Essex · London and the South East
New roof snagging in Great Horkesley, Essex
Find out the condition of the new roof at your property in Great Horkesley. Visits run on weekdays and weekends, in the daytime.
- Signs of condensation in the roof space
- Tiles or slates sitting out of line
- Poorly finished verges
DIY checks: what’s safe
A lot can be seen from the ground. With binoculars, look for slipped or missing slates and tiles, gaps along the ridge and leaning chimneys. Never climb onto the roof to look.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Photograph them and note the date, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
New roof snagging for homes and businesses in Great Horkesley
We report on what we see, with photos and clear descriptions. Any dispute about the work is between you and your roofer or builder. What we provide is an independent record of the roof’s condition. We do not give repair cost estimates or decide who is at fault, but it does set out clearly what we found. We survey replacement roofs, ridges and verges and new-build homes, and people most often book us about cracked lower roofs or marked walls after the work and gaps at new flashings.
In a smaller place like Great Horkesley, homes are mostly houses and bungalows, from older cottages to more recent builds. Older roofs may still have their original slates or clay tiles, with fixings and underlay that have done a long stint. Whether you are buying or have just had the roof replaced, that hidden layer is worth knowing about. Breathable membranes only appeared in the late 1990s, so older roofs frequently have bitumen felt or nothing at all.
The report is yours to share with whoever needs it: your solicitor, the seller, your insurer, a roofer or the building’s managing agent, whichever applies.
- Where
- Great Horkesley (CO6)
- Region
- Essex
- Price
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insurance
- PI and public liability insurance
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 27 October 2026
FAQs for Great Horkesley
Do you cover Great Horkesley?
Yes, Great Horkesley is within the area we cover. We survey roofs across London and the South East. You can call 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and a few details.
How do I find out if my home in Great Horkesley is listed?
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.
Do you look in the loft space?
If the survey needs it and the roof space can be reached safely, yes. Please clear anything stored under the hatch.
Which days do you carry out surveys?
Surveys run on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To find a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
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. Tell us about it when you book and we will plan the survey around it.
Can you see the fixings under the tiles?
No, we report on what’s visible. Fixings and underlay under the slates or tiles are hidden so we focus on what can be seen.
Will you walk on the roof?
Only when it is safe. Most of what we need can be seen from safe viewpoints, the loft and, where applicable, a drone.
Practical tips
Getting the most from new roof snagging starts before we arrive and carries on afterwards. Tips:
- Book snagging before the final payment
- Check before your warranty period ends
- Check lower roofs and walls after scaffolding comes down
- Send the snagging report to your roofer
How quickly the report arrives depends on the package: Basic within 48 hours, Standard in 24–48 hours and Premium the same day. That’s worth bearing in mind if a payment date is close.
Watch for leaks, damp or loose pieces in the first months. Early signs are easier to raise while the work is recent.
How it works
Safety comes first on every visit. Everything that can safely be seen is inspected, and if part of the roof cannot be seen, the report says so. The survey typically takes an hour or two for a typical new house roof, longer where the roof is large or complicated. For a survey in Great Horkesley, we agree the time, the access and parking before the day. Weekday and weekend visits are both possible. Let us know about any garages, outbuildings or extensions you want included.
- We start with what the roofer did and when they finished.
- The new coverings and roof edges are inspected as far as can safely be seen.
- We check valleys, flashings, gutters and the underlay at the eaves.
- The roof space and the rest of the property are checked for problems.
- You get a photo report of each snag.
Before the survey
- Leave side gates unlocked
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we’re coming
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
Arrange a survey
We confirm the price for the job before booking, so you know where you stand. New roof snagging starts from £150, including VAT. To book, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.
Read more
Different roofs, different checks
Ridges, hips and verges
Ridges, hips and verges take the most weather. Bedding, dry-fix pieces and fixings are checked where visible.
Valleys
Offcuts in a valley can hold water. We note anything left behind.
What affects the cost of new roof snagging
All our prices include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- The roof’s overall size
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- The height of the building and how the roof can safely be seen
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
Simple, low roofs take less time to survey than tall or complicated ones, and the package you pick makes a difference too. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
Booking your survey
Here’s what helps us most when you contact us:
- Where water is showing inside, if it is
- Dates you are working to, such as exchange
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
- Any photos you have, taken from the ground or a window
Once you know what you need, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email. We will suggest a package, agree the price and find a date.
Great Horkesley homes and their roofs
In Essex, older buildings are often clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, and a good many post-war and modern estates besides. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about. There are about 500,000 buildings on England’s list of listed buildings, and around 10,000 conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material, so check with the council.
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Church of St John, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Great Horkesley is about 3 miles north of Colchester, in Essex. We cover Great Horkesley and the rest of Essex. Our area takes in places right across Essex, large and small. Chelmsford is in our area too.
All of CO6 is within our area for new roof snagging, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We cover properties on Exeter Close, Malvern Way and Keelers Way and the roads around them. Other places close to Great Horkesley include Mile End (1 mile south-east), West Bergholt (1 mile south-west), Little Horkesley (2 miles north-west), Wissington (3 miles north-west) and Fordham Heath (3 miles south-west). We also work in nearby towns like Colchester (3 miles south), Braintree (14 miles west), Clacton-on-Sea (15 miles south-east), Witham (13 miles south-west), Camulodunum (3 miles south) and Halstead (10 miles west).
Near you in Great Horkesley
In Great Horkesley, that means homes and buildings near The Half Butt Inn and Gilberd School and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Colchester station, roughly 1.9 miles south of the centre. A little further out are Lion Walk (2.8 miles south) and Colchester Castle (2.8 miles south-east). Open spaces near Great Horkesley include Westhouse Wood.
Also near Great Horkesley
What else we do in Great Horkesley
Signs you need new roof snagging in Great Horkesley
Roofers do not always clear every gutter and lower roof. Offcuts and broken pieces often end up in the gutters or damage lower roofs.
A survey can pick up problems such as:
- Tiles or slates sitting out of line
- Missing or blocked roof ventilation
- Verge tiles or slates not secured
- Loose flashings at walls or chimneys
If you own a rental within reach of Colchester station, it’s worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it.
What to check before booking
- What the survey won’t cover
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
- When you will get the report