Essex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Broxted, Essex
Wondering about the roof at a property in Broxted? We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Broxted and across Essex, with plain-English findings.
- Blocked or leaking gutters
- Quick fixes on flashings and valleys
- Old water stains in the loft space
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
Prices vary from roof to roof, for these reasons:
- The type of building, from a house to a block or an office
- Height and safe access
- Roof area
- Basic, Standard or Premium
To find out what your survey will cost, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email and let us know about the roof. We’ll confirm the figure before booking.
What we need to know
To price your survey accurately, we’ll ask about:
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
- Your postcode, so we can check access and travel
- Whether there is a loft hatch, a shared roof or tricky access
- The kind of building and roof involved
Not sure which survey you need? It is easiest to call 07833 053749 or send us an email and describe the roof and why you want it surveyed. We will talk you through the options and what they cost.
How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Broxted
A roof report gives you something solid to take back to the seller or the agent. You might ask about past repairs, ask for work to be done before completion or think again about your offer. What the seller agrees to is up to them, but you will be negotiating from a clear picture rather than a hunch. It can also help you decide whether the purchase is still right for you. Common reasons to book are ponding, blisters or splits on a flat roof and slipped or missing slates and tiles, on clay and concrete tiles, the roof space and gutters and downpipes.
In a village or hamlet like Broxted, 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’re buying or have just had a roof replaced, each material has its own checks. Older roofs may also have old felt underlay or none, and fixings that have done a long stint.
Findings are set out part by part, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets, each with a short note and a photograph. You’ll see the good as well as the bad.
- Place
- Broxted (CM6)
- Region
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Checking the roof from ground level
Your own check is a good start, but it is not a survey. From ground level, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight, and those are details a survey looks at closely.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it, as it helps a surveyor trace the cause.
Tips from our surveys
Here are a few things we’d tell any owner, before and after a survey:
- Watch for stains or fresh paint on ceilings below the roof
- Book once your offer is accepted
- Ask the agent to check the loft hatch can be opened
- Let us know your timetable
You may want to pass the report to your solicitor or conveyancer so they can raise enquiries with the seller’s side. It can prompt questions about past roof work and any paperwork for it.
Every so often, check the loft with a torch, keeping to boarded areas. Damp patches, daylight through the roof or water stains on timbers are worth noting. Photos help if you later need a roofer or another survey.
FAQs for Broxted
Are there drone restrictions around Broxted?
It depends on the exact address and the weather on the day. Broxted is inside, or right on the edge of, the flight restriction zone around Stansted Airport. We ask the airport for permission before flying there, and only fly if it is given. A small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or a downpour, though the rest of the survey goes ahead either way.
Does a conservation area affect roof work in Broxted?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. 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.
Will you climb onto the roof?
Only where it’s safe. Many roofs can be seen well from windows, vantage points and the loft.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes. Shared roofs just need a little more planning. Let us know about it when booking and we’ll explain what’s needed.
Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
Professional indemnity and public liability insurance cover our surveys. If you need details for a managing agent or a building owner, just ask.
Is a roof survey worth having alongside a home survey?
That depends on how much you want to know about the roof. A home survey may recommend further investigation of the roof, and that is where a roof survey helps. It does not stand in for a RICS survey.
How long does the survey visit take?
Allow about one to two hours for most houses, and more on a big or complicated roof. We’ll give you an idea of timing when booking.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Broxted: local notes
Broxted is inside, or right on the edge of, the flight restriction zone around Stansted Airport. If your survey includes the drone, we ask the airport for permission first, and only fly if it’s given. Horham Hall, about 1.4 miles north-east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Broxted. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
If you own a rental within reach of Stansted Airport station, a written report helps before buying a rental or paying for a new roof on one.
Broxted is about 7 miles north-east of Bishop's Stortford, in Essex. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in Broxted and nearby. Broxted is one of the towns and villages in Essex we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys. There is also a page for Chelmsford.
Postcode districts we cover here for pre-purchase roof surveys: CM6. We cover properties on St Mary's Mews and Cranham Road and the roads around them. We also cover the places around Broxted: Brick End (1 mile south), Henham (2 miles west), Debden Green (3 miles north), Fuller's End (3 miles west) and Elsenham (3 miles west). Larger places within reach include Chelmsford (15 miles south-east), Braintree (12 miles east), Harlow (13 miles south-west), Saffron Walden (7 miles north), Halstead (15 miles east) and Great Dunmow (4 miles south-east).
Near you in Broxted
The closest station to Broxted is Stansted Airport station, roughly 2.7 miles south-west of the centre. Nearby you will also find Little Easton Moat (2.9 miles south-east). The countryside around Broxted includes Aubrey Buxton Nature Reserve.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Broxted
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client, photographs included.
For blocks of flats, a roof survey helps managing agents and residents’ management companies plan ahead. The report sets out what needs attention now and what can wait, which helps with budgets and planning.
What we are asked to look at in Broxted
Rear extensions, dormers and garages frequently have flat roofs. Felt flat roofs frequently last around 15 to 20 years, and ponding, blisters and splits are common signs of age. A buyer can easily miss them, especially when they’re only visible from an upper floor.
It’s worth booking a survey if you’ve seen:
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Gutters that overflow or drip at the joints
- Damp timbers or stains in the loft
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
For an older house near a landmark like 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.
Before booking any roof surveyor
- How they plan to inspect the roof safely
- Whether they hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- What the survey will not cover
- Is there a chance to talk the report through?
Nearby places to Broxted
What else we do in Broxted
What happens on the day
On the day, we begin with a quick chat about the roof and anything that’s worrying you. After that, we check everything we can see safely, from ground level, from windows, in the loft space and by drone where it applies. Most surveys take between one and two hours at most homes, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. Somewhere like Broxted needs a little journey planning: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. The roof is looked at from ground level, from windows, from the loft where there is safe access and from the roof where it is safe.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- A date is booked on a weekday, Saturday or Sunday.
- We inspect and photograph every part of the roof we can safely see.
- Standard and Premium surveys add the extra checks they include.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Getting ready for the survey
- Mention any parking restrictions on your street
- Keep pets out of the way during the survey
- Check we can get to the back of the property
Booking a survey
A quick phone call is usually the easiest start: call 07833 053749 or use the contact form, and we will ask about the building and what you need. You’ll have a price before anything is arranged.