Essex · London and the South East
New roof snagging in Chickney, Essex
Checking a new or replacement roof for snags across Chickney, with drones and thermal imaging where they help. Call or email for a price.
- Gutters or fascias damaged during the job
- Underlay at the eaves left exposed
- Loose flashings at walls or chimneys
New roof snagging for homes and businesses in Chickney
A snag is a fault or unfinished detail left when work is done. On a roof, snags are often at the edges and junctions where the work is most fiddly. We check everything we can see safely and record what we find. Typical snags include loose ridge tiles, poorly dressed flashings and debris left in gutters. We are often asked to look into missing or blocked roof ventilation and cracked or slipped new tiles or slates, on new-build homes, loft conversions and dormers and replacement roofs.
Some older homes in villages like Chickney are listed or sit in a conservation area. If so, re-roofing in different materials may need consent, so check with the council before work starts. Whether you are buying or signing off new roofing, it is worth knowing where you stand, as well as what condition the roof is in. There are about 500,000 listed buildings and around 10,000 conservation areas in England.
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
- Chickney (CM6)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
Questions from Chickney
Do you cover Chickney?
We do. Every survey there gets the same written report with photographs.
Do you cover smaller places like Chickney?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Do you lift tiles to check the fixings?
No. We inspect what can be seen without opening up the roof so hidden fixings aren’t visible to us. The report says what could and couldn’t be seen.
Does someone need to be in?
Not always. An outside-only look can be arranged beforehand, but the loft and any rooms with damp need someone to let us in.
How soon after the work should I book a snagging inspection?
As soon as the work is finished, and before the final payment if you can. That gives time for any snags to be put right.
Is it the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. This is a survey of the roof only, so it is not a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey. Many buyers have both.
Do you get involved if the roofer disagrees with the report?
No. Our job is to report on the roof as we find it. Any dispute is between you and your roofer or builder and our report gives you an independent record.
Chickney homes and their roofs
With Horham Hall about 1.7 miles north, Chickney sits in an area with a long building history. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs. 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. For a purchase or a newly finished roof, the materials decide which details matter most.
Landlords with a home close to Stansted Airport station may find that a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one. If you live in an older home near Church of St Mary the Virgin, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Chickney is about 4 miles north-west of Great Dunmow, in Essex. Houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings in Chickney can all book new roof snagging, with a written report and photographs every time. We cover towns and villages across Essex, from the larger towns to small villages. We also survey roofs in Chelmsford.
Every address in CM6 is within our area for new roof snagging, from the main roads to the quietest streets. If you’re just outside Chickney, we cover Tilty (1 mile east), Duton Hill (1 mile east), Great Easton (2 miles south-east), Monk Street (2 miles north-east) and Sibley's Green (2 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Chelmsford (15 miles south-east), Braintree (11 miles east), Harlow (13 miles south-west), Saffron Walden (8 miles north), Halstead (14 miles east) and Great Dunmow (4 miles south-east).
Near you in Chickney
Chickney’s nearest station is Stansted Airport station, about 2.5 miles south-west of the centre. Nearby you will also find Little Easton Moat (2.4 miles south-east). For a walk, there’s Portingbury Hills and Aubrey Buxton Nature Reserve.
What affects the price in Chickney
The price reflects the time and kit the roof needs. The main factors are:
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- The number of roofs, including extensions and garages
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- Roof area
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package matters as well. We’ll give you the figure before anything is booked.
Booking your survey
If you can, have these to hand when you contact us:
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Anything about access we should know
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- What kind of property and roof it is
To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or send us an email and let us know the address and what’s prompted the survey. You’ll know the price before anything is booked.
Leave it or get it looked at?
You may not see a fault until it causes damage. An inspection before that point gives you a record of the roof as handed over. For an older or listed building in a place like Chickney, repairs may need matching materials and consent, so a defect found early gives time to plan the work properly.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how it can be reached and seen safely. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
Why us?
- A sub-250g drone, flown with a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- More than 5,000 surveys completed
- Thermal imaging and drone inspection where they help
- Insured for professional indemnity and public liability
Read our cost guide or our case studies.
Tips that help
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner:
- Check ceilings and the loft after heavy rain
- Look for debris left in gutters from ground level
- Raise snags in writing with your roofer
- Look for marks or cracks left by the work
How quickly the report arrives depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day. If a payment is due soon, choose the package that fits.
Note the end date of any defects or warranty period. Arrange an inspection in good time so snags can be raised.
What this survey can’t tell you
We only report what can be seen safely on the day, so some things are outside what a survey can do:
- Nails and clips under the slates or tiles
- Settling a dispute with your roofer or builder
- A promise that the roof will not leak
If in doubt, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and we will recommend the right survey before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
What we check
- Loft conversions and dormers
- Ridges and verges
- New-build homes
- New flat roofs
- Flashings and valleys
- Replacement roofs
Should I look at the roof myself first?
A DIY look is useful, but it isn’t a survey. You will not see flashings, valleys or the backs of chimneys properly from ground level, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
What you can’t do safely is get up close. Slates, tiles, flat roofs and rooflights can give way, and a fall can be serious. That’s where a survey comes in, using safe viewpoints and a drone where applicable.
How the survey works
Once we have finished looking, we write up our findings in a report with photos. As for time on site, most surveys take about 1–2 hours for a typical new house roof, longer where the roof is large or complicated. Older roofs in small places like Chickney can have low, tight loft spaces, so it is useful to know whether there’s a loft hatch and how easy it is to reach. Only areas that can be reached safely are inspected.
- We agree what to focus on, such as a payment date or a warranty period ending.
- We inspect as far as safe access allows.
- We work through ridges, verges, valleys and flashings.
- We check the gutters, lower roofs and walls for debris or damage.
- We send a written report you can pass on.
Getting ready for the survey
- Dig out any old roof reports or invoices
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Note where any stains or damp appear
Booking a survey
Our phone lines are open seven days a week. For a price or to book, call 07833 053749 or email us.