Essex · London and the South East
Chipping Ongar Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Chipping Ongar and the rest of Essex. We survey on any day of the week.
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Standing water on a flat extension roof
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
How the survey works
Before we start, let us know why you’ve booked: buying, a leak, storm damage, new work or just wanting to know where things stand. That way we can focus on what matters to you. Most visits take about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, and longer for a large or complex roof. Homes around Chipping Ongar frequently have gardens on more than one side, which gives us room to step back and see the roof. Let us know if any side is fenced off or hard to reach. Inside, the loft is checked where it can be reached safely.
- Once your offer is accepted, you let us know the address and when you hope to exchange.
- We arrange access with you, the agent or the seller, including the loft.
- We start outside, looking at the roof from the ground and from vantage points.
- We then look from upstairs windows and inside the loft where it is safe.
- You get a photo-illustrated written report and recommendations before you exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- For flats, check roof access has been agreed
- Have any questions written down, so nothing gets missed
- Buyers: confirm access with the estate agent or seller
Booking a survey
Our price is from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on the roof’s size, access and the package, so phone 07833 053749 or email us with the details.
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How a pre-purchase roof survey works in Chipping Ongar
Older homes frequently have roofs that have been patched over the years. Slates slip when their nails corrode, lead valleys and flashings wear, and chimney pointing crumbles. Most of it cannot be seen from the street. Our survey picks it out, with photographs that show you exactly where. We explain each finding in plain English, so you know what it means for the house you are buying. We’re frequently asked to look into gutters that overflow or drip at the joints and loose pots and cracked flaunching, on chimney stacks, the roof space and natural slate.
Houses in smaller places like Chipping Ongar can stand more in the open than those in a built-up town, which can mean more wind and rain on the roof. Loose ridge tiles, lifted coverings and tired flashings are the kind of things that show it. For a purchase or a new roof, those exposed edges are checked closely. On an exposed roof, a loose ridge or verge soon becomes a bigger job.
If any part of the roof couldn’t be seen safely, we say so in the report. You’ll know exactly what was inspected and what wasn’t, and what we’d suggest next.
- Location
- Chipping Ongar (CM5)
- Region
- Essex
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Reports
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays and weekends
- Insured
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
Common roof problems in Chipping Ongar
The fixings and underlay often fail before good slates or tiles do. Good slate can last well over a century, but corroded nails let slates slip. It is a frequent finding on older houses.
Here are some of the things we see often:
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Bitumen or mortar used in place of proper repairs
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
Hill Hall lies about 4.4 miles south-west, so building around Chipping Ongar goes back a long way. Buying a period property here means asking about the roof’s age and repairs, and about any listing or conservation area.
Questions to ask before booking
- Whether VAT is added on top
- How soon the report will arrive
- What happens after the report arrives
- Their drone registration, if they fly one
Chipping Ongar: your questions answered
Is my home in Chipping Ongar listed or in a conservation area?
For listing, use Historic England’s list; for conservation areas, ask the council. It matters most if you are planning to re-roof in a different material.
Do you cover Chipping Ongar?
Yes. Our area covers London and South East England, and Chipping Ongar is part of that. You can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form with the address and a few details, and we’ll talk through which survey suits.
When will the report arrive?
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.
Can you survey in bad weather?
Light rain is usually fine; heavy rain and wind are different. In high wind or heavy rain, a drone cannot fly and access may not be safe, so we’d move the date with you.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is frequently shared, so whoever owns or manages the building needs to agree access. We can only inspect what we’re given access to.
Can you inspect my roof with a drone?
Yes, where it applies and safe. We are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID), flying a sub-250g drone. Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where applicable.
When is the best time to have the roof checked when buying?
Book as soon as your offer is agreed. The report is most useful before exchange, because after that the roof is yours to deal with.
Local roofs and buyers in Chipping Ongar
If the drone is used for your survey, the flight is checked against the Drone Safety Map first. In Essex, older buildings are often clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, alongside plenty of post-war and newer estates. Material and age explain a lot of what turns up on the day, whether the roof is old or brand new.
The streets around a church such as United Reformed Church are often among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, a survey will show how the roof has been repaired before, which helps you judge what’s coming.
Chipping Ongar is about 6 miles north-west of Brentwood, in Essex. We provide pre-purchase roof surveys for homes and businesses in Chipping Ongar. Across Essex, we cover Chipping Ongar. We also survey roofs in Chelmsford.
Pre-purchase roof surveys in CM5 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Whether your property is on High Street, Lavender Mews and Stanley Place or anywhere close by, we can help. Main roads around Chipping Ongar include the A128, which makes travel easy. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Greensted (1 mile west), Shelley (1 mile north), High Ongar (1 mile east), Greensted Green (2 miles west) and Norton Mandeville (2 miles north-east). Further out, we also cover Chelmsford (11 miles east), Basildon (13 miles south-east), Harlow (7 miles north-west), Brentwood (6 miles south-east), Billericay (9 miles south-east) and Loughton (9 miles south-west).
Near you in Chipping Ongar
In Chipping Ongar, that means homes and buildings near The Ongar Academy and The Royal Oak pub, among other places. Other landmarks nearby include Willingale Doe (4.5 miles north-east) and St. Margaret's Hospital (5.2 miles west). The countryside around Chipping Ongar includes Gernon Bushes.
Landlords, agents and block managers in Chipping Ongar
For a freeholder or residents’ company, a roof report is a sound basis for a maintenance plan, putting the urgent items at the top.
Where a roof is shared: we need access agreed with the building owner or managing agent. Mention it when you get in touch and we will plan the survey around it.
Also near Chipping Ongar
More services for Chipping Ongar
How the survey changes by roof type
Flat roofs
Many homes have a flat roof somewhere, frequently over an extension. Felt often lasts around 15 to 20 years, EPDM rubber 30 to 50 and GRP up to about 30. We look for signs of age and failure.
Clay and concrete tiles
Older homes in the South East often have handmade clay tiles, including Kent peg tiles on some. Rotten pegs let tiles slide.
Why it’s worth a survey now in Chipping Ongar
The lender’s valuation is done for the lender, not for you. It looks at whether the property is suitable security for the loan, and it will not look closely at the roof. Our survey is done for you. Around Chipping Ongar, a leak in an older house can soak into timbers and plaster, which is far harder to put right than the roof fault itself.
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. What you pay depends on how big and how high the roof is, access and which survey you book.
Why choose Independent Roof Survey in Chipping Ongar
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Drone flown under a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID
- Photos and a written report every time
- Surveys on weekdays and at weekends
Take a look at our cost guide or what we found on two real jobs.
What you can safely check yourself
Look up at the roof after a storm, from ground level: pieces of tile or slate on the ground, a gap in the ridge or a lifted flashing are all worth noting. Do not go up yourself.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Water spilling over the edge can be a sign of a blockage or a gutter that has dropped.