Essex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Arkesden
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Arkesden from an independent, experienced roof surveyor. More than 20 years and over 5,000 surveys.
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
What we do, step by step
Every visit follows the same pattern: we listen to what’s been worrying you, look at the roof from every safe viewpoint, take photos as we go and record our findings for the written report. It typically takes about one to two hours on an ordinary house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. In a hamlet or village like Arkesden, a postcode doesn’t always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. After that, the survey runs as it would anywhere.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller.
- We inspect the roof from ground level, windows, the loft and the roof itself where it’s safe.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- You receive a written report with photos and recommendations to read before exchange.
Before we arrive
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
Book a survey
A quick phone call is normally the easiest start: call 07833 053749 or send us an email. You will have a price before anything is arranged.
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Pre-purchase roof survey in Arkesden
Book after your offer is accepted and before exchange. At that point you can still ask questions, while you’re not yet committed. We survey on any day of the week, which helps when a sale is moving quickly. The report comes within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium. If you are worried about blistered or split felt on a flat roof and gutters choked with leaves and moss, we can find out what’s behind it, whatever the roof.
Being in a small place like Arkesden makes no difference to the inspection itself: the journey, parking and access are simply agreed ahead of time. If there are outbuildings with roofs you want checked, mention them when you book. Whether you’re buying or checking new work, the same care goes into it. Weekday and weekend visits are both available.
If any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. That way, it’s clear what was covered and what wasn’t.
- Where
- Arkesden (CB11)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Emailed report with photos and recommendations
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
Every roof is different, so prices are confirmed before you book. These are the things that affect it:
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Which survey package you book
- How tall the building is and how easy the roof is to see
- Extensions, dormers and garages with roofs of their own
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. Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT.
What to let us know when you get in touch
What helps most when you contact us:
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Pictures of the roof from a safe spot, if you have them
- Your timetable, like an exchange date
- What’s prompted the survey
When you’re ready to go ahead, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email. We’ll suggest a package, agree the price and find a date.
Why act early in Arkesden
When a chain is moving fast, a roof survey can feel like one more delay. We visit on weekdays and at weekends, and a Premium report comes the same day, which helps it fit around your exchange date. Older cottages and farmhouses around Arkesden can have roof timbers that have been there a very long time, and water through a failed covering can rot timber if it is left.
For a price for your roof in Arkesden, ring 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know about the roof. The price is agreed before a date is set.
What you get with us
- Over 20 years’ experience
- Visits on any day of the week
- Prices that include VAT
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
See what a roof survey costs or what we found on two real jobs.
Roof by roof
Natural slate
Older slate roofs frequently have bitumen felt under them, and very old ones may have none. From inside the loft space, we report what we can see of it.
Lead flashings and valleys
Many older houses have lead in their valleys and hidden gutters. Splits in a lead valley send water inside, and missing lead is not unknown, as it’s a target for thieves.
Can I check my roof myself?
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Use a torch and stay on the joists or boards, and look for staining, damp timber or daylight coming through.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Landlords and letting agents in Arkesden book surveys as well as householders. A photo-illustrated written report gives you a clear record of the roof.
Surveys can also be booked by buyers’ agents acting for a client. Reports are emailed, so they’re easy to pass on, photographs included.
Questions from Arkesden
Is Arkesden within the area you cover?
Yes, Arkesden is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
How do I find out if my home in Arkesden is listed?
Start with Historic England’s list for listing and your council for conservation areas. Either can affect what roof work is allowed, so it’s worth checking before planning any.
How soon is the report ready?
The Premium Survey has a same-day report, Standard 24 to 48 hours and Basic within 48 hours. We send it by email with photos included.
Do I need to be at home?
It depends on what we need to see. Inside the building and in the loft, we need someone to let us in.
Do you need access inside the house?
Where possible, yes. The loft tells us a lot about the roof, and upstairs windows give useful views. The agent or seller can arrange entry.
Do you use drones?
Where it helps and the rules allow, yes. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and the airspace and weather are checked before every flight.
Does your survey replace a RICS home survey?
No. It is a dedicated roof survey, and you get a written report with photos. It is not a RICS survey and does not cover the rest of the house.
Places near Arkesden
Also in Arkesden
Arkesden homes and their roofs
The wider area around Arkesden has a long history of building, with Audley End House about 3.5 miles north-east. Older roofs in the wider area can hide decades of patch repairs, so the detail matters, and the council can say whether a home is in a conservation area. Where the drone is part of the survey, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If you own one of the older houses in the streets near Church of St Mary the Virgin, ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges. Landlords with a home close to Audley End station may find that the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Arkesden is about 4 miles south-west of Saffron Walden, in Essex. Anywhere in Arkesden, we can carry out pre-purchase roof surveys at your property, on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Arkesden is one of the towns and villages in Essex where we work for pre-purchase roof surveys. Our Chelmsford page covers surveys nearby.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: CB11. If you need a pre-purchase roof survey at a property on Clatterbury Lane, Wicken Road and Hampit Road or a nearby road, we can help. We also cover the places around Arkesden: Hill Green (1 mile south), Wicken Bonhunt (1 mile south-east), Clavering (2 miles south-west), Starling's Green (2 miles south-west) and Langley (2 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover Harlow (15 miles south), Saffron Walden (4 miles north-east), Great Dunmow (12 miles south-east), Stansted Mountfitchet (6 miles south), Newhall (15 miles south) and Elsenham (6 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Arkesden
We work in homes and buildings around Axe And Compasses Inn, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Audley End station, about 2.3 miles north-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Saffron Walden Community Hospital (4.9 miles north-east) and The Warren (4 miles west).