Essex · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in Breeds
A roof survey before you buy a house or flat in Breeds, carried out by an experienced roof surveyor. You get a clear written report with photographs.
- Ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof
- Signs of past leaks inside the loft
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
When to book a survey in Breeds
Buildings put up or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos. It’s frequently found in cement sheets, soffits and flue pipes. We don’t carry out asbestos surveys, but we flag materials that might so a specialist asbestos surveyor can check before anything is disturbed.
Typical things we are asked to look at include:
- Gutters choked with leaves and moss
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
For an older house near a landmark such as Church of SS Mary and Laurence, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Whether you get a written report with photos
- Whether you can ask questions once you have the report
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
Pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Breeds
Buying a flat brings its own roof questions. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that is often not the individual flat owner. We look at as much of the roof as access safely allows, and the report gives you clear points to raise with your solicitor or the managing agent. Where the building has a flat roof, it’s checked as far as access allows. Common reasons to book are slates or tiles that have slipped or gone and a ridge or slope that dips, across natural slate, clay and concrete tiles and gutters and downpipes.
In a village or hamlet like Breeds, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Older roofs there may have clay tiles, slate, stone or, in some places, thatch. Whether you are buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks, and thatch is a specialist material, so we report on what can be seen. What’s under the coverings, from old felt to the battens and nails, matters too.
We write the report in plain English, so you don’t need to be a roofer to follow it. Photographs show what each point refers to, and recommendations are put by urgency where it matters.
- Place
- Breeds (CM3)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- When we survey
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Nearby places to Breeds
Also in Breeds
Your questions about pre-purchase roof surveys in Breeds
Do you cover smaller places like Breeds?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one.
Is Breeds in the area you cover?
Yes, Breeds is within the area we cover. Our area covers London and the South East. Just ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and let us know about the property.
What if it rains on the day?
It depends on the weather and the survey. In strong wind or a downpour, a drone cannot fly and access may not be safe, and we’d agree another day.
Will the roof report help me negotiate with the seller?
Yes. You might ask for work to be done, ask questions or ask for a change to the price. The outcome is between you and the seller, so we can’t promise any saving.
Will you need to get into the loft?
If it can be arranged, yes. Inside, the loft shows leaks, damp timbers and the underlay. If access isn’t possible, we note it in the report.
How do I arrange a pre-purchase roof survey in Breeds?
Simply call 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address. We’ll ask a few questions, confirm the price and agree a date.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Only where it’s safe. Many roofs can be seen well from windows, vantage points and the loft.
What happens on the day
It helps to start with what’s prompted the survey: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. It helps us focus on what matters most to you. The visit usually takes an hour or two on an ordinary house, and about three to four hours for a commercial roof. Cottages and farmhouses around Breeds often have roofs at several levels, with lean-tos and outbuildings attached. We work round each section in turn, from the safest viewpoints.
- Once your offer has been accepted, you book and give us the address and your timescale.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- The roof is inspected from each safe vantage point, inside and out.
- Each part of the roof is examined and photographed.
- We email a written report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- If you are buying, let the agent know when we are coming
- Let us know about parking near the property
- Note where any stains or damp appear
Arrange a survey
Once you know what you need, ring 07833 053749 or email us. From there it is a case of choosing a package, agreeing the price and fixing a day.
Read more
Why it is worth a survey now in Breeds
Even if you go ahead regardless, knowing the roof’s condition helps you plan. The report shows what needs doing first, so you can plan work before small faults get bigger. For an older or listed building in a place like Breeds, repairs may need matching materials and consent, so a defect found early gives time to plan the work properly.
Price depends partly on the package: from £150 for Basic, £250 for Standard and £400 for Premium, inc. VAT. Size, height and access can affect the price too.
Why us?
- Prices that include VAT
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance
Take a look at our cost guide and what we found on two real jobs.
For landlords and managing agents
Businesses and commercial landlords can book us too. Bigger roofs take more time, and they’re priced for the size.
With a portfolio of properties, surveys can be booked for more than one address. To discuss a number of properties, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the addresses.
How we price pre-purchase roof surveys
Several things affect the price of a survey:
- How many separate roofs there are, such as extensions, dormers and garages
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- Basic, Standard or Premium
We offer three survey packages: Basic from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, with VAT included. The price for your roof depends on its size, access and what you’d like to know.
What to let us know when you contact us
Before you get in touch, it helps to have:
- When you need the report by
- Anything about access we should know
- The address and postcode of the property
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
Our phone lines are open seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. For a price or to book, phone 07833 053749 or email us.
How the survey changes by roof type
Natural slate
Natural slate can last 100 years or more, but the nails holding it corrode long before that. Slipped or missing slates are a sign of ‘nail fatigue’, and we note how widespread it looks.
Chimney stacks
Our chimney check is a visual one, and it is not a flue or gas safety check. We will say if the flue needs a specialist.
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Breeds
Clay tiles and timber weatherboarding mark out many of the older buildings in Essex, alongside plenty of post-war and newer estates. The covering on a house you’re buying, or on a roof just finished, tells us where to look hardest. There are about 500,000 buildings on England’s list of listed buildings, and around 10,000 conservation areas. If your 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, so the council is the place to ask.
If you let a flat or house near Beaulieu Park station, a roof report gives you a clear picture before you buy or settle up with a roofer.
Breeds is about 4 miles north of Chelmsford, in Essex. Breeds is one of many places we visit across Essex. Breeds is one of the towns and villages in Essex we cover.
Surveys in CM3 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We offer pre-purchase roof surveys to properties on Cherry Garden Road, South Street and Duffries Close. Other places close to Breeds include Great Waltham (1 mile north-east), Minnow End (1 mile east), Little Waltham (1 mile east), Broomfield (1 mile south-east) and Chignall Smealy (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Chelmsford (4 miles south), Basildon (15 miles south), Braintree (8 miles north-east), Harlow (14 miles west), Brentwood (13 miles south-west) and Maldon (11 miles south-east).
Near you in Breeds
Typical jobs here are in homes near The Beehive pub, among other places. The closest station to Breeds is Beaulieu Park station, about 3.6 miles south-east of the centre. Nearby you will also find Broomfield Hospital (1.2 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Little Waltham Meadows.