Thurrock · London and the South East
Pre-Purchase Roof Survey in East Tilbury
Find out what’s going on with the roof before you spend money on it. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys in East Tilbury, with photos and a clear written report.
- Sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes
- Worn or lifted lead flashings
- Slipped or missing slates and tiles
Pre-purchase roof survey in East Tilbury: what you get
Our packages start with the Basic Survey from £150, with the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all including VAT. Standard adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. Premium adds thermal imaging, a drone inspection where applicable and an in-person consultation. Pick the one that fits the property. All three include a written report with photos and recommendations. If you’re worried about gaps where slates or tiles have come loose and lead that has worked loose at a wall or chimney, we can find out what’s behind it, on gutters and downpipes, chimney stacks and flat-roofed extensions and dormers alike.
In a smaller place like East Tilbury, homes are mostly houses and bungalows, from older cottages to more recent builds. In older homes, the slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens and underlay holding them. Whether you are buying or have just had the roof replaced, that hidden layer is worth knowing about. Breathable membranes only appeared in the late 1990s, so older roofs frequently have bitumen felt or nothing at all.
With the Standard Survey, you also get moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, drone inspection where it applies, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- East Tilbury (RM18)
- Region
- Thurrock
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Survey days
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 27 October 2026
What we cannot see
In fairness, a roof survey has limits:
- Whether materials contain asbestos (that needs a specialist asbestos surveyor)
- What’s under the slates, tiles or felt
- Anything beyond the roof, which a full home survey covers
If you are not sure which survey you need, ring 07833 053749 or email us and we’ll give you a straight answer. What our survey covers.
Roof types and parts we check
- Natural slate
- Clay and concrete tiles
- Gutters and downpipes
- Flat-roofed extensions and dormers
- Lead flashings and valleys
- The roof space
- Chimney stacks
How the survey changes by roof type
Natural slate
Many older homes in London and South East England have slate roofs. We look for slates that have slid, cracked or gone, and for clips or tingles that show past repairs.
Gutters and parapets
A butterfly roof drains to a central valley gutter, typically to the back of the house. If yours does, we check that gutter and where it drains.
Also near East Tilbury
More services for East Tilbury
What a survey costs
When we price a survey, we consider:
- Height and safe access
- The size of the roof
- Whether you choose the Basic, Standard or Premium Survey
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
There are three survey packages: the Basic Survey from £150, the Standard Survey from £250 and the Premium Survey from £400, all including VAT. What your roof costs depends on its size, access and what you want to find out.
Booking your survey
Getting the details right at the start saves time. Please include:
- Any marks or damp showing indoors
- The reason for the survey, like buying, a leak or storm damage
- Any deadline, such as an exchange date
- How the loft is reached, if there is one
Surveys can be booked for weekdays, Saturdays or Sundays. To arrange a day that suits you, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email with the address and the days you’d prefer.
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
Buyers’ agents can book surveys on behalf of their clients. The report is emailed, so it can go straight to your client, photographs included.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey helps you spot issues early and plan the work.
DIY checks: what’s safe
A lot can be seen from ground level. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Please do not climb up for a closer look.
After strong wind, take a look from the pavement or garden: 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.
What we do, step by step
Where it’s relevant and can be reached safely, the loft space is checked as well as the outside. Inside, we look for staining, damp, gaps and signs of movement, as far as the space allows. The whole visit usually takes an hour or two at most homes, though large, tall or awkward roofs take more time. Being in a smaller place like East Tilbury doesn’t change how the visit works: outside, inside and from any safe vantage point, in that order. Point out any stains, cracks or loose pieces you’ve spotted.
- You choose a Basic, Standard or Premium Survey to suit the home you’re buying.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- 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.
Preparing for the visit
- Note where any stains or damp appear
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- Leave side gates unlocked
Booking a survey
Getting a price is simple: just phone 07833 053749 or email us and give us a few details about the property and we’ll explain which survey suits. We confirm the price before anything is booked.
Advice
Pre-purchase roof surveys around East Tilbury
East Tilbury is within about 1 mile of the coast, and wind near the sea can be strong. The weather on the day decides whether a flight goes ahead, as a small drone can’t fly safely in strong wind or heavy rain. In Essex, older buildings are often clay-tiled, many with weatherboarding, with post-war and more recent estates making up much of the newer housing. Each material has its own typical faults, which is what a buyer or the owner of a new roof needs to know about.
The streets around a church like St Francis are often among the oldest in a place, and if yours is one of the older homes nearby, older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them. For landlords with property near East Tilbury station, a survey before purchase, or before signing off a new roof, saves surprises once a tenant moves in.
East Tilbury is about 3 miles south of Stanford-le-Hope, in Thurrock. We carry out pre-purchase roof surveys for homeowners, landlords and businesses in East Tilbury and the surrounding area. We cover towns and villages across Thurrock, from the larger towns to small villages. There’s also a page for Maidstone.
Surveys in RM18 are booked the same way as anywhere else. Whether your property is on Station Road, Queen Mary Avenue and Coronation Avenue or a nearby road, we can survey it. We also cover the places around East Tilbury: Linford (1 mile north-west), Low Street (1 mile south-west), Church Street (4 miles south-east), Chalk (4 miles south) and Cliffe (4 miles south-east). We also work in nearby towns such as Stanford-le-Hope (3 miles north), Grays (4 miles west), South Ockendon (6 miles west), Balstonia (3 miles north), Corringham (3 miles north-east) and Aveley (7 miles west).
Landmarks near East Tilbury
Around East Tilbury, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Grove House Wood and St Clere's School and the streets around them. There’s a railway station in East Tilbury itself: East Tilbury station. A little further out are Orsett Hospital (3 miles north-west) and Walton Hall Museum (0.9 miles north). Open spaces near East Tilbury include Thurrock Thameside Nature Park and Sawyers Lake.
East Tilbury: your questions answered
How do I find out if my home in East Tilbury is listed?
You can check whether a building is listed on Historic England’s list, and your council can tell you if it’s in a conservation area. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Will you come out to East Tilbury?
Yes, East Tilbury is on our map. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it applies and safe. We fly a sub-250g drone and we are a CAA-registered drone operator (Flyer ID and Operator ID). Drone inspection is part of the Drone Roof Survey and the Premium Survey, where applicable.
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.
When will the report arrive?
That depends on which survey you choose: Basic within 48 hours, Standard within 24 to 48 hours and Premium the same day. Tell us your exchange date and we will help you choose.
Do you survey roofs on blocks of flats?
Yes, as long as access is agreed. The roof of a block or converted house is often shared, so we need permission from the freeholder or managing agent. We inspect only the parts we’re allowed to reach.
Should I get a roof survey as well as a RICS home survey?
That depends on how much you want to know about the roof. Home surveys sometimes suggest a closer look at the roof, and that’s where a roof survey helps. It doesn’t stand in for a RICS survey.