and take the full force of wind and rain, which is hard on ridges, chimneys, flashings and gutters. 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. Lead flashings and old chimney stacks are often where weather gets in first.
Most points in the report come with a picture, because a photo of a cracked flashing says more than a paragraph. Anything out of sight on the day is listed as such.
- Where
- Hobbs Cross (CM16)
- Region
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Hobbs Cross homes and their roofs
Older buildings in Essex often have clay tiles and weatherboarding, 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. Historic houses like Hill Hall, about 0.9 miles east, show how far back building in the area around Hobbs Cross goes. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
Anyone responsible for a site like St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled School will know that long gutter runs and wide roofs on a building that size are worth checking on a regular cycle. If you live in an older home near Church of All Saints, its roof may have old fixings, lead flashings and chimneys that need a closer look.
Hobbs Cross is about 3 miles north-east of Loughton, in Essex. If you’re in Hobbs Cross, booking works exactly as it does anywhere else: get in touch, agree the price and pick a day. Our Essex coverage includes Hobbs Cross. Our London page covers surveys nearby.
Surveys in CM16 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Close by, we survey roofs in Theydon Garnon (1 mile west), Steward's Green (1 mile north), Fiddlers Hamlet (1 mile north), Abridge (2 miles south) and Ivy Chimneys (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Harlow (7 miles north), Brentwood (8 miles south-east), Billericay (13 miles east), Loughton (3 miles south-west), Waltham Abbey (5 miles west) and Harold Wood (7 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in Hobbs Cross
A little further out are St. Margaret's Hospital (2.3 miles north) and Epping Signalling Museum (1.7 miles north-west). Open spaces near Hobbs Cross include Gernon Bushes.
What we look for on each type of roof
Fascias and soffits
On buildings from before 2000, soffits may be asbestos cement. We flag any that could be for a specialist asbestos surveyor to check.
Aluminium and other metal gutters
Long metal gutter runs on larger buildings can hide blocked outlets so outlets get close attention.
Why it is worth a survey now in Hobbs Cross
Climbing a ladder to look in the gutters yourself is risky. From the ground you can spot drips and overflows but hidden gutters are another matter. We inspect as far as it is safe to see and put it in writing. In a place like Hobbs Cross, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. It’s worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package matters as well. The price is always agreed first.
What you get with us
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
- 98% customer satisfaction
- 5,000+ roofs surveyed
- An independent view of the roof
Questions from Hobbs Cross
Will you come out to Hobbs Cross?
Yes, Hobbs Cross is covered. Our area covers London and South East England, and smaller places are part of that. Longer journeys are simply planned beforehand.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Hobbs Cross?
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. If a home is listed, changes that affect its special interest need listed building consent, and in a conservation area re-roofing in different materials may need permission.
What’s the price of a gutter survey?
Prices start 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, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
What does the report include?
You get our findings in writing, part by part, with photos. Points are put with the most urgent first where relevant.
How much time does the visit need?
For a house, expect about 1–2 hours on site, with commercial buildings nearer 3–4 hours.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, once access has been agreed. Roofs over flats are often shared, so the building owner or managing agent needs to agree access. We inspect only the parts we’re allowed to reach.
When is the best time for a gutter survey?
Any time of year works. Booking before autumn and winter gives you time to plan, and a wet spell can show where gutters overflow.
Honest limits
Our survey is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Damage hidden inside walls or behind boards
- Confirming asbestos in older rainwater goods
- The inside of buried drains
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will tell you. What a survey covers and does not.
What this survey covers
- Parapet and box gutters
- Eaves gutters
- Downpipes
- Outlets and hoppers
- Fascias and soffits
- Valley gutters
Towns and villages near Hobbs Cross
What else we do in Hobbs Cross
Surveys for landlords and agents in Hobbs Cross
If you own several properties, you can book surveys for several addresses. To discuss a number of properties, call 07833 053749 or email us with the addresses.
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on, photographs included.
What a survey costs
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- Building height and the viewpoints available
- The size of the roof
- Which survey package you book
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
Prices start from £150, including VAT, for a Basic Survey. The Standard Survey starts from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, both including VAT. You’ll know the price for your survey before booking.
Getting in touch
The more you let us know, the easier it is to price the survey. When you get in touch, it is useful to mention:
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- Photos of the roof, taken safely from the ground or a window
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
When you’re ready to go ahead, call 07833 053749 or email us. We’ll suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.
How it works
We check the roof from outside and, where it’s relevant and there’s safe access, from inside the roof space too. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement. The whole visit normally takes an hour or two at a house, depending on how many gutter runs and downpipes there are. Around Hobbs Cross, older homes can have small or awkward roof spaces, so it helps to know whether there is a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- First, you let us know what you’ve seen, like overflows or damp.
- Gutters, downpipes, fascias and soffits are inspected from safe vantage points.
- We check hidden gutters, such as valleys and parapets, where it’s safe to see them.
- We look in the roof space, where there is safe access, for signs of water getting in.
- The findings are written up with photos and recommendations.
Before we arrive
- Check the loft hatch can be reached
- Show us where any leaks or stains appear
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
How to book
To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and tell us the address and what’s prompted the survey. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.