Essex · London and the South East
Pre-purchase roof survey in Cressing, Essex
Pre-purchase roof surveys in Cressing, backed by more than 20 years’ experience. You get a clear report with photos.
- Blistered or split felt on a flat roof
- Patch repairs that may hide an ongoing problem
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
About our pre-purchase roof survey in Cressing
If you are buying a flat, the roof may well be shared. The lease decides who looks after the roof, and that’s often not the individual flat owner. We inspect what access allows us to see safely, and the report gives you clear points to raise with your solicitor or the managing agent. If the building has a flat roof, we look at that too where access allows. We survey lead flashings and valleys, chimney stacks and gutters and downpipes, and the problems we are asked to look at most are cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing and lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney.
In a village or hamlet like Cressing, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses alongside a few newer houses. Village roofs can be clay tile, slate, stone or even thatch on some older buildings. Each covering has its own weak points, whether the roof is old or newly laid, 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.
The report works through the roof section by section, from the coverings down to the gutters, with a note and a photo for each point. It records what’s sound as well as what isn’t.
- Where
- Cressing (CM77)
- Wider area
- Essex
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Monday to Sunday, daytime
- Cover
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
How it works
Photos are taken throughout the visit, so you can see in the report what we found and where. Close-ups come from the safest viewpoint available, including by drone where it’s applicable and the weather allows. A typical visit takes an hour or two at most homes, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. In a hamlet or village like Cressing, a postcode does not always lead to the right gate, so a few directions are welcome. The visit itself is the same as anywhere else.
- You get in touch after your offer is agreed, with the address and your target exchange date.
- Access is arranged through you, the agent or the seller.
- We check the roof from ground level, from windows, from the loft space and from the roof where safe.
- We check and photograph the slates or tiles, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters.
- We email a report with photos and recommendations, ready for you to use before exchange.
Preparing for the visit
- Point out any leaks or damp patches
- Jot down any questions you want answered
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
Arrange a survey
For a price for pre-purchase roof surveys in Cressing, phone 07833 053749 or use the contact form. Some details about the property and the roof help us price the survey accurately.
Related advice
Nearby places to Cressing
Other services in Cressing
What a pre-purchase roof survey looks like in Cressing
Before planning roof work on an older home, find out whether it is listed or in a conservation area. Changes that affect a listed building’s special interest need listed building consent, and councils can also use Article 4 directions to control changes in conservation areas. If your survey includes the drone, we check the Drone Safety Map for restrictions before flying.
If you let a flat or house near Cressing station, the roof is worth checking before you add another property to a portfolio or pay a roofer in full.
Cressing is about 2 miles south-east of Braintree, in Essex. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Cressing for houses, flats, blocks and commercial buildings, with a written report and photographs every time. Cressing is one of the places in Essex where we work for pre-purchase roof surveys. You can also see our page for Chelmsford.
We work across CM77 for pre-purchase roof surveys and the streets around it. We offer pre-purchase roof surveys to properties on The Street, Church Road and Ashes Road. Nearby, we also carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in Lanham Green (1 mile north-east), Perry Green (1 mile north-east), Silver End (1 mile south-east), Bradwell (1 mile north-east) and Faulkbourne (2 miles south). Further out, we also cover Colchester (13 miles east), Chelmsford (10 miles south-west), Maldon (10 miles south), Witham (4 miles south), Camulodunum (12 miles east) and Halstead (6 miles north).
Local landmarks in Cressing
In Cressing, that means homes and buildings near The Three Ashes pub and Alec Hunter Academy, among other places. The nearest railway station is Cressing station, roughly 1.1 miles south-west. Nearby you will also find William Julien Courtauld Hospital (2.7 miles north-west) and Cressing Temple (1.5 miles south). For a walk, there is Belcher's and Broadfield Woods.
Different roofs, different checks
Flat roofs
Ponding, blistering, splits and worn upstands are the usual warning signs. We check outlets too, since a blocked one leaves water sitting on the roof.
Gutters and parapets
Hidden gutters behind parapets send water indoors when they block. We look at their linings and outlets from wherever is safe.
What affects the cost of pre-purchase roof surveys
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- How complicated the roof is, with its valleys, chimneys and parapets
- Which survey package you book
- The use of thermal imaging or a drone
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package you pick makes a difference too. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
Getting in touch
Here’s what helps us most when you contact us:
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
- The property’s address and postcode
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- What made you get in touch
If you have photos of the roof, send them over. Take them safely from the ground or a window; never climb up to get a better view. To send them or to book, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
Do you need a pre-purchase roof survey in Cressing?
Gutter problems frequently look minor from the street. Overflowing water soaks walls and can rot the timber behind. Valley and parapet gutters can overflow inside the house. They’re part of what we look at.
Signs worth acting on include:
- Loose pots and cracked flaunching
- Flashings that have lifted or split
- Old water stains in the roof space
- Slates or tiles that have slipped or gone
Take an older house close to Parish Church of All Saints: ask the seller about past roof repairs, because older roofs often have patched valleys, replaced slates and reset ridges.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What exactly goes into their report
- Whether the roof space is looked at, where there is one
- How long the report takes to arrive
- What experience they bring
For landlords and managing agents
Letting agents can arrange access with tenants. We survey seven days a week, which can make access easier.
Landlords, agents and building managers in Cressing and across Essex can book any of our surveys. To discuss a property or a block, call 07833 053749 or email us.
Questions from Cressing
Do you cover smaller places like Cressing?
Yes, Cressing is covered. Our area covers London and the South East, from towns to the smallest villages. The journey is planned ahead, so it is useful to know about access.
Do you carry out roof surveys in Cressing?
Yes, Cressing is one of the places we work. The survey and report are the same in Cressing as anywhere else, and visits run on weekdays and weekends.
Is this the same as a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
No. It’s a roof survey by an experienced roof surveyor, with a written report and photos. It isn’t a RICS survey and does not cover the rest of the house.
Do I need a roof survey if I’m having a RICS survey?
They do different things. A home survey looks at the whole property, and ours concentrates on the roof alone. Our survey complements a RICS survey and doesn’t replace one.
How many surveys have you done?
We’ve been surveying roofs for over 20 years and have carried out more than 5,000 surveys across London and the South East.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
If the survey includes the loft or the inside of the building, someone needs to let us in. Access is agreed with you when booking.
Does the weather affect the survey?
It depends on the weather and the survey. In high wind or heavy rain, a drone can’t fly and access may not be safe, so we’d move the date with you.
Should I look at the roof myself first?
It is useful to keep a record: when leaks happen, ground-level photos and any past roof work. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
After heavy rain, check ceilings and the tops of walls for new stains. Take a photo and write down when you saw it.