Essex · London and the South East
Landlord roof survey in Downham, Essex
Need a landlord roof survey in Downham? We can help, with a written report you can act on. Weekday and weekend visits available.
- Parapets and upstands in poor repair
- Cracked or leaning shared chimneys
- Failed flashings at walls and chimneys
How we price landlord roof surveys
A few things affect what a survey costs:
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- Roof area
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
Landlord roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we can help you choose.
Helping us price your survey
A few details help us point you to the right survey and price. When you contact us, it is useful to mention:
- The style of property, from a terrace to a block
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- The reason for the survey, such as buying, a leak or storm damage
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
Buyers should book once an offer has been accepted, so you have the findings in time to act on them before you exchange. For any other survey, just ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email when you’re ready.
Landlord roof surveys for homes and businesses in Downham
Roofs on let houses and blocks of flats are easy to forget until something leaks. Surveying the roof first helps you spot defects early, and plan work rather than react to it. You get a report with photos that you can keep with the building’s records. Many landlords and agents repeat it every few years to keep maintenance plans current. Typical surveys look at cracked or lifting flashings and ponding or splits on flat roofs, across blocks of flats, flat roofs on blocks and gutters and downpipes.
Older buildings in small places like Downham 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. Knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan ahead with that in mind. Older materials such as clay tiles, slate and stone are frequently matched when work is done.
What you get is a clear record of the let or shared roof on the day we saw it. That makes it useful now and a handy reference later, such as when you want to compare after future work.
- Place
- Downham (CM11)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insured
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Roofs, chimneys and gutters in Downham
Historic houses like Ingatestone Hall, about 4.7 miles west, show how far back building in the area around Downham goes. If yours is one of the older homes, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Clay tiles and timber weatherboarding mark out many of the older buildings in Essex, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. Knowing the covering helps explain which parts of a roof are likely to need work first.
If you live in an older home near Church of St Margaret, old fixings, lead flashings and tall chimneys are typical of older roofs. For landlords with property near Wickford station, knowing the condition of the roof, chimneys and gutters helps you plan work rather than react to complaints.
Downham is about 3 miles north-west of Wickford, in Essex. Surveys in Downham work the same way as everywhere we cover: a careful inspection, photos and a written report. Our area takes in places right across Essex, from the larger towns to small villages. We also survey roofs in Chelmsford.
All of CM11 is within our area for landlord roof surveys. Whether your property is on School Road, Crowsheath Lane and Sudbury Road or anywhere close by, we can help. Close by, we survey roofs in Ramsden Heath (1 mile west), Ramsden Bellhouse (1 mile south), Crays Hill (3 miles south), Stock (3 miles north-west) and Billericay (3 miles west). Further out, we also cover Chelmsford (7 miles north), Basildon (5 miles south), Brentwood (8 miles west), Maldon (10 miles north-east), Canvey Island (9 miles south-east) and Rayleigh (6 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in Downham
Typical jobs here are in homes near The White Horse Public House and the streets around them. The closest station to Downham is Wickford station, about 1.9 miles south-east of the centre. A little further out are Barleylands Farm Museum (3.2 miles south-west) and Mayflower Community Hospital (3.9 miles west). For a walk, there’s Crowsheath Wood.
When you need someone else
We only report what can safely be seen on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Walls, floors and services beyond the roof
- Confirming asbestos in older roof materials
- Who pays under the lease (that’s a legal question)
If you’re not sure which survey you need, phone 07833 053749 or email us and we will give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
What we look at
- Blocks of flats
- Flat roofs on blocks
- Shared roofs
- Rented houses
- Gutters and downpipes
- Converted houses
More services for Downham
What happens on the day
We do not take risks to get a closer look. Everything that can be seen safely is inspected, and if part of the roof can’t be seen, the report says so. Most visits take about 1–2 hours for a single let house, with blocks of flats taking longer. For a village or hamlet like Downham, the journey is planned beforehand: 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.
- You let us know about the building, its roofs and any known leaks.
- We confirm the access we’ll need.
- The roofs are inspected from ground level, vantage points, the loft space and the roof where safe.
- We note what couldn’t be seen as well as what could.
- Findings and recommendations are set out with photographs.
Before we arrive
- Have keys ready for side gates, garages or roof access doors
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- If you are buying, check with the agent that we can get in
How to book
When you’re ready to go ahead, phone 07833 053749 or email us. We’ll suggest a package, agree the price and find a date, weekday or weekend.
Read more
What happens if roof problems are left?
A contractor’s quote tells you what they propose to do. A survey gives you an independent view of the roof before you commission work, so you can compare quotes on the same basis. In a place like Downham, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. It is worth including them in a survey before a winter does the damage.
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package you pick makes a difference too. The price is always agreed first.
Why us?
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- An independent view of the roof
Take a look at what a roof survey costs or our case studies.
Signs you need a landlord roof survey in Downham
Landlords need to plan spending on a building. Planning is difficult without knowing the roof’s condition or when.
Problems we come across frequently include:
- Cracked or lifting flashings
- Blocked gutters over flats
- Leaking joints at party walls
- Damaged pots and flaunching
Anyone responsible for a site like The Bromfords School and Sixth Form College will know that its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Before you book anyone
- Is VAT included in the price?
- How long they’ve been surveying roofs
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- What the report includes, and whether it has photographs
DIY checks: what’s safe
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
It’s useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from the ground and any work done on the roof. Share it with us as you book, as it helps us focus the survey.
FAQs for Downham
Do you cover smaller places like Downham?
Yes, Downham is on our map. Villages and rural addresses get the same survey as a town house, with the route planned beforehand.
I let a flat near Wickford station. Can you check the roof?
Yes, rented property is part of what we cover. You can call 07833 053749 or send us an email with the address and some details.
Will you walk on the roof?
Not unless it is safe. Safe viewpoints, the roof space and a drone where it applies cover most of what’s needed.
Does someone need to be in?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. We will talk about access as you book.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, and it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. It can sit alongside a RICS survey if you want both.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it is applicable. Whether we can fly on the day depends on the weather and the airspace rules. We’re a CAA-registered drone operator.
Can we use the survey to plan a roof budget?
Yes, that is one of the main reasons clients book. A repeat survey later shows how the roof has changed, which suits a rolling plan.